Bringing Van Cleef & Arpels’ Poetic Complications to life

Haute horlogerie and high jewellery maison Van Cleef & Arpels is famous for bringing out stunning timepieces that appeal not only to our eyes and intellect but also to our hearts. Their Poetic Complications are as suggested not only an appeal to our emotions but are also high complications that inspire our admiration. This year, at Watches & Wonders, the marque unveiled its Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch that is evocative of a soft breeze playing over the flowers of a meadow. We speak to Pascal Narbeburu, Timepieces Metier Director at Van Cleef & Arpels, to discover how the brand manages to astonish time and again…

There are many challenges when creating a Van Cleef & Arpels timepiece; what is the process of turning an idea into a real creation?
For Van Cleef & Arpels, the technique is always at the service of the story. We have to find a way to express what the Maison wishes to transmit, not only aesthetically but also in terms of emotion. After receiving the drawings from the design studio, we need to make sure that all the expertise and craftsmen are aligned to bring the creations to life. We discuss all the details in order to start the research and development. We always challenge our expertise and quality, that’s why it usually takes years to be able to develop a piece, as we always need to go beyond the limits, with no compromise.

There is a huge expectation every year for Van Cleef & Arpels to enchant us with their timepieces; how does the brand always satisfy and exceed expectations?
We wish to bring an element of poetry, an element of whimsicality, a touch of humour sometimes, and definitely around this idea of Poetic Complications – the idea that a watch is definitely more than an object that tells the time.

Van Cleef & Arpels has received many GPHG awards through the years; how does that feel?
The Maison has been making timepieces since its early days in 1906. Its creations express a very unique vision of time, positive and poetic, inspired by nature, astronomy, dance. This uniqueness is also due to our approach of looking  at watches through our jewellers’ eyes. It allows us to build bridges between High Jewellery and Watchmaking. Being nominated or winning an award in such a prestigious event that brings together many watchmaking Maisons is a great privilege and a real celebration. Not only does it recognise the Maison’s history and its savoir faire, but it also pays tribute to the craftsmen’s constant commitment.

Van Cleef & Arpels watches are known for their mix of art and horology; how did the brand master this combination?
The Maison’s timepieces are the result of a true collective work where jewellery know-how meets watchmaking expertise and traditional crafts – from Paris’ Place Vendôme to Van Cleef & Arpels Watchmaking Workshops in Geneva. In keeping with the Maison’s unique Poetry of Time, the craftsmen deploy the nobility of their expertise, transforming challenges into innovations and enchanting scenes. The excellence of our savoir faire is what allows us at Van Cleef & Arpels to give rise to enchanting creations that blend our poetic stories with the help of our watchmaking expertise. Engineers, craftsmen, and watchmakers work closely together from the start to push the limits on aesthetic and technical know-how to create the most emotional pieces. At Van Cleef & Arpels, we have the transmission at heart; that’s why we perpetuate the savoir faire of enamel and engraving, thanks to our two teachers who train our apprentices and our artisans.

At this year’s Watches and Wonders, what inspired the brand to choose summer breeze as a theme to create the Lady Arpels Brise d’Été watch?
One of Van Cleef & Arpels’ sources of inspiration is nature – a nature that is enchanted and is the starting point of the Lady Arpels Brise d’Été, which celebrates the freshness of a summer morning. To display this poetic scene, the Maison wanted to create a three-dimensional effect that we achieved by assembling different pieces on top of each other. We reinforce this impression of relief with several techniques, mastered by Van Cleef & Arpels, such as 3D plique-à-jour enamelling, opaque enamel made with several layers, and miniature painting.