The world of Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany’s story began in 1837 in New York when Charles Lewis Tiffany opened a small shop. How did it so quickly become a destination of magnates, high society personalities and heads of state? Tiffany & Co. was founded in a city that has always been a symbol of sophistication, intelligence and elegance. In 1837 Charles Lewis Tiffany opened his emporium on Lower Broadway: what happened next was a journey among the most beautiful creations in the world. Tiffany immediately took on the role of a cradle of American luxury. Women of high society, with their dresses of silk and satin, faced streets swarming with horses and carriages to reach the foremost store of new American style. The young businessman, Charles Lewis Tiffany, took inspiration from nature for his creations, reinterpreting it simply and harmoniously. Is it since Mr. Tiffany purchased the largest yellow diamond in the world and called it the ‘Tiffany Diamond’ that Tiffany became the most sophisticated luxury jeweller in the US? The Tiffany Diamond is one of the largest and most beautiful diamonds in the world. In 1877, a yellow diamond of 287.42 carats was found in the Kimberley mines in South Africa. In 1878 Charles Lewis Tiffany bought it for $18,000. The head gemmologist of Tiffany, Dr. George Frederick Kunz, succeeded in cutting a yellow diamond with 82 facets, 24 more than those of a traditional brilliant cut, with a weight of 128.54 carats: the Tiffany Diamond. In 1955 it was exhibited for the first and only time in the windows of the Tiffany & Co. shop in Fifth Avenue, while in 1961, mounted on the Ribbon Rosette necklace designed by Jean Schlumberger, it was worn by Audrey Hepburn in the promotional shots of the film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. In 1995 it was mounted on the renowned ‘Bird on the Rock’ by Jean Schlumberger on the occasion of the retrospective dedicated to him at the Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs. This year, to mark the 175th anniversary of Tiffany & Co. it has been mounted on a necklace of platinum and diamonds. Today it is one of the symbols of the very high standards of quality and manufacture that have always been inherent in Tiffany & Co.’s work. The Tiffany Setting is the engagement ring that has made hearts beat all over the world. How has it become a symbol of love par excellence? The Tiffany Setting has become a true icon, a symbol of love recognised by everyone. The setting was created in 1886 to enhance the beauty of diamonds to a maximum. Mr. Charles Lewis Tiffany was also a very romantic man. It was he who created the American tradition of accompanying a marriage proposal with a diamond ring. Since then, and for 10 generations, men in love have gone to a Tiffany & Co. to buy wedding rings. During their life, women look at their ring millions of time - it should therefore be perfect. Who are the legendary designers and which are their most famous collections? Tiffany & Co. has established close ties with its designers, who are creators and custodians of the great legacy of the company. They have been able to interpret the tastes of their era. The striking creations of the Parisian Jean Schlumberger made him a favourite in New York creative circles. He became the most acclaimed designer of his age. In 1956 he began his collaboration with Tiffany & Co., and his nature-inspired creations won the favour of the world’s most elegant women. Elsa Peretti began working with Tiffany & Co. in 1974 and introduced new elements from nature such as hearts, apples and starfish - sensual forms for chic jewellery pieces ideal for both day and night. Her most successful collections include Open Heart, Bone, Starfish, Sevillana and Diamond by the Yard. Paloma Picasso, instead, designed for Tiffany from the 1980 Her collections marked a return to colour and luxury in fashion. Paloma Picasso demonstrated

her great talent in mixing coloured stones, which led to her international success. Her collections for Tiffany & Co. include Loving Hearts, Marrakesh, Venezia and Zellige. This year Tiffany, in honour of its 175th anniversary, is presenting Rubedo. What is this? To mark its 175th anniversary, in March 2012 Tiffany & Co. unveiled the Rubedo™ metal, a new alloy for jewellery pieces. In medieval alchemy Rubedo meant reaching maximum success, the moment at which matter and the spirit unite to create something of rare beauty, like the new Rubedo metal of Tiffany & Co. The master jewellers experimented with numerous alloys before arriving at the desired colour: a golden rose. The new alloy is light, but resistant, shiny and brilliant. Rubedo metal made its debut with Tiffany 1837, an iconic collection that enhances the shiny qualities of the metal. A limited edition selection of jewellery pieces from the collection are incised with the signature of the founder Charles Lewis Tiffany; all the signed pieces celebrating the anniversary, however, were only made in 2012. Tiffany has points of sale all over the world, in the most beautiful cities and major international airports. Why did you choose travel retail in airports? In realty the decision to open points of sale in airports was because of our desire to follow our customers during their travels. The airports selected are only those which, due to their architectural features and the number of passengers, are considered world class. As is well known, the flow of tourists - both business and leisure - has increased considerably over the past few years and time available for shopping has reduced drastically. Our sales points in the airports are therefore present to offer travellers the opportunity to admire our products and use their waiting time productively. And for 2013, can you tell us what are your goals and projects? To continue to amaze our customers with a dazzling array of products and initiatives!

In apertura. Spilla in diamanti, smeraldi e perle, inclusa nell’acquisto da parte di Tiffany nel 1887 dei gioielli della Corona di Francia. Sopra. Collana Ribbon Rosette di Schlumberger con diamante. Sinistra. Il diamante su una collana per il Tiffany Feather Ball del 1957.