Diamonds And Perlée

Mention Van Cleef & Arpels, and you'd think of the whimsical, multi-coloured clover leaves that are synonymous with the French jeweller's iconic Alhambra collection. What you may not immediately notice, though, is the classy, vintage-inspired beaded border — called the perlée — that frames each quatrefoil so elegantly. In fact, look closely and you’ll appreciate how utterly incomplete each charm would look without the distinct pearled edge to accentuate its the brilliance and allure — kind of like a beautiful face missing eyebrows or smoked salmon deprived of a dollop of caviar.