Luxury Brand Encyclopedia
Tiffany & Co.
The American jeweller whose blue box became the world's most recognised gift packaging.
- Founded
- 1837
- Founder
- Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young
- Headquarters
- New York, USA
- Category
- Jewellery, Silver, Watches
- Parent Group
- LVMH
- Signature Products
- Tiffany Setting · Return to Tiffany · T Collection · HardWear · Schlumberger Bird on a Rock
History
Founded in New York in 1837 as a stationery and fancy goods emporium, Tiffany & Co. became the first American jewellery house to gain meaningful international recognition by the mid-nineteenth century.
In 1886 Tiffany introduced the six-prong solitaire setting that elevated the diamond above the band - still the global reference for engagement rings.
Acquired by LVMH in 2021 for ~$15.8 billion, Tiffany has since undergone a significant repositioning around High Jewellery, flagship retail (the Landmark on Fifth Avenue), and design archives.
Craftsmanship
- High Jewellery is produced in New York with documented stone provenance and detailed setting work.
- Silver hollowware and the Return to Tiffany heart line draw on a domestic silver tradition that defined Tiffany in the nineteenth century.
- Diamond sourcing is documented from country of origin onward - a Tiffany-specific traceability initiative.
House Signatures
- Tiffany Blue (Pantone 1837) packaging and white ribbon.
- Six-prong solitaire setting, T motif, Return to Tiffany heart tag.
- Schlumberger's high-jewellery animal and shell motifs.
Ownership
- Tiffany & Co. is owned by LVMH following the 2021 acquisition and now sits within the group's Watches & Jewellery division.
- The group has accelerated High Jewellery development and the restoration of the Fifth Avenue Landmark store, opened in 2023.
Cultural Impact
- Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and the Audrey Hepburn film (1961) made the brand synonymous with aspirational New York glamour.
- The Tiffany Blue Box has become a culturally protected color and packaging asset - Pantone 1837 is registered to the brand.
Collectibility
- Schlumberger pieces, particularly Bird on a Rock and the Croisillon enamel bracelets, anchor the top of the brand's secondary market.
- Vintage Tiffany silver, including Elsa Peretti's Bone Cuff in original condition, is widely collected.
- Engagement rings in the Tiffany Setting hold strong secondary value when accompanied by original documentation.
Buying Notes
- For engagement rings, request the Tiffany Diamond Certificate and source documentation included with every center stone.
- Designer collections by Schlumberger, Peretti, and Picasso each have their own collecting communities - provenance matters.
- Use the brand's restoration service for vintage silver and jewellery to preserve resale value.
Iconic Products
Tiffany Setting
1886 six-prong solitaire that lifted the diamond off the band and remains the engagement-ring archetype.
Return to Tiffany Heart Tag
Sterling silver heart pendant launched in 1969; the entry point into the brand for generations.
T Collection
Geometric line of gold and diamond pieces introduced in 2014, designed for stacking.
Schlumberger Bird on a Rock
Jean Schlumberger's 1965 design - a bejewelled bird perched on a coloured stone - a high jewellery house signature.