Van Cleef & Arpels Fascinating Egypt: 180 Jewels and a Century of Egyptomania

In November 1922, Howard Carter peered into the tomb of Tutankhamun and saw “wonderful things.” Within months, Paris was wearing them. More than a century later, Van Cleef & Arpels has returned to that fascination with Fascinating Egypt, one of the most ambitious high jewelry collections of 2026.

Why is Egypt so important to Van Cleef & Arpels?

The Maison was founded on Place Vendôme in 1906, in an era already enchanted by ancient Egypt. After the Tutankhamun discovery, Egyptian motifs exploded across Art Deco jewelry, and Van Cleef & Arpels created scarabs, lotus flowers and pharaonic figures in colored stones. Between the 1920s and 1950s, some of these pieces were even acquired by Egypt’s royal family.

The standout pieces

• Beauté Légendaire necklace: a 10.02-carat Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond in an articulated gold collar inspired by pharaonic breastplates.
• Rivage Égyptien necklace: 37 pear-shaped Zambian emeralds totaling 41.58 carats, evoking the banks of the Nile.
• Princesse du Nil necklace: inspired by a 1929 piece bought by Princess Faiza of Egypt, with 10 Colombian emerald drops (107.37 carats) and 7 natural pearls (85.13 carats).
• Équilibre Sacré earrings: emerald-cut emeralds of 5.54 and 5.06 carats.

A tomb opened in 1922. Paris has been dressing in its gold ever since.

Why it matters

Most pieces reportedly found buyers among the Maison’s private clients before the public unveiling. In a softer luxury market, that is a telling sign: at the very top, exceptional stones and a great story still sell.

Frequently asked questions

How many pieces are in Fascinating Egypt?

180 unique high jewelry creations.

What started Egyptomania in jewelry?

Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, which inspired a wave of Egyptian motifs in Art Deco jewelry.

Source: Sewelo