Van Cleef & Arpels is one of the few Houses of High Jewelery, which has a workshop for making models of the future product. Creating such models or prototypes of jewelry is a complex process that requires excellent skills in drawing, modeling and modeling. Take a look inside? Hammers, pliers, soldering irons, thin sheets of metal and sparkling stones are at first glance a standard set that can be seen in any jewelry workshop. However, it is worth taking a closer look, and all the features of the Mains d'Or workshops become visible. There are much fewer hammers and nippers, instead of precious stones and enamel, there are rhinestones and paint, and the main working material is tin: a soft metal that melts at only 230 degrees (for comparison: the melting point of gold is 1064 degrees).
However, do not underestimate the skill of these masters; making models of future products requires no less skill than working with gold or platinum. A model made of tin and rhinestones allows you to evaluate the future product and, if necessary, make the necessary changes already at this stage. In the skillful hands of Van Cleef & Arpels masters, the model takes on a three-dimensional shape and appears in the form of a detailed sculpture.
