Boat International - July 2018

http://www.boatinternational.com | July 2018

BOAT LIFE

SHOP MORE OCEAN-

INSPIRED JEWELLERY

boatint.com/

# sea-inspired-jewels

it’s an artificial distinction. “It is the business

side that makes these creations come to life;

not just remaining as concepts or beautiful

designs, but becoming real collections that are

produced, distributed and sold.”

Thenaturalworldremainsoneofhismain

sourcesofinspiration.Bosisalwayslooking

for“positiveandengagingrepresentations

of nature that also have a strong cultural

background”,andcitesthelatesthighjewellery

collection,Noah’sArk,asaprimeexample.

Thecollectionwasinspiredbyapaintinghe

sawattheGettyMuseuminLosAngeles,

TheEntryoftheAnimalsintoNoah’sArk,by

JanBruegheltheElder,whichhedescribes

as“acolourfulandhappyrepresentationof

nature, animals coexisting together, moving in

couplesontheirwaytotheboat”.

ForitsNewYorklaunch,Boscollaborated

with renowned avant garde American

theatredirectorRobertWilsonona

dramatic installation. Instead of using an

all-encompassing vessel, Wilson chose a

delicateInuitwhaleboneboat,lessthan

25cmlong,torepresenttheark.Setinadark

room,illuminatedbyasingleshaftoflight,

it appeared to float in space, surrounded by

60pairsofanimalsintheformofbejewelled

brooches,setinglassnichesinthewalls.

TheseaisafrequentstartingpointforVan

Cleef ’s high jewellery collections. Atlantis

recreated the sunken city of King Neptune,

an enchanted realm of sea

nymphs and mermaids.

Another–20,000Leagues

Under the Sea, inspired by

Jules Verne’s 1870 science

fictionnovel–exploredthe

“wonders of the world under

theocean,butinawhimsical

and imaginary way”. And Seven Seas,

unveiled in June 2015 at the Oceanographic

MuseuminMonaco,tookitscuefromthe

waters surrounding Europe.

“The Black Sea, Red Sea,

Mediterranean and Atlantic

arenotthesamecolours,soit

was interesting to explore them

with diferent stones,” Bos says.

Wa t c h e s a r e a l s o a n

importantpartofthebrand,

and Bos is directly responsible

forthecreationofitsPoetic

Complications collection, which uses a watch ’s

movement to tell stories on the dial. The new

astronomical Midnight Planétarium timepiece

took more than six years to make: Bos and

his team became fascinated by 17th and 18th

century planetarium tables, depictions of the

solar system, which he describes as “not only

scientific instruments but also works of art”.

Tiny spheres, sculpted in turquoise, mother

of pearl, enamel and diamonds, represent the

Earth, Venus and Mercury, and revolve around

the Sun. A second movement shows the moon’s

orbit around the Earth. When the date is set,

the watch shows the exact configuration of the

planetsatthatprecisetime.

ThedazzlingCarpeKoïwatchbracelet is

encrusted with 8,000 precious stones – yellow

sapphires, spessartite garnets, black spinels

and tourmalines – set in yellow and white gold.

“Thekoilivesalongtimeandisassociated

withluckandhappinessinAsiancultures,”

Bossays.Thebracelethasasecretwatch face

that is revealed only by pressing on the carp’s

tailtoopenitsmouth.

Ultimately, the most demanding part of his

job, Bos tells me, is maintaining the continuity

of the brand, the unique style of the house,

while making it relevant to the contemporary

world. “That is what keeps us busy!”B

Robert

Wilson’s

striking

Noah’s Ark

installation

Left and below:

intricate work

on the Seven

Seas collection

Left: Carpe

Koï watch

Right: Lady

Arpels

Planétarium

watch

The dazzling

Carpe Koï watch

bracelet is encrusted

with 8,000

precious stones

PHOTOGRAPHY: © VAN CLEEF & ARPELS/PATRICK SWIRC

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