The second grid is the smaller, lighter side of the house. Sweet Alhambra shrinks the clover to a little charm on a fine chain, which makes it the gentlest Van Cleef necklace to wear every day. I picked three: yellow gold with mother-of-pearl, rose gold with carnelian, and white gold set with diamonds.

Lucky Spring is pure Van Cleef storytelling, with a ladybug in carnelian and onyx, its wings open, and a plum blossom in white mother-of-pearl on rose gold. Frivole is the flower, its heart-shaped petals polished to catch the light. The mini yellow gold pendant is tiny, the small rose gold model has a diamond at the centre, and the large yellow gold model is fully set with diamonds, the one statement piece in this row.

A pairing tip: these small pendants look best on their own against bare skin or a simple neckline, like a crew-neck knit or a white shirt open at the collar. They also suit anyone who works with their hands, because nothing hangs low enough to catch. What I would skip is wearing a Sweet Alhambra under a chunky chain. It is so delicate that anything heavier swallows it, and the whole charm of the piece is how small it is.

This is where the 1968 idea comes back. The long Vintage Alhambra necklaces string several clovers on one chain, and I included two 10-motif versions, in carnelian and in mother-of-pearl, plus a 20-motif necklace that alternates guilloché rose gold with carnelian. A long Van Cleef necklace like the 20-motif can be wrapped twice for a shorter look or worn long over a knit.

The Magic Alhambra long necklace takes a different approach, with one larger motif on a long chain. I chose it in mother-of-pearl and in guilloché gold. Then there are the pendants that lean toward nature rather than luck: the Two Butterfly pendant in rose gold and mother-of-pearl, the small Flowerlace with its open gold petals, and the Fleurette pendant, a little diamond flower on rose gold.

A practical test: put on the shirt or dress you wear most and hold the necklace against it before you decide on length. A 10-motif necklace sits closer to the neck, while a long chain falls toward the middle of the chest and changes the whole outfit. What I would skip is pairing a long Alhambra necklace with a busy collar or ruffles. It needs a plain surface so the clovers can do the talking.

The last grid is pre-owned, and it is the place to look for colours you will not always find new. There is a Vintage Alhambra in guilloché gold, one in onyx, one in mother-of-pearl, and one in pink Sèvres porcelain, which is my favourite piece in the whole edit. There is also a Sweet Alhambra in carnelian, a Sweet Alhambra butterfly in mother-of-pearl, a Magic Alhambra long pendant and a Magic Alhambra necklace with 11 motifs. Beyond those, you will find Vintage Alhambra pendants in malachite, carnelian and rose gold, Sweet Alhambra in rose gold and white gold, a Frivole mini, long Magic Alhambra pendants, 10-motif Vintage Alhambra necklaces, and statement pieces like the white gold Byzantine Alhambra and the blue Sèvres porcelain Magic Alhambra.

Pre-owned is a sensible way to buy a Van Cleef necklace because the Alhambra clover is still made today, so a piece from a few years ago sits comfortably next to a new one. It is also how I would try a rarer material, like the porcelain or onyx, before deciding whether to wear it every day.

A practical tip: read each listing for the chain length and the condition of the stone. Mother-of-pearl and porcelain are softer than gold, so look closely at the photos for chips around the edges. What I would skip is any listing without clear photos of the back of the motif and the clasp. With a piece like this, the small details tell you almost everything you need to know.

If I were choosing my first Van Cleef necklace, it would be a Vintage Alhambra pendant in mother-of-pearl or carnelian. It is the clover people know, it works from a T-shirt to an evening dress, and it is the base for any layering you might want later. A Sweet Alhambra is the gentler choice if you prefer something very small, and a long necklace is the one I would save for later, once I know how I like to wear the clover.

Care is easy if you are gentle. Take the necklace off before swimming, perfume or hand cream, keep it in its pouch so the stones do not scratch, and wipe it with a soft dry cloth after wearing.

What stays with me about this house is that it started with two families joined by a marriage, and the first piece it sold was a heart. More than a century later it still trades in symbols of luck and love, and the four-leaf clover on a gold chain is the clearest of them all. That is a lot of meaning for something so small, and it is why these pieces get passed down. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Van Cleef bracelet and Van Cleef Bracelet.