Van Cleef & Arpels

Van Cleef & Arpels was founded in Paris in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his brother-in-law Salomon Arpels. The company is best known for its poetic haute jewellery. Alongside its jewellery collections, the company has manufactured watches since the 1920s, characterised by their artistic design and sophisticated mechanisms. The Poetic Complications are particularly renowned, presenting narrative scenes on the dial using planetary orbits, constellations or dancers to indicate time. Notable models include the Lady Arpels Pont des Amoureux, which depicts a lovers' kiss as a time display, and the highly complex, astronomically inspired Midnight Planétarium. These have firmly established Van Cleef & Arpels as an icon of poetic watchmaking.