VELVETISSUE • n°35 • 2023
A LEGEND IN THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY
From a stationery and fancy goods store to a world-renowned brand with a global presence of over 300 stores, Tiffany & Co. has achieved unparalleled recognition and popularity
by Gianfilippo Versari - ph. courtesy by Tiffany
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Tiffany & Co. has just reopened the doors of its flagship store on Fifth Avenue, founded in 1940 and known as “The Landmark,” after a complete renovation.
More than just a jewellery store, it is also a cultural centre. Its ten floors host nearly 40 works of art, including pieces by artists such as Damien Hirst, Julian Schnabel, Rashid Johnson, Anna Weyant and Daniel Arsham. Above, some historical images. Below, the NY store today
In In the 1830s, New York City represented a land of opportunity for anyone with a few dollars in their pocket and an entrepreneurial drive. In 1837, Charles Lewis Tiffany, only 25 years old at the time, and John B. Young opened a stationery and fancy goods store at 259 Broadway. Women - not only from New York - soon discovered an emerging American style at Tiffany & Co, one distinct from the European design trends rooted in the hidebound ceremony and Mannerist opulence of the Victorian era.
In 1845, Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book became America’s first mail-order catalogue and before long it gained great popularity, becoming a showcase for the brand’s high-end jewellery.
The accolades soon began to arrive, starting in 1867 at the Universal Exposition in Paris, where, for the first time, an American design company was honoured with a bronze medal for silverware. Tiffany stood out from its domestic counterparts by being the first to use the British silver standard (92% purity) and establishing the first American design school. By 1870 it was already recognized as the leading American jewellery company, expanding its global influence with flagship stores in London and Paris.
In 1878 Charles Tiffany acquired one of the largest and most valuable yellow diamonds from the Kimberley mines, named the Tiffany Diamond. It was cut from 287 carats to 128 carats, creating 82 facets and becoming a superb example of Tiffany’s jewellerymaking expertise. In 1886 the house introduced the engagement ring as we know it today, with the Tiffany® Setting, where the diamond is raised from the band, allowing the entire gem to sparkle.
The New York Times eventually gave Charles Lewis Tiffany the nickname “King of Diamonds”. The brand’s collections won honours and awards at international exhibitions and Tiffany was appointed royal jeweller to a number of European monarchs, including the Ottoman Emperor and the Russian Tsar.
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In the past decade, with a nod to sustainability, the house has developed its collections based on the philosophy of everyday luxury. In 2014, it introduced the Tiffany T collection, the symbol of a new era, designed with an iconic “T” motif representing the luxury house as it is today. Another milestone is the Tiffany True ® engagement ring, the first engagement ring design from the house in over a decade.
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In 1902, Louis Comfort Tiffany, a world leader in the American Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements, succeeded his father, the company’s founder. Tiffany’s most important clients included prominent members of American society as well as President Lincoln and young Franklin Roosevelt, who purchased an engagement ring in 1904. In the 20th century Tiffany’s designs captured the spirit of the times, from the excesses of the 1920s to the modernism of the 1930s and the streamlined, aerodynamic shapes of the 1940s and 1950s. Icons such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Diana Vreeland were not immune to their charm. Over time, the house has welcomed a series of visionary designers, such as the legendary Jean Schlumberger, Elsa Peretti®, who interpreted the 1970s with elegant simplicity and natural forms, and Paloma Picasso®, who created boldly original jewellery designs in the 1980s. In 2012 Tiffany celebrated its 175th anniversary by setting the Tiffany Diamond in a magnificent necklace that embodies the highest standards of the world-renowned brand. Tiffany now boasts over 300 stores worldwide and a workforce of over 14,000 employees, including 3,000 skilled artisans who create and sell precious dreams every day. www.tiffany.com
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Lady Gaga with a Tiffany collier