This pair of Otaries brooches from Van Cleef & Arpels’ “L’Arche de Noé” High Jewelry collection vividly portrays two sea lions in a playful and affectionate pose. The word “Otary” literally means “sea lion,” and the designer has skillfully incorporated purple spinels and tsavorites into their movements, creating a joyful harmony between the lively colors and the spirited forms of the animals.
The “L’Arche de Noé” collection takes inspiration from The Entry of the Animals into Noah’s Ark (1613), an oil painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder. The artwork depicts pairs of animals boarding Noah’s Ark, echoing the biblical story from Genesis. Staying true to this narrative, the Otaries brooches were conceived as a pair — one male and one female, perfectly capturing the theme of unity and balance.
One sea lion is shown leaping upward to balance a purple spinel, while the other lies gracefully beside a tsavorite gem. The contrast in their poses brings a dynamic rhythm to the design, expressing both motion and tranquility — a hallmark of Van Cleef & Arpels’ naturalistic creations.
Both brooches are crafted in white gold, with every detail meticulously shaped: pear-shaped sapphires form the eyes, polished white gold defines the ears, and white mother-of-pearl is carved into textured flippers. The rounded bodies are pavé-set with diamonds, while scattered round-cut sapphires below evoke the shimmer of sea spray around their bellies.
Approached as miniature sculptures, the brooches are fully finished on the reverse, where openwork structures make them lighter and more comfortable to wear. The back is also set with diamonds and sapphires, mirroring the brilliance of the front and showcasing Van Cleef & Arpels’ unparalleled craftsmanship in transforming nature into timeless artistry.
