Enamelling: The latest iteration of Van Cleef & Arpels’ beloved ladybirds
A craft developed in the French brand’s watchmaking workshops in Geneva is put to good use in new Coccinelles creations
[SINGAPORE] What does a jeweller do when it has a whole range of artistic skills as well as beloved motifs at its disposal?
Bring new creations to life, of course – even if they’re just two pieces.
That’s the sort of creative luxury you enjoy when you’re Van Cleef & Arpels, which has applied its enamelling savoir faire to the ladybird – a motif that the French jeweller has used as a source of inspiration since the 1930s.
Already prominently featured in its Lucky Spring collection, the cute little red beetle takes on an even more gorgeous, rounded form in the Coccinelles (Ladybirds) line.
Appearing on a rose gold between-the-finger ring as well as a clip, they involve craftsmen carefully blending silica powder and pigments and applying them to the ladybirds’ dome-shaped, hollow golden wings before firing in a high-temperature oven. This process is repeated several times, so the motif takes on a deep vibrant red before a polishing process brings it to a glossy finish.
Post-enamelling, the wings are assembled with onyx heads and handcrafted guilloche goldwork on the clip and mirror-polish gold on the ring.
Where the beetle’s body is made with carnelian and dotted with gold in the Lucky Spring collection, the Coccinelles version is a sumptuous, three-dimensional take with diamonds replacing its spots.
With their high gloss enamelling and sparkle, these ladybirds bring with them promises of sunshine, blooms and all the lightness and joy of spring.
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