Trademark Van Cleef & Arpels designs, such as ballerina clips and zipper necklaces, never cease to wow at TEFAF (a.k.a. The European Fine Art Fair). Photos courtesy TEFAF.

Oval, round, and cabochon sapphires alternate in this tantalizing transformable necklace from the Heritage collection.

BY KAREN AANONSEN

Van Cleef & Arpels always turns heads — even at the spectacle that is TEFAF Maastricht. After skipping the famed art and antiques fair in 2015, the legendary maison is back to standing out among the crowd of over 270 exhibitors from 20 countries who have gathered in the Netherlands for the 29th edition of the annual event. On display? A dazzling selection of signature and contemporary designs by the jeweler. From a 1970s sapphire necklace that transforms into two bracelets to an evening bag fashioned out of gold, diamond, and platinum in 1962 to a rare Burmese sapphire weighing 24.77 carats that is part of the label’s 2014 Peau d’Âne collection, visitors are left gasping at each glass showcase inside the sleek space Van Cleef & Arpels occupies at the Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre. This marks the third time the brand has presented pieces at TEFAF following stunning turns in 2013 and 2014. In 2016, the Van Cleef & Arpels treasure trove is on view alongside offerings from Chopard, Verdura, Hemmerle, and more, through March 20. 

—March 2016