KC Concepcion's multimillion-peso watch has become the talk of the town. But what exactly is it that makes her timepiece so valuable? Below, we break down the details of her Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Nuit des Papillons watch:
The Brand
Van Cleef & Arpels is a Parisian jewelry house founded on love, after the marriage of its founders, Estelle Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef, in 1895.
In 1906, they opened their first boutique at Place Vendôme, located in the heart of Paris.
The Inspiration
The watch is inspired by the ephemeral beauty of a butterfly's flight glittering in the moonlight.
According to the brand, "the over-dial in diamond 'serti neige style' setting is embellished with four rose-cut diamonds that outline the wings of a butterfly. Between the over-dial’s motifs, a rotating disk—entirely set with diamonds and sapphires—makes two complete turns each day to create an ever-changing scene."
The watch belongs to the Poetic Complications collection inspired by the concept of time expressed in flora and fauna.
By the Numbers
The watch amounts to USD315,000 or about P16,702,875 (using USD1=P53.03 exchange rate), excluding taxes. This watch is made of 1723 diamond stones, which amount to 18.2 carats, and also has 503 sapphire stones, which amount to 6.44 carats.
IMAGE vancleefarpels.com
Diamond Quality
The quality of the diamond also matters, of course. The stones used in KC's watch are top-notch quality, which are classified as D-E-F colorless diamonds and are evaluated as IF (Internally Flawless) to VVS (Very Very Small Inclusions) in terms of diamond clarity.
Specifications
The 33mm watch is encased in white gold and also has a white gold bezel, dial, and bracelet that are all embellished with round diamonds and sapphires. It has a white gold cap decorated with round and pear-shaped diamond. Its white gold crown is adorned with blue sapphires. It has a manual-winding mechanical movement (Valfleurier 430P), equipped with a 12-hour module developed exclusively for Van Cleef & Arpels and has a 40-hour power reserve.
IMAGE vancleefarpels.com
Notable people who wore the brand
Prince Rainier of Monaco purchased a wedding set in platinum, pearls, and diamonds for Grace Kelly in 1956.
The Duke of Windsor commissioned this Cravate necklace in rubies and diamonds for the Duchess’ 40th birthday, with the inscription thay says "My Wallis from her David, 19.VI.1936" engraved on the clasp.
