Lady Arpels Papillon Extraordinaire

A harmonious nature, strewn with lucky charms. A flutter of colored butterflies. A ballerina, gracefully indicating the passage of time. Van Cleef & Arpels’ new timepieces epitomize the Poetry of Time™ so characteristic of its collections and place enchantment firmly at the center of this year’s SIHH.  

Drawing inspiration from some of its most cherished sources, the Maison has given pride of place to its most delicate creatures: dancers and fairies, swallows and butterflies. To honor such benevolent muses, watchmaking and imagination unite in a common ode to the poetry of the passing hours. Fluid movement, lightness and refinement are the dominant themes: the new Ballerine Enchantée watch seems caressed by a faint breath of air, while a gentle breeze floats over the dials and their virtuoso craftsmanship to choreograph an ethereal ballet of lucky charms. These exceptional pieces display all the watchmaking savoir-faire  associated with Van Cleef & Arpels, from the Poetic Complications™  collection that combine technical and aesthetic prowess to the craft  skills which transform each timepiece into a captivating spectacle.  

Each year, with its Extraordinary Dials™ novelties, Van Cleef & Arpels presents an enchanting interpretation of the passage of time. They have included landscapes from across the world, twinkling constellations, lucky motifs and – this year – twirling butterflies and kites. Reflections of the Maison’s fertile imagination, each new scene is brought to life by the gestures of skilled craftsmen.  

Within the space of a single dial, traditional crafts combine to create compositions of great sophistication, in which each detail is testimony to the creativity and excellence of Van Cleef & Arpels.  

A limitless source of inspiration, butterflies – symbolizing the eternal renewal of a poetic and ethereal nature – have often fuelled the Maison’s imagination. In the 1920s, these winged creatures were transformed into precious clips and earrings; later, they were adorned with Mystery Setting™ (in the 1970s), mother-of-pearl and lacquered wood.  

In 2010, Van Cleef & Arpels went butterfly hunting with a High Jewelry collection entirely based around this theme. Within the Maison, they have  also contributed to watchmaking creations like the Lady Arpels Extraordinary Butterflies pieces (2010) or the Lady Arpels Butterfly Symphony watch (Grand Prix du Public 2011, Ladies watch prize).  

For the SIHH 2013, the butterfly – that universal symbol of metamorphosis – lends its delicate form to new compositions evoking the cycles of nature and  the seasons: from day to night and from spring to winter.

With the Lady Arpels Papillon Extraordinaire watch, the Maison revisits one of its emblematic motifs using a new palette of shimmering colors.
Spread across a flower’s corolla, the gradation of hues – dominated by blue and pink – evokes the springtime awakening of nature and the renewed vitality of flora and fauna. 

Savoir-faire  

A true distillation of savoir-faire, this piece elegantly combines hard stone marquetry for the sections in lapis lazuli, sculpture on gold and mother-of-pearl for the background and the outline of the butterfly, plique-à-jour enameling for the
color of the wings and diamond setting.
The harmonious blend of different techniques contributes depth and relief to this three-dimensional composition.