Let’s be honest: by the time Thursday afternoon rolls around in this city, we’re all looking for an escape. Not the kind that requires a suitcase and a three-hour wait at passport control, but a mental one – a little slice of elsewhere. So, when an email landed in my inbox inviting me to consider the intersection of 19th-century pirate lore and 21st-century high jewellery, I have to admit I clicked faster than I do when someone posts the secret menu at Jun’s.
Van Cleef & Arpels, the Parisian maison that essentially invented the concept of wearing your dreams on your sleeve (or your collarbone, or your earlobe), has done something rather brilliant. They have taken Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island – the original adventure novel, the book that taught us all that “X” absolutely marks the spot – and transformed it into a high jewellery collection. And before you roll your eyes and mutter “another luxury drop” into your flat white, hear me out. This is not merely a collection of diamonds assembled alongside a pirate-themed press release. This is storytelling. And in a world where we are constantly doom-scrolling through climate updates and group-chat drama, isn’t that exactly the kind of richness we are truly craving?
Plot Twist: Jewellery as a Page-Turner
The collection, aptly named Treasure Island, unfolds like a three-act Netflix binge. First, we set sail. Intricate clips such as The Hispaniola – a brooch so detailed you can almost hear the billowing sails and smell the salty air – immediately transport you elsewhere. It is the kind of piece that makes you want to cancel your plans and rewatch Pirates of the Caribbean for nostalgia alone.
Here is where it becomes particularly clever. Van Cleef & Arpels is not simply illustrating Stevenson’s novel; the maison is riffing on it. Designers have delved into their own archives – which, let’s be honest, are probably more fascinating than any history class we slept through – and drawn upon a century of maritime inspiration. That necklace with the intertwining ropes? Cordage Infini. Crafted from diamonds and sapphires tied into sailor’s knots, it is finished with two pear-shaped sapphires totalling 35.37 carats. It feels less like a necklace and more like a feat of nautical engineering – whether for someone with a private yacht or simply a vivid imagination while riding the Dubai Metro.
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Arrival on the Island: Flora, Fauna and Fairy Tales
The second act brings us ashore on the desert island, and this is where the mood turns delightfully whimsical. Gone is the rugged masculinity of Long John Silver; this island leans fully into fantasy. The Palmeraie Merveilleuse necklace features a cascade of palm leaves in gold and diamonds, crowned by a 47.93-carat emerald cabochon that hangs like the world’s most luxurious piece of fruit.
But the true standout is the Coquillage Mystérieux clip. On one side, it appears as a magnificent seashell adorned with rubies. Turn it over – because yes, it is reversible – and a tiny fairy, sculpted in white gold, reclines on a cultured pearl. It evokes a charming blend of Ponyo and Tinker Bell, and the effect is irresistible. It is the sort of detail that makes you feel like the protagonist of your own stop-motion animation.
This is the genius of Van Cleef & Arpels. The joy lies not only in the sparkle but in the discovery – the hidden detail, the secret flourish, the element revealed only on a third glance. In an era of fast fashion and even faster content, that kind of slow, deliberate magic feels quietly rebellious.
The Hunt: A Global Mood Board
Finally comes the treasure hunt – and this is no simple pile of gold coins. Instead, the collection becomes a cultural exploration. The third act pays homage to distant civilisations: Pre-Columbian goldwork, Mughal symmetry and Chinese jade. The Lanternes Mystérieuses necklace, inspired by Chinese artistry, features 31 beads of lavender jadeite that appear lifted straight from a dream sequence in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
And then there is the map. The Carte au Trésor brooch takes the form of a rolled treasure map in engraved yellow gold, secured with a rose-gold rope. It is playful and witty – the kind of accessory that quietly declares, “Yes, I have a nine-to-five, but my soul is currently searching for buried treasure in the South Pacific.”
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Why This Matters (Yes, Really)
I know what you might be thinking: it is jewellery; it is beautiful; move on. But in a city such as Dubai, where luxury often centres on logos and labels, Van Cleef & Arpels offers something quieter – and perhaps more radical: a philosophy.
As Nicolas Bos, the Maison’s President and CEO, suggests, this collection treats joy as a serious pursuit and imagination as a craft. In a world that frequently feels fuelled by exhaustion and bad news, there is something profoundly comforting about a brand dedicating its expertise to capturing the movement of a sail, the texture of a wave, or the secret smile of a fairy hidden within a shell.
So whether you are genuinely in the market for a 35-carat sapphire (one can dream – and no, my credit card is not listening), or simply in need of a five-minute mental holiday, let the Treasure Island collection be your escape. It is a reminder that adventure is not defined by how far you travel, but by how deeply you are willing to imagine.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have a treasure map to find and a brunch to attend. X may mark the spot, but in this town it usually marks the valet parking.
