For nearly a century, Van Cleef & Arpels, an iconic French fine jewelry house, has been synonymous with laid-back luxury. In the early 20th century, the jewelry designer recognized the need to design more accessible jewelry that could be worn with everyday clothing (instead of being limited to formal evening wear).
Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry has historically adorned the necks of celebrities, royalty and trendsetters alike — from Grace Kelly and the royal family of Egypt to Gwyneth Paltrow. Likely the most beloved and recognizable of their jewelry designs is the Alhambra collection, which features four-leaf clover-inspired motifs made from precious and semiprecious gemstones like diamond, lapis lazuli, malachite and turquoise. Notably, Alhambra necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings are versatile, pairing just as well with a fancy dress as they do with jeans and a T-shirt.
One problem: Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry may be exquisite, but it’s also expensive. You’d be hard-pressed to find a piece of Van Cleef jewelry for under $1,000, and there are plenty of options that would set you back $50K or more.
Here’s the good news: If you (like us) don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on jewelry, you can get a similar look for much less. Plenty of jewelry makers craft pieces inspired by the iconic Van Cleef & Arpels designs with much more affordable price tags. Ahead, we’ve brought you some of the finest Van Cleef dupes that pay homage to the brand’s versatile, playful style.
What Van Cleef Dupes Are (and What They Are Not)
Before we share our picks, we want to quickly explain what Van Cleef dupes are — and what they are not.
First, here’s what they are not: Van Cleef & Arpels dupes are not knockoffs. A knockoff is a product that deliberately copies the design, branding and overall appearance of a more expensive item, often with the intention of misleading consumers into thinking they are purchasing the authentic version.
On the other hand, Van Cleef dupes — short for “duplicate” — draw inspiration from the Van Cleef & Arpels pieces without claiming to be originals. The purpose of Van Cleef dupes is not to attempt to deceive anyone into thinking they are buying the original brand. Rather, it’s to create a similarly stylish and sophisticated look to the higher-end originals at a more budget-friendly price.
The 7 Best Dupes of Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry
Van Cleef Earrings Dupe: Wanderlust Studio Clover Leaf Earstuds
These earrings from Wanderlust Studio are the ideal purchase for anyone hoping to recreate the look of Van Cleef’s Alhambra earrings on a budget. Coming in around 98.5% percent less than the original’s $4,150 price tag, you won’t be quite as devastated if you happen to lose one at the gym or in your sleep (we’ve been there!). The Wanderlust homage is made from 18k gold plating and 925 silver and comes in either mother-of-pearl or onyx inlays.
Price: $59.99 at Wanderlust Studio
Van Cleef Bracelet Dupe: Jankuo Clover Mother Of Pearl Charm Bracelet
The original Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra bracelet is sweet, sophisticated and instantly recognizable due to the four-leaf clover motif. It’s also $4,600. Happily for our outfits and wallets, the Jankuo Clover Mother Of Pearl Charm Bracelet offers a similarly elegant look for a tiny fraction of the price.
The Jankuo bracelet features clover charms finished in mother-of-pearl and rimmed in Rhodium-plated brass. Jankuo makes several different versions of this Van Cleef bracelet dupe, including designs featuring charms finished in synthetic emerald, turquoise and onyx.
What’s more, the bracelet is 40% off for a limited time. Not only that, but you can earn 2% cash back on your purchase when signed into your RetailMeNot account. If you don’t have an account, know that it is free to sign up for one!
Price: $52.80 (reg. $88) at Saks Off 5th
Van Cleef Earrings Dupe: HighSpark White Clover Earrings
These delicate clover earrings recall Van Cleef & Arpels’ famous Vintage Alhambra earrings. One crucial difference? They’re missing the $4,150 price tag. This budget-friendly Van Cleef earrings dupe features mother-of-pearl in gold-colored stainless steel. With hypoallergenic materials, they’re a good choice for the little Van Cleef fashionista in your life—with a lot less heartache if an earring gets lost. The brand makes a similar pair of stud earrings with black onyx clovers.
Price: $12.99 at Amazon
Van Cleef Ring Dupe: Ross-Simons Diamond Clover Ring
Much like the original Van Cleef & Arpels Perlée clovers ring, this Van Cleef ring dupe from Ross-Simmons is adorned with tiny diamond clovers. But while the Van Cleef original comes with a $12,300 price tag, the Ross-Simons Diamond Clover Ring doesn’t pack quite the same sticker shock.
Price: $219 at Ross-Simons
Van Cleef Necklace Dupe: Kendra Scott Mallory Gold Pendant Necklace
Here’s another Van Cleef & Arpels dupe reminiscent of the signature Alhambra pendant. The sophisticated Mallory necklace from Kendra Scott dangles a pretty pink pendant on a choice of silver or gold chain. Designed to honor families struggling with breast cancer, the necklace pendant is made of rose quartz, which some people believe to have healing properties.
Another thing we like about this Kendra Scott necklace? You can earn 5% cash back on your purchase and anytime you shop at Kendra Scott with a RetailMeNot account. Plus, if you apply this Kendra Scott coupon code to your order, you can get 20% off your purchase as well as free shipping.
Price: $44.97 (reg. $60) at Kendra Scott
Van Cleef Ring-Between-the-Finger Dupe: Swarovski Luna Open Ring
The Van Cleef Ring Between the Finger collection is just what it sounds like: regal accessories designed to nestle between the fingers rather than over them. Van Cleef’s unique rings feature two stones and pendants linked together by an open band — an innovative style dreamed up by their designers in the 1970s.
The Between-the-Fingers design went on to inspire many jewelry makers thereafter, including Austrian producer Swarovski. Swarovski’s Luna features a Van Cleef-inspired open-band design with a rhodium-plated crescent moon, inlaid with a Swarovski Zirconia diamond.
Price: $103 (reg. $129) at Swarovski
Van Cleef Jewelry Clips Dupe: Swarovski Crystal Ballerina Ballet Pin
Dancing ballerina brooches are another signature of Van Cleef & Arpels. Their famous jewelry clips feature rose-cut diamond faces depicting dancers with costumes made of pleated gold, precious gems and ornamental stones.
If you’re lucky enough to find one of these delicate ballerinas, an authentic Van Cleef dancer pin can set you back thousands. We were happy to discover that Etsy offers a lovely alternative at a dramatically lower price. The Ballerina Ballet Pin from Etsy depicts a nimble dancer handmade from Swarovski crystals and comes in a choice of colors, including aqua, pink and rainbow.
Price: $44.97 at Etsy
The post 7 Van Cleef Dupes That Are Just As Enchanting as the Originals appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
