Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra Diamond 18k Yellow Gold Pendant Necklace

Van Cleef & Arpels Vintage Alhambra pendant in 18k yellow gold, the all-diamond version. Twelve round brilliant-cut diamonds, 0.48 carats total, fill the four lobes of the motif — three stones to a leaf, each set in a tiny claw so the pave sits flush and reads as one unbroken field of white from a short distance. The diamonds are the top of VCA’s grading range, D to F color, IF to VVS clarity, which is why the center looks so clean and so bright against the gold.

Around the diamonds runs the detail that makes a Vintage Alhambra a Vintage Alhambra: the beaded gold contour. A row of small polished gold beads traces the full outline of the clover, catching light in a soft, even ring. It frames the pave and gives the motif a visible edge, so the stones look set into something rather than floating. The motif measures about 0.6 inches across, the standard Vintage size, and hangs from a single bail on the usual Alhambra yellow gold chain, with the signature clasp and an adjustment ring for a shorter drop.