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Van Cleef & Arpels
青金石配藍寶石及鑽石「Zip」項鏈, 梵克雅寶
完整圖錄內容
此構想著實是創意非凡，但在執行上卻是難關重重。即使梵克雅寶素來以精湛工藝見稱(品牌的隱密式鑲嵌為另一重要發明)亦花了超過十年的時間琢磨，才完成了這項艱難的任務。全球第一條的Zip項鏈終於在1951年面世，不但成功複製拉鏈的開合功能，更能在拉鏈合上後轉換成手鏈，時至今日，此工藝成就仍叫人驚嘆。
雖然克服了技術上的困難，但打造Zip項鏈十分耗時，就算是最有經驗的梵克雅寶工匠團隊，也需要約400至1200工時才能完成一條項鏈。拉鏈的結構由許多的小杯組成，並用微形的小勾連結，拉鏈拉上的時候，小杯就會一個疊一個地結合起來。只要加額外的小配件，項鏈就能搖手一變成為手鏈，這種多功能性也是Zip項鏈成為劃時代珠寶傑作的原因之一。
近年來梵克雅寶為此經典造型帶來了嶄新的設計, 無論是在長度、拉鏈扣或鑲嵌的寶石上都做了不同的嘗試，但成品數量稀少，有一些作品是單純的項鏈，並不能轉換成手鏈。
Van Cleef & Arpels
FrenchWhen Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels fell in love, their marriage paved the way for iconic jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels to become a symbol of unification. With their background in precious stone dealing, the Arpels found their perfect match in the Van Cleefs, a family of expert stonecutters. In 1906, Estelle's brother Charles established the company name with Alfred's help and opened shop in the Place Vendôme in Paris. To this day, this Parisian neighborhood is associated with turn-of-the-century luxury.
The Van Cleef & Arpels aesthetic has always had its finger on the pulse of worldwide trends: For example, the house took inspiration from Tutankhamen upon the Egyptian king's discovery in the 1920s, which spurred a global phenomenon marrying Egyptian Revival and Art Deco motifs. Over the decades, Van Cleef & Arpels has produced intricate watches, earrings and necklaces with a signature elegance that mirrors contemporary tastes.