Let’s be real, buying anything pre-owned is a little scary. Especially with brands like Van Cleef, where you KNOW there are fakes galore. The Luxury Hut (according to one of the text snippets) sounds like they’re trying to establish trust, talking about authenticating stuff. Which is GOOD. You definitely wanna make sure you’re not dropping serious cash on some knock-off from, I dunno, a dodgy website.
And speaking of serious cash, the Alhambra collection? Total icon. I mean, that four-leaf clover thing is instantly recognizable, right? It’s EVERYWHERE. Necklaces, earrings, the whole shebang. But vintage Alhambra? That’s where you can find some cool variations, maybe stuff they don’t even make anymore. I saw something once, a blue agate Alhambra pendant from the 70s, and I’m still kicking myself for not buying it. *STILL*.
What’s kinda cool, I think, is how Van Cleef & Arpels wanted to be more accessible back in the day. La Boutique, that they launched in the 50s, was all about making fine jewelry for a “new generation of women.” Which, you know, gotta respect. Not everything has to cost the earth, even if it *looks* like it does. That means there’s like, more vintage stuff out there that’s maybe slightly less eye-wateringly expensive. Key word being *slightly*.
FARFETCH, by the way, gets a shoutout in here. They have pre-owned Van Cleef. Which is good to know. I personally prefer hunting in antique shops, because you never know what you’ll find and you can haggle a bit (sometimes!). But online is easier, I guess. I’m getting distracted.
Anyway, the Alhambra. Right. Apparently, it represents “luck” and “a positive vision of life.” Okay, I’ll buy that. It’s definitely prettier than a lottery ticket. I mean, who *doesn’t* want a little luck dangling around their neck? Plus, it’s been around since 1968! That’s a long freakin’ time.
