Exploring the History of the Alhambra Motif in Van Cleef & Arpels' Jewelry

Van Cleef & Arpels is a well-known French jewelry, watch, and perfume company. It was established in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef and his uncle, Salomon Arpels, in Paris. The brand quickly gained recognition for its exquisite and innovative designs. One of the iconic collections of Van Cleef & Arpels is the Magic Alhambra. This collection is inspired by the Alhambra palace and gardens in Granada, Spain. The Alhambra is renowned for its stunning architecture and intricate geometric patterns, which serve as the main inspiration for the jewelry collection.

The whole thing was a disappointing mess and I should have known better than to get my hopes up. Anne Rice is simultaneously so simple to adapt while also extremely difficult to get right, so entrenched is the readership and fandom. To watch an Anne Rice adaptation is to be so angry you can’t even see your TV because you’re throwing shit at it. So yes, obviously, I’ll be watching season two.

The notion that Anne created this family that was so complicated and so far reaching, twisted and sort of incestuous in so many ways, it is our job to make sure that the thing has as much sort of dramatic heft as possible. The first book of the Mayfair trilogy, The Witching Hour , clocks in at a hefty pre-internet attention span of 1,056 pages, and is at its core, three books in one.

The Alhambra is renowned for its stunning architecture and intricate geometric patterns, which serve as the main inspiration for the jewelry collection. The Magic Alhambra collection features designs that showcase the brand's mastery of gem-setting and craftsmanship. The pieces are crafted from a variety of precious materials, including gold, diamonds, mother-of-pearl, and onyx.

Mayfair Witches showrunners explain book to show changes: 'We had to make hard choices'

Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford tell EW why they combined two beloved book characters into one, how their Lasher was inspired by rock stars, and more.

Calie Schepp is an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly, where she writes the script for EW's daily What to Watch podcast and covers a plethora of pop culture. She graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Warning: This post contains spoilers from Mayfair Witches episodes 1-4.

Adapting a beloved book for TV can be a tough task, but adapting one that's almost 1,000 pages is a whole other story. When showrunners and executive producers Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford set out to adapt Anne Rice's Lives of the Mayfair Witches for AMC, they knew they had a lot of material to draw inspiration from but little time to do it in. "We were given eight episodes for a one thousand page book," Spalding says, referring to The Witching Hour, the first book in the three-part series. "It's an absolute cornucopia of deliciousness and we had to make hard choices."

Mayfair Witches details neurosurgeon Dr. Rowan Fielding's (Alexandra Daddario) discovery that she's a witch with deadly powers and a twisted family tree. Ahead of Friday morning's announcement that the series has been renewed for season 2, EW spoke with Spalding and Ashford about how they made those hard choices (and made changes to beloved characters from the novels) and to preview a bit of what's to come in the final half of the season.

Michael + Aaron = Ciprien

In episode 1, we meet Ciprien Grieve (Tongayi Chirisa), a Talamasca agent who harnesses psychic abilities by touching people or objects. The Talamasca, comparable to the Illuminati, is a secret organization within Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches book series whose members keep watch on paranormal activity. Cip, as he's called in the show, is assigned to protect Rowan from any harm. Even though Rowan's skeptical of him at first meeting, a romance eventually blossoms.

Spalding and Ashford modeled Cip after two characters from the novel: Aaron Lightner, a member of the Talamasca, and Michael Curry, a civilian from New Orleans who falls in love with Rowan. Spalding explained that with the addition of the all-knowing spirit Lasher (Jack Huston), three male characters orbiting Rowan in the show would've been one too many.

"In a story that's eight [episodes] where you have to streamline, we really wanted Rowan to have agency," Spalding says. "And we debated long and hard whether or not to call the character Michael, because the character had so many attributes of Michael Curry." "And we didn't wanna call him Aaron, obviously," Ashford says. "So it seemed like, in a weird way, the most respectful way to proceed was to combine them and make him his own original character."

Cip wears a pair of gloves, similar to Michael in the books, to protect himself from being inundated with intense visions. "That that act of touching something and seeing memories gives real empathy to a character," Spalding says. "He has to wear the gloves because the world is so present. Touching things floods him with all kinds of people's pain, sorrow, and sadness."

Rowan rocks blonde hair and grey eyes in the books

Rowan, the 13th Mayfair witch, leaves her job as a neurosurgeon, discovers she's a witch, meets her birth mother for the first time and then watches her die right before her eyes — all within the first half of the season. Spalding and Ashford say that staying true to the color of Rowans hair and eyes was not a priority when casting the role.

"Our job was to make sure that we get the best Rowan possible," Ashford says. "For us, the requirements for Rowan we felt were much bigger than that. It had to be someone who was smart enough to be a surgeon and had a sort of mysterious quality that you would really believe that that woman would find out that she's a witch. Alex, obviously being incredibly beautiful, but also just incredibly magnetic physically, we felt like this was a great choice."

Sibling Switch: In the books, Cortland and Carlotta are a generation apart

Harry Hamlin as Cortland Mayfair and Beth Grant as Carlotta Mayfair in 'Mayfair Witches'. Alfonso Bresciani/AMC (2)

The TV series introduces Cortland Mayfair (Harry Hamlin) and Carlotta Mayfair (Beth Grant) as brother and sister, when in the books they're a generation apart. Similar to the condensing of Michael and Aaron into Ciprien, Ashford says that making the family as concentrated and tight as possible seemed to work best dramatically.

"You say brother or sister and immediately the audience has a visceral reaction, like oh, I know what that's like," she explains. "The notion that Anne created this family that was so complicated and so far reaching, twisted and sort of incestuous in so many ways, it is our job to make sure that the thing has as much sort of dramatic heft as possible."

Spalding adds, "And the primal relationships that exist between siblings, the rivalry, jealousies, and so on. We are trying to find ways to make these connections between characters."

Lasher, the all-knowing. rock star?

An evil spirit called Lasher has haunted the Mayfair family for generations, seducing the witches and using their powers for his own sinister motives. While not much about Lasher is really changed from book to show, Spalding revealed that they came to cast Huston because he had a certain rock 'n roll je ne sais quoi.

"How are you gonna have somebody who's both present and not present, who's seductive, but also evil? What does this person live like in a human body? And we would always talk about rock stars. The way a rockstar walks into a room and the air kind of bristles with the knowledge that that being is there, that's how Lasher would be in the Mayfair family. When we met Jack, we thought he has the most extraordinarily warm, charismatic, amazing presence, it felt like our Lasher had stepped in front of us."

Huston started his journey of transforming into Lasher by first nailing down the voice. "I think that was one of his ways into the character," Ashford says. "He found a really, very specific voice that transcends, it does feel sort of otherworldly."

Spalding reveals that we'll be hearing various accents from the dashing demon as the season progresses, including a Scottish accent that she says Huston modeled after a friend of his.

What's to come is under lock and key

The bond between Lasher and Rowan's late mother Deirdre (Annabeth Gish) is represented by a key-shaped gold necklace adorned with emeralds. The piece had been worn by generations of Mayfair witches in allegiance to Lasher, and in episode three we see Carlotta lock her maid Delphine in the basement with the necklace, only to find that Lasher kills her and gifts the necklace to Rowan. In episode 4, Carlotta sees Rowan wearing the key around her neck and sets her own dining room ablaze, locking herself and Rowan in.

The full significance of the necklace is still a mystery to viewers, but to readers of the books there's been an obvious visual change. The jewelry was originally just an emerald, not a key. When asked why the switch was made, Spalding hinted "that question will be very definitively answered in episode 6."

Until then, new episodes of Mayfair Witches stream Thursdays on AMC+ and air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.

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Related content:

• Mayfair Witches' Harry Hamlin admits he 'couldn't get through the whole' 50-hour audiobook
• Lives of the Mayfair Witches series brewing at AMC as part of its 'Anne Rice universe'
• See the stars get snapped in EW's New York Comic Con portrait studio

On first impression, AMC’s Mayfair Witches appears as lush as the overgrown yard of the New Orleans bungalow where much of it takes place.

The jewelry is known for its bold and vibrant colors, which add a touch of luxury and elegance to any outfit. One of the distinctive features of the collection is the use of the quatrefoil motif. The quatrefoil is a four-leaf clover shape, which is widely considered a symbol of good luck. Van Cleef & Arpels incorporates this motif into the Magic Alhambra jewelry, creating a sense of charm and whimsy. The Magic Alhambra collection includes a wide range of jewelry pieces, including necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings. The designs are versatile and can be easily worn for both casual and formal occasions. The collection has become a favorite among collectors and fashion enthusiasts around the world. Van Cleef & Arpels has always been committed to creating timeless and exceptional pieces of jewelry. The Magic Alhambra collection is a testament to the brand’s dedication to quality and craftsmanship. Each piece is a work of art, meticulously crafted to capture the essence of beauty and elegance. In conclusion, the Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra collection is a stunning representation of the brand's artistic excellence. With its intricate designs and vibrant colors, the collection has become synonymous with luxury and sophistication. Whether worn for a special occasion or as an everyday accessory, the Magic Alhambra jewelry is sure to make a statement..

Reviews for "Van Cleef & Arpels' Alhambra: A Jewelry Collection Fit for Royalty"

1. Alex - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the Van Cleef Magic Alhambra necklace. The craftsmanship seemed cheap and the design looked tacky in person. I expected better quality for such a high price tag. Additionally, the necklace felt uncomfortable to wear and kept snagging on my clothes. Overall, I regretted purchasing this piece and would not recommend it to others.

2. Emily - 3 stars - I had mixed feelings about the Van Cleef Magic Alhambra bracelet. While the design was unique and eye-catching, the piece didn't feel as luxurious as I had hoped. The materials used felt lightweight and almost plastic-like, giving it a cheap appearance. The overall look lacked the elegance and sophistication I was expecting from a brand like Van Cleef. I feel like there are better options out there for the price.

3. John - 2 stars - I was not impressed with the Van Cleef Magic Alhambra earrings. The gold plating started to fade after only a few wears, making them look worn out and tarnished. The earrings were also quite heavy, causing discomfort when worn for extended periods of time. Considering the high price I paid for these earrings, I expected much better quality and durability. I would not recommend these to anyone looking for a lasting and well-crafted piece of jewelry.

4. Sarah - 2.5 stars - I had high expectations for the Van Cleef Magic Alhambra ring, but unfortunately, it fell short. The ring seemed flimsy and not as substantial as I had hoped. Despite being advertised as a statement piece, it lacked the wow factor I was looking for. The intricate design was lost in the thin band, and the overall look was underwhelming. I expected more from a luxury brand like Van Cleef, and I wouldn't recommend this ring to others seeking a bold and substantial piece of jewelry.

The Timeless Elegance of Van Cleef & Arpels' Alhambra Rings