Van Cleef & Arpels has never really played the same game as everyone else. For Watches and Wonders 2026, that continues with a collection shaped around the Maison’s “Poetry of the Heavens” theme, using the sky above as both inspiration and storytelling device. Rather than focusing purely on case design, calibres, or the usual round of spec-led updates, these new pieces build on Van Cleef & Arpels’ long-running “Poetry of Time” philosophy, approaching watchmaking as something far more expressive and romantic. Across moon phases, dual-time displays, métiers d’art dials and celestial scenes, the 2026 releases explore astronomy in a way that feels distinctly true to the brand, balancing mechanics, artistry and emotion in equal measure.
Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune
Kicking things off, Van Cleef & Arpels returns to one of its most recognisable signatures with a new take on the Jour Nuit. First introduced in 2008, the Jour/Nuit display has always been about turning the passage of time into something visual, and for 2026, it gets paired with a far more detailed, astronomical twist. The new Midnight Jour Nuit Phase de Lune is housed in a more traditional-looking 42mm white gold case; the dial is built around a rich Murano aventurine glass sky scene, shimmering with depth and scattered light. Over the course of a full day, a guilloché golden sun gradually gives way to a white mother-of-pearl moon, rising and falling behind a softly graduated horizon. It’s all driven by a 24-hour rotating disc, but what elevates this piece is the addition of a true moonphase complication that tracks the lunar cycle with impressive precision.
As you would expect, there’s also a layer of theatre here. At the push of a button, the dial animates, rotating fully to reveal the moon in its current phase, even when it would otherwise be hidden. It’s a small, almost hidden detail, but one that perfectly sums up Van Cleef & Arpels’ approach, taking something technical and turning it into an experience.
Midnight Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs
Next up, the Maison turns its attention to travel, albeit in its own unmistakably poetic way. The Midnight Heure d’ici & Heure d’ailleurs offers a dual-time display, but instead of the typical GMT hand or rotating bezel you might see elsewhere, it reimagines the complication through jumping hours and retrograde minutes. Set within a 38mm rose gold case, the dial is finished in richly textured enamel, with warm brown tones that shift depending on the light. The layout is asymmetrical, with two apertures displaying the local and home time, while a sweeping retrograde minute hand arcs across the lower portion of the dial
Under the surface, the movement has been entirely reworked, offering a 65-hour power reserve and synchronised jumping hours for both time zones. Once the minute hand completes its sweep, it snaps back to zero, and both hours advance in unison. It’s a clever, mechanically satisfying way of displaying two time zones, but more importantly, it feels in keeping with the Maison’s identity, less about practicality, more about the journey
Ludo Secret
Shifting gears slightly, the Ludo Secret continues Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of blending jewellery and watchmaking into a single object. Originally inspired by a 1930s bracelet design, the Ludo has always been about disguise, and that continues here. Crafted in yellow gold, the bracelet is made up of finely articulated links, set with carefully selected sapphires that create a soft gradient of blue across the surface. At a glance, it reads purely as jewellery, but a gentle press on the clasp reveals a hidden dial beneath, finished in guilloché white mother-of-pearl, topped with a baguette cut sapphire at 12.
Powering it is a quartz movement, which feels entirely appropriate, given the Ludo Secret’s delicate proportions. This isn’t a piece about mechanical complexity; it’s about design, craftsmanship, and the idea of time being something you choose to reveal rather than constantly display. This piece firmly sits in the fine jewellery category, which just so happens to have a time-telling aspect, but that beautiful little guilloché dial, intentionally hidden, shows that Van Cleef & Arpels never compromises on attention to detail.
Perlée
Continuing along the jewellery-watch crossover, but this time a little more wristwatch-like, the Perlée collection expands with a new 23mm model that leans heavily into the brand’s signature aesthetic. Framed by two rows of polished golden beads, the delicate white gold case is set with diamonds along the edge, adding an extra layer of brilliance while remaining effortlessly classy. The dial itself is crafted from aventurine glass, once again bringing that celestial theme into play, with a deep blue surface that catches the light in a way that feels almost alive.
There’s a quiet refinement to this one. Time is adjusted via a discreet push-piece on the caseback, keeping the lines clean, while interchangeable straps allow for a bit of flexibility in how it’s worn. It’s less about making a statement and more about reinforcing the Maison’s ability to turn even the simplest time display into something visually engaging.
Lady Rencontre Céleste et Lady Retrouvailles Célestes
Finally, the most storytelling-focused, extravagant pieces in the collection take the form of two new Extraordinary Dials: the Lady Rencontre Céleste and the Lady Retrouvailles Célestes. As always with this line, the focus is less on traditional watchmaking and more on storytelling through métiers d’art. Both pieces draw on the legend of Vega and Altair, two lovers separated by the stars, brought together once a year across the night sky. One of the most famous romantic myths in East Asia, the story is played out across the dials through a combination of artisanal enamel techniques, miniature painting, and gem-setting, creating layered scenes that erupt with extreme depth and detail.
The Rencontre depicts the moment of meeting, set against a deep blue celestial backdrop, while the Retrouvailles captures the anticipation of reunion, rendered in softer pink and mauve tones. Across both, elements like plique-à-jour enamel and sculpted gold add a sense of lightness and transparency, giving the scenes and the watches overall an intense sense of luxury and extravagance.