Vintage Van Cleef and Arpels Gold and Diamond Bracelet and Necklace Suite

Antique jewellery object group: suite or parure (matching set of jewellery)

These model clips first entered Van Cleef & Arpels’ collection in 1935 and were named Ludo Hexagone. (Louis Arpels, who was known to his friends as “Ludo”).

This extraordinary VCA jewellery set can be assembled in different fashions. It consists of four separate ‘Tube de Gaz’-bracelets, that are each signed by Van Cleef and Arpels and that can be connected to each other in various desired lengths. This offers you to the possibility to combine them into one long necklace or to leave it as a shorter necklace while wearing the remaining parts as bracelets.
Furthermore, a large and luxurious as well as a more modest pendant comes with this set. Both comfortably slide across the ‘Tube de Gaz’-parts and can so serve as the finishing touch to your necklace. The smaller pendant can even be worn as an extra decoration for your bracelet as well.

Condition: very good condition

Country of origin: France

Style: Vintage Fifties (of the twentieth century)

Period: ca. 1950

Style specifics: This is a so-called ‘tube de gaz’ necklace (French for ‘gas tube’) and is a typical jewellery piece for the 1950s. Besides that, it’s also a statement example that not all necklaces are made out of links. A ‘tube de gaz’ is traditionally made from two long twisted U-shaped wires, twisted into each other. One side of the necklace is round and the other side is flat. Another designation for jewellery made according to this technique is ‘rat tail’.

Source of inspiration: honeycomb – We can see this pattern in the pendant and the slide.

Material: 18ct pink gold

Extra information: Van Cleef & Arpels – Their first jewellery store was created in 1906 by Charles, Julien and Louis Arpels, in partnership with their brother-in-law Alfred Van Cleef. They soon reached international recognition and in 1942, they had the possibility to open another store in New York on the famous Fifth Avenue.

Diamond(s): 28 old European cut diamonds with an estimated weight of 3.36ct.(colour and clarity: F/I, vs/i).
34 single brilliant-cut diamonds (also called 8/8) with an estimated weight of 0.85ct.(colour and clarity: F/H, vs/si).

Total diamond count: 62 pcs.

Total diamond weight: approx. 4.21 ct.

– All diamond weights, colour grades and clarity are approximate since stones are not removed from their mounts to preserve the integrity of the setting. Also, we have all diamonds screened by the IJGC – lab (www.ijgc-worldwide.com) for whether they are natural or synthetic, and all diamonds in this jewel are 100% guaranteed to be natural!

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April.

Brand: VCA – Van Cleef & Arpels

Signature: Van Cleef & Arpels
The big pendant and the slide seem to have been born as a so-called double-clip. Also, although the bracelets are signed, both the pendant and slide are not. However, they both are known as typical VCA pieces. We think that their signatures have been sacrificed during their modification necessary for this jewellery set.

Engraving:
-In two of the bracelets, we find the engraving ‘Van Cleef & Arpels’.
-In the other two, we can find their series number ‘1.138.C.S.’ engraved.

Hallmarks:Hallmarks: The French control mark for 18ct gold representing an eagle’s head (that was in use in France from about 1838)

Dimensions:
-total length 4 bracelets together 73,10 cm (28,78 inch),
-each: 17,10 cm (6,73 inch); 18,30 cm (7,20 inch); 18,40 cm (7,24 inch); 19,30 cm (7,60 inch),
-pendant 4,20 cm (1,65 inch) x 2,55 cm (1,00 inch),
-slide 2,55 cm (1,00 inch) x 1,65 cm (0,65 inch)

Weight: 160,10 gram (102,94 dwt)