Since opening its first boutique on Place Vendôme in Paris, in 1906, Van Cleef & Arpels has written some of the finest pages in the history of jewelry and decorative arts. This book, which gives pride of place to images, presents the Patrimonial Collection in all its diversity: pieces of high jewelry, jewelry, timepieces, as well as accessories and objets d’art. A selection of around 700 pieces is accompanied by archival documents and contextual iconography. It is punctuated by texts highlighting the ongoing links and interactions between the Maison and the artistic milieux.

This first volume retraces the beginnings of the Maison, from 1906 to 1953. It highlights 700 pieces created during this period, divided over three chapters. Each one is introduced by an iconic piece of jewelry that marks a change of era or style. From aesthetic research to jewelry inventions, the pieces in this Collection immerse the reader in the creative universe of the Maison, offering an overview of the artistic and cultural scene of the first half of the 20th century. Conceived as an art book, as well as a reference survey for the world of jewelry, this catalogue revisits the codes of the genre through its multiple readings, its visual and didactic approach, and its graphic design devised like a jewelry case for the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection.