Nature has inspired the designs of Van Cleef & Arpels (212.644.9500, www.vancleef-arpels.com) for nearly a century, and the company strolls down the garden path with its new Les Jardins, an ambitious high-jewelry collection of 140 elaborate designs that evoke the pristine pleasures of a private Eden. Each of the collection’s unique pieces tells a story. The Vicomte necklace, comprising three rows of large sapphire balls and pear-shaped sapphire drops, suggests water flowing from a fountain. A Pavillon d’Or gold pendant sculpted in the form of a miniature garden temple is adorned with pink sapphires and mandarin garnets. Whimsical jeweled nymphs—a favorite Van Cleef & Arpels motif—grace several designs, reminding us of nature’s magic and mystery.
