the great gatsby

The arrival of the 2013 edition of Tiffany & Co.'s iconic Blue Book marks a decidedly fashionable turn to the gilded opulence of the roaring ‘20s  

The Tiffany key pendant is perhaps one of the brand’s more iconic pieces. To some, it has a symbolic meaning to them, such as when a person turns 21 or when she starts a new job; in other cases it’s a gift to herself for a special occasion, or it’s an heirloom piece to be handed down to a daughter. Whatever it is – an engagement, a birthday, an anniversary, or even as a gift to someone special – people look to Tiffany’s to mark the momentous moments in their life, which Stephane Lafay, Tiffany & Co.’s group vice president and head of Asia Pacific and Japan, once told Malaysia Tatler in an interview. “This is how we get repeat customers and it’s one of the reasons why we’re the number one jeweller in the world.”

Since Tiffany is no stranger to being passed down from one generation to another, one would also appreciate it as a good investment. According to Lafay, the last 10 years have seen the price of gold, platinum and diamond go up, and, without reservations, Tiffany’s eternal commitment to perfection and quality has put it light years ahead of its competitors. As a brand that delivers luxury, at the same time represents your values and lifestyle, Tiffany is also proud to have pioneered the use of unusual gemstones, such as kunzite (named for the company’s chief gemmologist George Kunz), morganite, tanzanite and tsavorite in the world of jewellery, elegantly featured in a stunning array of designs, some of which have won gold medals at the great world’s fairs of the late 19th and early 20th century. And to showcase the best of its collective treasures, the company went one step further with its legendary Blue Book, as the ultimate measure of style and luxury. 

Covetous Jewels

Each year since 1845, Tiffany & Co. has released the Blue Book, an annual compilation of the American luxury brand’s finest diamonds and rarest gemstones in breathtaking designs widely anticipated by jewellery connoisseurs and collectors worldwide. Initially conceived as a mail order catalogue – Tiffany, among its many claims to fame, was the first to introduce this in the US – it was a way for its founder Charles Lewis Tiffany to give their exclusive clientele a peek at the latest and most spectacular jewels in their collection. Over time the book has evolved from line drawings to glossy photographs and its cover from navy blue to Tiffany Blue, a colour synonymous with quality, sophistication and exceptional craftsmanship – the same distinctive colour that never fails to excite and thrill those presented with a Tiffany blue box. 

But it is what lies within that will leave you fascinated. The Blue Book showcases creations that are simply one of its kind and unfailingly fetch a princely sum, with prices ranging from about US$20,000 up to US$6m. The pieces are snapped up by eager collectors who wish to own a painstakingly and beautifully crafted piece that took weeks or even years to complete due to a number of factors, from finding the right gemstone that fits the bill – it should be of the right size and colour, it possesses stunning clarity or brilliance, and it should be flawless – right down to the work all done as a labour of love by the brand’s designers and jewellers, stonecutters and setters, goldsmiths and polishers. The creation of these jewelled treasures, with the company’s rich archives as a strong source of inspiration, takes place in the light-filled workshop above Tiffany & Co.’s headquarters on Fifth Avenue, New York.

Over the decades the Blue Book’s contents have duly evolved with the times, reflecting the period’s fashion eras and affirming Tiffany’s role in the evolution of American design. Early versions of the Blue Book included some of the French and Spanish crown jewels reset in exquisite Tiffany settings, followed by the platinum age of diamonds in the 1920s, and cocktail jewellery of the ’40s and ’50s.

The Blue Book became a beacon for fashion devotees and jewellery connoisseurs who marvelled at the luminosity of the diamonds, the rare gemstones and exquisite craftsmanship, underscoring Tiffany’s standing as the world’s diamond authority and the founder’s reputation as the ‘King of Diamonds’. According to Jon King, Tiffany’s executive vice president who oversees product design, “The Tiffany legacy of excellence continues to shine in Blue Book’s jewels, and I believe that this combination of hand and heritage accounts for the brighter sparkle and richer gleam that runs not only through this collection but through every Tiffany showcase in the world.”

In honour of Tiffany & Co.’s 175th anniversary, the 2013 Blue Book edition is the biggest collection yet. There are approximately 200 pieces all set to steal one’s breath away the moment you lay eyes on them, especially when you learn that many of the pieces draw inspiration from Art Deco jewellery found in the Tiffany archives. This was certainly so when, gathered in an elegant salon in Beijing’s Maison Boulud for the Blue Book press preview viewing, gasps of delight were heard from the media representatives from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. This was in January and this select group was one of the privileged few to be at close proximity with the jewels as we eagerly shuffled from one gorgeous display to another. We were, in a word, bedazzled, as we inspected fancy colour diamonds set in Art Deco style rings, necklaces and bracelets, the openworked detailing on a Montana sapphire and diamond bracelet, among the many other creations brought in for this occasion. There also was a pair of heart shaped fancy blue diamond earrings which is said to be very rare and fetches the most priciest sum in the entire collection.  

Epitomising the energy, unbridled optimism and sophistication of New York City in the 1920s’ Jazz Age – think grand parties, intimate nightclubs and thrilling wild abandon – and embodying the timeless elegance of Art Deco, the latest collection opens our eyes to the realm of beauty and style only the most spectacular jewels can create. Also bringing modern glamour to life are pieces that echo the bold exuberance of the Big Band era and the Black & White Ball years. 

In keeping with Tiffany’s legacy of Art Deco design, the pieces are uniquely characterised by brilliant white diamonds punctuated with colourful gemstones in softer settings with more contoured lines. Look out for rings inspired by Art Deco’s geometric patterns, with each stone precisely cut to maximise colour. There are also necklaces and drop earrings that simulate the sublime grace of New York City’s deco skyscrapers. Sparkling stones contrast with hand-carved onyx and form dazzling fans on black lacquer bringing to mind images of tuxedos and elegant satin gowns. 

The collection’s rich and vibrant colour palette is reflected in the magnificence of the yellow, pink, orange, blue and green diamonds – rare, fancy colour diamonds that can be found only at Tiffany.

And then there are the gemstones themselves, gems that Tiffany brought to the forefront of fashion and introduced to the world throughout its history. Nestled in custom-made settings, among these are Montana sapphires in intricate designs, blue-violet tanzanite surrounded by a galaxy of diamonds, lilac-pink kunzite that accents scroll motifs, and pink morganite blossoming among diamond leaves. Also worth noting is a rare turquoise of an incredibly silky smooth texture and even colour. 

Contained in the Blue Book are some period pieces making their way to the silver screen. Audiences will get to admire the jewellery that Tiffany created for The Great Gatsby, a film based on the 1925 literary classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Costume designer Catherine Martin spent weeks poring over the Tiffany archives in New York, and the result is well worth it. In the film you will see actress Carey Mulligan in the role of Daisy Buchanan sporting spectacular diamond headpieces, bracelets, rings and long ropes of pearls. According to Jon King, the film is bound to be a tremendous style piece, influencing how modern women accessorise.

With every Blue Book released – the 2013 edition will be available from mid-April – this guide to the best of the best just continues to cement Tiffany & Co.’s sterling reputation in the world of jewellery. But more than that, this beautiful curation of jewels is a lasting tribute to the legacy of Charles Lewis Tiffany and his dream of making people happy, of making their life more beautiful. And true enough, there’s something to be said about the jewellery. Because a magical thing happens when you wear a Tiffany – you instantly feel elegant, glamorous, happy. 

 

This article has previously appeared in the April 2013 issue of Malaysia Tatler: Jewels & Time.