For the launch of their new high jewellery collections, Van Cleef & Arpels brought their signature sparkle to the Scottish Highlands…
If you told me I’d be quizzing King Charles’ head gardener one day on rose and hydrangea hacks in a pair of Wellies, I might’ve laughed. But that’s exactly where I found myself in July: in Scotland, at Dumfries House, the setting for Van Cleef & Arpels’ new high jewellery launch. And yes, I took notes (always ensure you deadhead roses immediately after the first bloom).
The trip marked the global debut of Flowerlace and Fleurs d’Hawaï: two new collections from the Parisian maison that take their cues, as always, from nature. Van Cleef & Arpels doesn’t just like flowers, it obsesses over them. And in this case, the brand brought us to the source: a 2,000-acre estate in Ayrshire, in south-west Scotland, backed by The King’s Foundation, complete with a sprawling rose garden and royal eco-credentials.
Why Scotland? Because Van Cleef & Arpels is now the Principal Patron of The King’s Foundation Gardens and Estates. That includes not just Dumfries House, but also Highgrove and the Castle of Mey. The brand is funding everything from rewilding projects to electric garden tools. It’s luxury with a side of legacy.
“We could have launched these collections anywhere,” Catherine Rénier, Van Cleef & Arpels’ CEO, told me. “But this garden – this very specific rose garden – meant something to us. It’s a way to bring the jewellery garden we’ve created into a real, living one.”
But back to the jewels. Flowerlace is all about lightness: gold petals that look like ribbon, diamonds arranged in soft asymmetry, and a between-the-finger ring that genuinely left me speechless (Van Cleef & Arpels creations tend to do that). The pieces are sculpted using lost-wax casting (read: extreme precision and old-school methods), then polished to an almost blinding shine. It’s the kind of craftsmanship that makes you forget you’re looking at metal and stone – these are works of art.
“Gold becomes the fabric of the piece,” explained Rénier. “That idea dates back to the 1920s and ’30s, when the maison used gold almost like lace to create delicate silhouettes. In Flowerlace, you see that same ribbon effect shaping the flower itself. The inspiration is couture, but the execution is pure high jewellery.”
Each piece in the Flowerlace collection is designed to appear as if it’s moving – petals slightly lifted, pistils shimmering with golden beads and diamonds of varying sizes. The craftsmanship is meticulous. The maison’s gem-setters use prong settings with beaded finishes to create curved, organic lines that catch the light and give each piece a sense of effortless motion. So it’s floral, yes, but also architectural.
Fleurs d’Hawaï, on the other hand, is loud, lush, and full of colour. Think citrine, amethyst, aquamarine, peridot, and rhodolite, cut into generous pear-shaped petals and paired with gold to create tropical-punch florals. They’re big, joyful, and secretly technical. The diamonds in the centre aren’t just there for sparkle: they’re part of a carefully balanced composition that keeps each bloom looking like it grew that way.
“In Fleurs d’Hawaï, the goal was to make the gold disappear,” said Rénier. “We wanted the petals to look like they were floating. So all the work – setting, protection, structure – is hidden behind the scenes. You only see the colour, the light, the movement.”
For each collection, the maison’s stone department spends months selecting the finest stones – not only for colour but for uniformity and cut – so that each appears completely harmonious. The pistils, composed of seven precisely placed diamonds, are set at the perfect angle to reflect light from every direction. The result? A bloom that looks like it’s swaying in the breeze. The collection also includes three secret watches, where a floral motif pivots to reveal a mother-of-pearl dial surrounded by diamonds.
Of course, nature has long been a source of inspiration for Van Cleef & Arpels. Since the maison first opened its doors in 1906 on Paris’ Place Vendôme – following the marriage of Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef – flora and fauna have been an enduring wellspring of inspiration. From the wings of a butterfly to a petal in bloom, the brand’s design language is rooted in capturing the vitality and rhythm of the natural world.
Naturally, with that reverence comes technical daring. Van Cleef & Arpels is known for its artistry, but also its innovation. Take the legendary Mystery Set, a signature technique developed in the 1930s that allows gemstones – rubies, sapphires, emeralds, even diamonds – to be invisibly slotted into tiny gold rails with no visible metal. The result is a flawless, velvety surface of colour where stones appear to float in seamless formation. Achieving this effect requires extraordinary skill: each stone must be cut to exact specifications, and completing a single clip can take upwards of 300 hours. Only a handful of artisans in the world are trained in the method, making each Mystery Set piece not only dazzling but very rare.
Or consider the maison’s use of mirror polishing – another signature – where gold is worked to such a high shine it reflects like lacquered glass. It’s a technique that amplifies the light and enhances every angle.
The collections aren’t just pretty (although they are very pretty). They link directly to Van Cleef & Arpels’ heritage. From a 1907 Daisy brooch to the legendary Passe-Partout pieces of the ’30s, the brand has always been about making flowers wearable.
What’s different now is the sustainability story growing around it – literally. The new Van Cleef & Arpels Rose Garden (yes, it has been renamed) is the result of this partnership. It’s free to access, loved by the local community, and now backed by serious sparkle.
“For us, it’s not just about celebrating nature; it’s about protecting it,” said Rénier. “Whether we’re working with gardens, dance, or craftsmanship, the values are the same: creativity, transmission, and legacy. This partnership with The King’s Foundation is about ensuring that beauty – real, living beauty – is preserved for generations to come.”
The gala dinner that night? A floral fever dream. Colourful round tables, botanical arrangements that mirrored the gemstones (yes, really), and a menu with, thankfully, no haggis in sight.
Van Cleef & Arpels could have launched these collections anywhere: Paris, New York, Venice. But bringing us here – to gardens they’re actively helping nurture – was something special. Not just because it’s beautiful (though it is) but because it proved a point. That is, if you’re going to be inspired by nature, you’d better invest in it too.
And Rénier is clear that this isn’t a one-off initiative. “We go where we know,” she said. “Gardens, dance, education: these are areas where we already have a deep connection. Our role is to support and amplify them in a meaningful way. This isn’t a marketing moment. It’s a long-term vision.”
As I left, I looked back at the Rose Garden and realised that this launch wasn’t just about jewellery or a pretty setting. Rather, the famed jewellery house was making a statement. And that is: craft, care, and sustainability aren’t buzzwords. They’re the future of luxury.
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