Hortensia or Alhambra
Chaumet · Van Cleef & Arpels
Hortensia
Hortensia
Hydrangea florets gathered into pompoms, garlands and posies, the flower repeated in gold petals, pink opal and pavé.
Van Cleef & Arpels' 1968 Alhambra clover is an emblem first and a plant second: a stone quatrefoil inside a beaded gold rim, repeated along a chain with metronomic regularity, from onyx to malachite to carnelian. Chaumet's Hortensia, from 2013, keeps closer to nature. Its hydrangea florets bunch irregularly into pompoms and garlands, shaded in pink opal, sapphire and coral. The clover can be read across a room; the hydrangea asks to be seen up close.
| Fact | Hortensia | Alhambra |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 2013 | 1968 |
| Designer | Claire Dévé-Rakoff | — |
| School | Place Vendôme | Place Vendôme |
| Materials | rose gold, white gold, yellow gold, diamond, opal, sapphire, ruby, coral, tourmaline, mother-of-pearl | yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, diamond, mother-of-pearl, onyx, malachite, carnelian, enamel |
| Moves | No | No |
| From | Not published | €1,600 |
| Top of line | — | €211,000 |
Prices in euros as published by each house, October 2026.
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More with Alhambra
- Alhambra or Plume de Paon Boucheron
- Alhambra or Grain de Café Cartier
- Alhambra or Sunflower Harry Winston
- Alhambra or Calla Vhernier