Fascinating Egypt: Van Cleef & Arpel’s New High Jewelry Collection

Egyptology. Egyptomania. Egyptophilia. Egypt obsession! Ancient Egypt has long stoked the fires of creative minds, manifest in the number of legitimate (and fanciful) terms used to describe its study and fandom. It is this enduring fascination that inspired Fascinating Egypt, Van Cleef & Arpels’ new 2026 High Jewelry collection. Since the preeminence of ancient Rome, a passion for Egyptian art has influenced varied movements.

The beginning of the 20th century saw these themes permeate culture through neoclassical architecture, operas, ballets, decorative objects, and even film. Perhaps no city displays the sheer amount of evidence as Paris: most notably the installation of the Luxor Obelisk on Place de la Concorde in 1836, the decorative arts of the 1920s, and the past century of jewelry masterpieces created in and around Place Vendôme.

Fascinating Egypt includes a stunning array of 180 pieces, drawing upon the rich materials in Van Cleef & Arpels‘ archives while offering a distinctly contemporary perspective.

Meet the Expert

• Catherine Rénier has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Van Cleef & Arpels since September 2024.
• A graduate of Boston College with a Master of Business Administration, Rénier brings over 25 years of jewelry and luxury watchmaking experience at Richemont to the role.
• Before her appointment at Van Cleef & Arpels, Rénier held positions at Cartier and Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Van Cleef & Arpels Embraced Egyptomania Long Before Fascinating Egypt

The storied Maison caught the Egyptomania bug early. A long pendant necklace from 1923 features a winged scarab, lotus blossoms, and a serene, seated figure in profile, all fashioned in diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and onyx set in platinum. The patrimonial collection of Van Cleef & Arpels holds ten such extraordinary pieces. The preview book includes an image from a 1922 catalogue of a necklace with a brooch pendant adorned with lotus motifs. 

According to Catherine Rénier, President and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, “The lotus flower is part of the creative repertoire of the Maison since the 1910s. When the Maison was founded in Paris in 1906, the artistic landscape was marked by a renewed attraction to Egyptian heritage.” Ms. Rénier also notes that 1909 marked the debut of Cleopatra by Serge de Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes. 

Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun on November 26, 1922, and the unveiling of an invaluable treasure of statues, jewelry, and household objects sparked a frenzy for the Egypt of the Pharaohs. Returning to the catalog image, Ms. Rénier goes on to say, “This creation features Egyptian motifs but also falls within the Art Deco movement due to its geometric shapes, perfect symmetry, and color contrast.” 

The Inspiration Behind Van Cleef & Arpels’ New Fascinating Egypt High Jewelry Collection

A harmony between modernity and classicism is a fitting description for how the Maison approached its new Fascinating Egypt High Jewelry collection.

The jewelry does not simply cite design clichés; rather, it references the entire gamut of Egyptomania across varied media. Ms. Rénier expounds upon the theme: “Of course, we drew inspiration from powerful literary references, such as the Egyptian Pantheon illustrated by Léon-Jean-Joseph Dubois, but we also drew from more subtly influenced works and artistic movements, such as the Memphis Group, and from art forms we seldom represent, like cinema and theater.”

She says, “Our aim with this High Jewelry collection is also to offer a contemporary perspective on these influences, to celebrate the various forms of Egyptomania in all their artistic expressions. Thus, we have envisioned a jewelry panorama that tells the story of an Egypt reinterpreted through the centuries.” 

The Van Cleef & Arpels Signatures Behind Fascinating Egypt

Being Van Cleef & Arpels, the Maison hews strongly to their own identity throughout the Fascinating Egypt High Jewelry Collection. Constant obsessions such as craftsmanship, movement, and lightness dominate. Ms. Rénier explains: “There is also a deeper continuity rooted in the Maison’s heritage. The spirit of innovation, the importance of craftsmanship, and a poetic approach to design come together to create a thread that links past, present, and future. So, while each collection has its own identity and emotional tone, they all contribute to a larger story—one that is constantly unfolding, yet always recognizably Van Cleef & Arpels.”

One of the standouts is the Beauté Légendaire necklace, a collar centered on yellow diamonds that gleam like the sun off the Nile. The piece echoes the breastplates worn by the royalty of ancient Egypt. At the center of the collar sparkles a 10.02-carat cushion-cut Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond–an antique stone that has been left in its original cut. 

A rare find, Ms. Rénier shares, about the choice, saying, “At Van Cleef & Arpels, we are committed to preserving the stone’s authentic color, without concealing it or trying to artificially enhance its brilliance. This is also what makes the colored diamonds we work with so exceptional. They are considered in the same way as other colored stones, for their unique characteristics, for the intensity and beauty of their nuances, as if there were no classification system.”

The necklace’s pattern mimics the folds of linen worn by the pharaohs in swooping lines of yellow gold spangled with round diamonds of increasing size. The clasp hides beneath a lotus flower crafted in white gold, yellow gold, and sapphires.   

How Fascinating Egypt Uses Color to Bring Ancient Egypt to Life

The stones are an apt entry point into understanding a core philosophy. The Stone Department at Van Cleef & Arpels is free to explore not only precious stones but also hard stones such as lapis lazuli and onyx, creating dichotomies that suit the theme. Ms. Rénier describes the process: “Immersing themselves in iconography, the idea of ​​vibrant combinations came quite naturally: the imagery associated with ancient Egypt is made up of striking contrasts and bold blocks of color.” 

Bold contrasting colors and what Ms. Rénier calls “polychromy” reflect the style of ancient jewelry. The Maison highlights traditional materials while combining fine and precious stones with a modern effect. These remain hallmarks of the Van Cleef & Arpels style. 

“This is something we have been doing for a long time, but it is true that this collection lent itself particularly well to it,” she adds. “Sculpted or inlaid, these stones engage in a dialogue with remarkable center stones. Sometimes atypical, these gems testify to Van Cleef & Arpels’ sensitivity to gems that evoke surprise and emotion–a sensitivity passed down through different generations of gemologists.”