VCA Van Cleef & Arpels addiction - support group
- Thread starter Swanky
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Gosh, I never hear them clanking . . . Something to worry about?I am not a good person to ask -- I have two! I got the white mop, grey mop and chalcedony a few years ago when it cost around $17,000. ( According to the VCA website it's now $25,100 .) I loved the necklace so much that after awhile I wanted to get the carnelian and tiger's eye one. I thought about it a lot but I couldn't bring myself to buy it because the price had gone up over $20,000.
After much obsessing I decided not to get it and bought a 20 motif carnelian vintage alhambra necklace that I could layer with the 20 motif tiger's eye that I already owned. Same effect, right? Sort of but not really. For me there were two issues:
1). I love the different sizes on the Magic and wearing two 20 motifs doesn't capture that and
2). I found out I dislike layering the 20 motifs! I dislike the noise they make when clanking together. It drives me a little batty. AND every time I hear the noise of the necklaces clanking together I think about scratches that may be occurring.
So you know where I am going with this long story....,last year I finally caved in and bought the carnelian and tiger's eye necklace.
For the opposite reason, I now have the carnelian + tiger's eye. I like that I can wear them alone or pair them w other VCA Alhambra necklaces. Carnelian & onyx, carnelian & gold, tiger's eye & gold . . . You get the point
It's very beautiful. It's very rare. But in my opinion I also think it's grossly overpriced. Perhaps you can contact management at VCA and find out what their intentions are with respect to reintroducing the alhambra collection in lapis. They are reintroducing malachite which has been long retired, with the expectation that lapis will be reintroduced thereafter. You could also ask if they would make one up as a special order.
sbelle - first of all, you are my role model -- your collection and taste are exquisite! I have a 10 motif that bothers me because the motifs seem to flip around on my neck when i move. I wish they would sit flat (and i don't think i have a particularly fat neck!). Do you think the addition of 2" would stop this from happening? I'm annoyed the NY store didn't even tell me they could do this and since it's been a few years since i bought it, I would now have to pay.... But thankfully when i decide to get the 10-motif onyx i will get the 2 inches but i so wish i could try it on first! Were you bothered by them not sitting flat all the time or do i just have a wacky neck?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I am in the process of getting 2 inches added to a necklace that is not new. I can't remember exactly what they quoted me, but I think it was around $250.
I really don't know if it is anything to worry about. When I hear the noise, I worry that movement of stones against stones are scratching them. I don't know if that is a valid concern or not. I suppose it would depend on the stone and how fragile it is.
But beyond the potential for damage, I just don't like the noise!
Hopefully some 10 motif wearers will chime in here as I haven't worn a 10 motif by itself for several years. If my memory is correct the same thing did happen to me. I think the problem is a function of the length and would get better with the addition of 2 inches. Any one else have any idea?
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While I buy my necklaces in pairs (in order to have the long option) I tend to wear mine as a 10 motif more.
Flipping motifs has never been an issue with the vintage Alhambra necklaces.
The only one that flips on my neck is the frivole multi station necklace. Sometimes the tiny side flowers will flip over but it doesn't really bother me.
I would imagine that if your necklace sits rather high on your neck the clovers might flip....so adding length in order to allow it to rest nicely along your collar bones may prevent the flipping.
Flipping motifs has never been an issue with the vintage Alhambra necklaces.
The only one that flips on my neck is the frivole multi station necklace. Sometimes the tiny side flowers will flip over but it doesn't really bother me.
I would imagine that if your necklace sits rather high on your neck the clovers might flip....so adding length in order to allow it to rest nicely along your collar bones may prevent the flipping.
I'm curious how you feel about the frivole necklace now that you've had it for a bit. It is such a gorgeous necklace! Do you find you wear it often, or do you use it more as a special occasion piece?
Yes it is at the NY workshop.
I have found them to be unpredictable on timing of repairs/ adjustments. It took over a week to look at it and get back to me with the price. Based on my previous experiences I would guess it would take at least a month from the point that I approved the charge. Of course that is a pure guess . I had them adjust the tension on two pairs of earclips and after 6 weeks they still hadn't even looked at them.
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