Tiffany Co has been a trendsetter in jewelry for less than 200 years. However, from the beginning, they created a product that was far superior in quality and design to many American and European designers. Tiffany & Co. jewelry styles are simple and elegant, yet have always been considered trendy. The company has set standards in the jewelry industry that are still upheld today.
History
In 1837, two men opened a small stationery and fancy goods store, that would in less than 100 years become one of the most prestigious art and jewelry dealers in the United States.Tiffany and Co.s began producing silver hollowware and flatware and eventually jewelry, the business that continues to thrive for the company today. Tiffany and Co. was the first American company to use the 925/1000 standard, a practice of measuring the quality of silver, that was eventually standardized by the U.S. Congress.
Style
The original selection of Tiffany jewelry was modeled after high American fashion in the year the company was established. Tiffany and Co. became a leader of American couture and created a simple, yet distinctive, style that has transcended hundreds of years of fashion trends. The original silver designs carried a balance of religious tradition and the emerging, lavish Victorian styles. Today the company still carries the same style of simple elegance, combined with updated designs.
Rings
In 1878, Tiffany & Co. acquired a yellow diamond that would eventually carry the name, The Tiffany Diamond. The stone was cut into 128.54 carats. Compared to most high-quality diamonds, which have around 50 facets, the Tiffany Diamond has 82 facets. Tiffany designed and created the simple style of the engagement ring that is most popular today, the Tiffany setting engagement ring. This simple style holds a single diamond in a 6-prong setting that allows each diamond a maximum return of natural light.
The Jewelry Today
Today Tiffany & Co. is still one of the leaders of jewelry design around the world. Their designs have not changed drastically in 200 years, and they have kept an elegant, yet fashion-forward, style. They have welcomed such artists as Elsa Peretti, Frank Gehry and Paloma Picasso to design pieces for the collection. They have introduced new engagement ring designs, such as the Tiffany Legacy Collection, a collection inspired by the original Tiffany designs, and Lucida, a variation of their original signature 6-pronged style. In 2007, Tiffany created Novo, a ring inspired by the original Tiffany Diamond, but with futuristic elements, to create a blend of nostalgia and trendsetting style.
Interesting Facts
Tiffany & Co. designed the Congressional Medal of Honor, as well as the 1885 Great Seal. The company was commissioned to design for several governments, not only the United States. They designed the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the National Football League Super Bowl Championship. Members of high society such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.P. Morgan, Franklin Roosevelt, President Abraham Lincoln, the Vanderbilt and the Astor have all been owners of tiffany jewelry.The Tiffany Diamond
