Stories of the night sky in the new zodiaque collection by Van Cleef & Arpels
Fallen stars return to us in solid, strong, bold shapes and refined designs, merging into intricately sculptured golden bas-reliefs.
This new interpretation of the Zodiac by Van Cleef & Arpels evolved from the Zodiaque medals created in the 1970s, in the tradition of Poetic Astronomy, their signature theme.
Scattered across the vast expanse of space, from the surface of our planet stars appear as two-dimensional constellations, connecting them as if they were stories, shared by cultures across centuries and continents.
Wearing a Zodiac sign no longer requires unconditional commitment to its meaning. With such an old and elaborate system, Zodiacs have become more than the brief horoscopes that appear on the back page of a popular tabloid. They carry as much meaning as you choose to ascribe to them: the moment of your birth, the time you spend on earth, how you see yourself and other people, and how you deal with your differences and relationships.
In this new collection, the celestial signs, born in Western astrology, are represented in two versions: two sets of spectacular golden pendant necklaces, with and without symbolic stones. The medals, hanging on long, golden chains, depict the respective Zodiac signs on the front side, with dates on the reverse.
In one version, the stylized Zodiac animals are shaped against ornamental stones. Blue quartz, earthly brown pietersite, stripped tiger iron, bluish green amazonite, dark obsidian, bright green aventurine, dark green malachite, bright blue turquoise and deep blue lapis lazuli: the jewelers and designers of Van Cleef & Arpels did a great job researching the qualities of these curious gems, the way they interplay with the golden symbols and their meanings.
Тhe energy of the four elements of the Zodiac – fire, air, earth, and water – shows through the selection of unconventional stones: blue for water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces), green(ish) for earth (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn), the deep hues of the night sky for Air (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius), and dramatic ochre and bronze, evoking flames and lava, for fire (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius).
A more conservative, forever classic version of the Zodiac comes in twelve massive medals in polished yellow gold: to be passed from generation to generation whether as a talisman, a lucky charm or an inspiring piece of family heritage, whispering to the heirs a poetic story about the style, character and life of its original wearer.
