Van Cleef & Arpels is a French jewellery, watch, and perfume company that was founded in 1896 by Salomon Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef.

They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendme, Paris.

Van Cleef & Arpels are renowned for their expertise in precious stones and have won particular acclaim for a groundbreaking gem-setting procedure known as the Mystery Setting. In 1896, Esther Arpels, the daughter of Salomon Arpels, a dealer in precious stones, married Alfred Van Cleef, whose family were sheet merchants living in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.

That same year, Alfred Van Cleef and Salomon Arpels had already established a company with the aim of founding and running a jewellery business.

In 1906, they registered the Van Cleef & Arpels trademark and opened a boutique at 22 place Vendme.

They were soon joined by Esthers brothers, Salomon, Jules and Louis Arpels.

Alfred Van Cleef died in 1938, leaving his daughter, Rene Rachel Puissant, behind him.

From 1909 to 1939, Van Cleef & Arpels prospered and opened boutiques in holiday resorts such as Deauville, Le Touquet, Nice and Monte-Carlo.

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