For over a century, Van Cleef & Arpels has set itself apart through the creation of precious objects imbued with enchantment and surprise. The automata showcase the Maison’s exceptional craftsmanship and offer a poetic reinterpretation of time. Moments appear to pause as a delicate element unfurls from the heart of a composition.
Distinguished by their intricate material combinations, these creations feature mechanical artistry, high jewellery, and métiers d’art, expressing the Maison’s enduring commitment to excellence, imagination, and the preservation of heritage skills.
The Naissance de l’Amour automaton continues a series introduced by Van Cleef & Arpels in 2022 with Rêveries de Berylline, and enriched through Éveil du Cyclamen and Bouton d’Or in subsequent years. Measuring approximately 30 centimetres high, the piece features the mythological figure of Cupid in a poetic tableau symbolising tender emotion. Crafted in white, rose and yellow gold, with diamonds, the figure emerges from a basket of plumed feathers in a subtle lacquered gradient. The intricate mechanism, developed in collaboration with François Junod’s esteemed atelier in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, elevates the figurine atop a sculpted rose gold Greek column, amid clouds fashioned in white gold, diamonds, and pink sapphires in a trio of hues. Cupid rises with grace, rotating softly as its plique-à-jour enamel wings flutter briefly before it gently returns to repose, accompanied by a delicate carillon melody.
The automaton’s base is sculpted from iron eye, a richly patterned stone with golden accents, while the feathered basket is held in a bowl of petrified palmwood – newly introduced to the Maison’s repertoire of ornamental stones. Each material has been meticulously chosen, then cut and polished to reveal its innate character and individuality. A graduated rotating ring encircles the scene to mark the passing hours, signalled by two lacquered feathers set with diamonds, anchored by a fully diamond-set bow.
