It’s a love affair with legends. A quiet ode to the seas that hold stories of adventure, grandeur, and untold treasures. In this still life photoshoot of Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest High Jewellery collection, L’Île au Trésor, for the pages of our November Legacy issue, we capture the Maison’s most audacious chapter yet — one that calls to mind sunken ships, glistening relics, and the otherworldly beauty of hidden coves. Each piece tells its own tale, rich with narrative and craftsmanship, inviting us to trace the line between myth and reality.
The Hispaniola clip emerges like an artefact of conquest, its sharp silhouette and gleaming stones reminiscent of a captain’s prized discovery, while the Palmier Mystérieux clip echoes the lushness of an untouched island, with its intricate design akin to the natural patterns of palm fronds. Van Cleef & Arpels’ storied use of the 'Mystérieuse' setting — an innovation from the 1930s — is on full display, concealing the structure beneath a seamless sea of colour.
Other treasures abound. The Lumières d’Udaipur earrings evoke the shimmer of water’s edge at twilight, while the Regard Vers Le Ciel ring gazes heavenward, its celestial motifs a nod to ancient navigation. Meanwhile, the Traversée Mystérieuse bracelet mirrors the ebb and flow of waves, and the Ondulations Marines earrings undulate like the rhythmic dance of the tide.
Van Cleef & Arpels’ legacy is rooted in storytelling, from the Alhambra’s four-leaf clover motif to the poetic complexity of its 'Secret' watches. With L’Île au Trésor, they’ve turned the map toward uncharted waters, reimagining seafaring lore into modern iconography.
To experience the Legacy issue in its entirety, the November edition of RUSSH is available on newsstands from 14 November and through our shop online. Read more about the inspiration behind the issue in Jess Blanch's editor's letter.
