Van Cleef & Arpels has been making exquisite timepieces from the very start
With high-end mechanical watches becoming increasingly popular, many top jewellery names have been bringing out their own collections of timepieces in recent years. Van Cleef & Arpels caught on to the idea a little earlier than most - almost a century ago.
'We may be focused on high jewellery and bijoux creations, but we have been making watches since the very beginning,' said Benjamin Vuchot, managing director of Van Cleef & Arpels Asia Pacific. Mr Vuchot said watch sales accounted for 15 per cent of the annual turnover of the Parisian brand, which was founded in 1906.
'Van Cleef & Arpels has this kind of stamping to be an exceptional high-jewellery brand, and we are proud to follow that,' Mr Vuchot said.
'We try to keep the level of excellency up in terms of the selection of stones and settings. We are very well known for the quality of our stones. You can really tell the difference.'
The brand's design philosophy was a blend of creativity and classicism, creating feminine watches that often featured playful dual functions.
'Many of our jewellery watches detach and can be used as a pendant,' he said. 'Gimmick is not the right word, but it is fun. We have one design that is made to look like a zipper - not many jewellers would dare to do these things.'
