Van Cleef & Arpels
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Richemont's Paris jeweller known for Alhambra.
There's no proof Van Cleef & Arpels pays more than the legal minimum, which in the United States is below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in the United States, India and China.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 1
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Van Cleef & Arpels's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
Rings, Engagement & wedding rings, Necklaces & pendants, Earrings, Bracelets, Watches: Lacks transparency, the same as Van Cleef & Arpels overall, because nothing we know differs between them.
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where it's made
Van Cleef & Arpels names some of the countries it makes in: Switzerland, France and the United States. The rest is shown as where jewellery and watches are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
| France | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ThailandUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ItalyUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Responsible Jewellery Council certified: Industry code for jewellery businesses covering human rights and responsible sourcing. Its Chain of Custody standard traces materials; the basic certification does not. Source
- Modern slavery statement
- Uses high-risk raw materials such as tanned leather, mica or artisanal gold.
- It is Responsible Jewellery Council certified, but its stones and gold aren't traced to the mine. The Kimberley Process only covers diamonds that fund rebel wars, not abuses by governments or forced labour. Source
Research notes Van Cleef & Arpels makes jewellery in its own workshops in Paris and Lyon, with two more planned at Chateauneuf-sur-Isere and near Thiers, and watches in Meyrin, Switzerland; its RJC certificate also covers New York. It also uses partner workshops and subcontractors and gives no split by country. It holds RJC Code of Practices certification to 10 November 2026 and Chain of Custody certificates for its jewellery and watch workshops to March 2028. It requires Kimberley Process diamonds and follows OECD guidance, but publishes no supplier list, mine origins for gold or gemstones, audit results or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Richemont Australia Pty Ltd, which sells Van Cleef & Arpels in Australia, lodged a modern slavery statement for FY25 reporting no cases. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No labour abuse allegations involving Van Cleef & Arpels' workshops or suppliers were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- RJC member page - Van Cleef & Arpels · search the archive · RJC member since 2005; COP certificate to 10 November 2026; Chain of Custody certificates for jewellery and watch workshops to March 2028.
- RJC COP certificate - Van Cleef & Arpels · search the archive · Certified workshops in Paris and Lyon (France), New York (US) and Meyrin (Switzerland).
- FashionUnited - Van Cleef & Arpels creates 600 new direct jobs in France · search the archive · Over 600 new direct jobs plus jobs at partners, suppliers and subcontractors; describes fully made-in-France approach.
- Yahoo News - Van Cleef & Arpels to open two new jewelry workshops in France · search the archive · New workshops in Chateauneuf-sur-Isere and Thiers; in-house jewellery sites in Paris and Lyon.
Published by Van Cleef & Arpels or its owner
- Van Cleef & Arpels - Corporate social responsibility policy · search the archive · Kimberley Process diamonds; OECD due diligence; Richemont Supplier Code of Conduct; no origins or audits disclosed.
- Richemont Australia Pty Ltd - Modern Slavery Statement FY25 · search the archive · Names Van Cleef & Arpels among Maisons sold; SMETA audits when appropriate; no modern slavery cases reported in FY25.
Company details
- Owned by
- Richemont
- Headquarters
- France
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Van Cleef & Arpels ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/van-cleef-and-arpels, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Van Cleef & Arpels.