The center stone is an 8.17 ct cushion-cut ruby from Mozambique adorned with rubies, lapis lazuli and diamonds, and the base is made of white and rose gold.
Van Cleef & Arpels unveiled this Pagode necklace in their new 2019 fine jewellery collection "Treasure of Rubies", inspired by the stupa architecture of the Oriental country, showing a mysterious religious atmosphere, "Pagode" is the "pagoda" in French. Meaning.
The center stone of this necklace is an 8.17 ct cushion-cut ruby from Mozambique with a deep red hue and a natural cloud-like inclusion visible in the crystals. Known as the "King of Gems" (Ratnaraj) in Ancient Sanskrit, "ruby" is particularly sought after in Asian cultures, in keeping with the inspiration for the creation of stupas.
The ruby center stone is supported by four rose gold prongs and an outer ring set with double diamonds, cut in a round and stepped shape to create a rich visual layer. Below you can see the curved outline of the diamond, reminiscent of the shape of a stupa building.
The highlight of the entire work is undoubtedly the checked pendant under the center stone, alternating lapis lazuli and ruby to create a sharp color contrast. Lapis lazuli is particularly curved and topped with a gold-bezel-encrusted ruby that recreates Van Cleef & Arpels' 1930s "Paillette" gold leaf bead design.
The necklace section is also embellished with gem beads and "Paillette" foil, alternating lapis lazuli, rubies and diamonds to match the pendant's gemstones.
