As Van Cleef & Arpels looks to demystify high jewelry and make it more accessible, the French jeweler is hosting a major exhibition through April 15 at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture. The exhibition, titled “Van Cleef & Arpels: Time, Nature, Love,” connects the worlds of jewelry, art, and culture with 280 pieces (some never-before-seen) and over 90 archival sketches, designs, and more. The perfect example of this collision of worlds is one of the show’s highlights: a necklace formerly belonging to late actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Affectionately known as the Granny necklace, the Barquerolles Lion necklace was a gift from Taylor’s husband, actor Richard Burton (who she married twice), after Taylor became a grandmother in 1971. The gold, diamond, and emerald piece features a lion’s head that was inspired by Venetian door knockers. It can be refashioned from a necklace into a choker, a pair of bracelets, or a brooch with a detachable pendant.
Taylor’s necklace falls under the “Love” segment of the show, which was inspired by the wedding of Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels that led to the start of Van Cleef & Arpels in 1906. The piece, “together with sketches and archival documents,” according to the company, “illustrate the full symbolic power of precious gifts, as well as the bonds forged by Van Cleef & Arpels with certain legendary couples who left their mark on the 20th century.”
In addition to showcasing some of the house’s most iconic jewels, the museum is hosting workshops and lectures with industry leaders from L’École, School of Jewelry Arts supported by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Top: Van Cleef & Arpels’ Barquerolles Lion choker necklace (circa 1971), once owned by actress Elizabeth Taylor, in 18k yellow gold with diamonds and marquise-cut emeralds
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