First introduced in 1968, the Alhambra, with its four-leaf clover shape, has become so ingrained in the Van Cleef & Arpels DNA, that it has become synonymous with the Maison. Conceived of as a lucky charm, this iconic motif has since been created in numerous variations, gemstones, and precious stones. What first began as the Vintage Alhambra,  its popularity has spawned several collections and iterations, including the Magic Alhambra, and Sweet Alhambra, and is now not just confined to jewellery alone, but also elegant timepieces that have become the epitome of true timelessness.

Now, the Maison has debuted the new Vintage Alhambra pendant in Grey Mother-of-Pearl in rose gold. Mother-0f-pearl, naturally produced inside shellfish is one of the more popular versions of the Vintage Alhambra range, because it just catches the light really well. However, speaking as someone who is fair-skinned, I’ve personally tried on the white mother-of-pearl version, and against my skin tone, there isn’t much contrast, and I’ve always asked my SA at Van Cleef, why they don’t make grey mother-of-pearl versions, so I guess my prayers have been answered! Sourced from French Polynesia, to ensure the highest lustre, the iridescence of the grey mother-of-pearl has nuances of silvery-grey, and in some angles when it catches the light, sometimes even a flicker in the slightest champagne gold or pink, is noticeable.

Like all Vintage Alhambra pendants, the necklace is adjustable – 16″ for a shorter length, and a maximum of 18″. If you prefer it slightly longer, yep it is possible. Van Cleef offers an additional 5cm of gold (regardless white, yellow, or rose) in length without any additional charges. All they have to do is send the item back to their workshop in France so do expect a turnaround time of 6-8 weeks for this. Should you prefer an extension of over 5cm, each cm thereafter will be charged accordingly. Personally, I think this is an excellent service because so far, this is not something that all the luxury jewellery brands I know, offer. Because 18″ is usually too short for me, I often end up not being able to wear any of the fine jewellery by the other Maisons even though I really really love the design so Van Cleef going the extra mile, is one of the many reasons why I really love the brand #notanad

Image and video courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels