Van Cleef & Arpels was born from the union of Estelle Arpels, daughter of a gemstone merchant, and Alfred Van Cleef, son of a lapidary. Their common passion for precious stones led them to open the doors of the luxurious jewelry and watchmaking house Place Vendôme in 1906. A few decades later, their daughter Renée took over the artistic direction of the House and set the recognizable Van Cleef & Arpels style in stone.