The Tiffany & Co. Timeline
2023
The reimagined setting for the legendary Tiffany Diamond is revealed to celebrate the grand reopening of The Landmark. The design draws inspiration from Jean Schlumberger's iconic Bird on a Rock brooch.
2021
Over USD $6.5 million is raised in support of The Nature Conservancy from the historic auction of a Patek Philippe Ref. 5711 Nautilus watch featuring a Tiffany Blue® dial.
2021
The ABOUT LOVE campaign starring Beyoncé and JAY-Z captures the beauty of love through time and all its dimensions.
2020
Tiffany & Co. launches the Diamond Craft Journey, becoming the first global luxury jeweler to share the countries where their newly sourced, individually registered diamonds of .18 carats and larger are crafted.
2015
Building on a legacy of sustainable practices, Tiffany & Co. joins other leading companies in pledging net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
2000
The Tiffany & Co. Foundation is established, solidifying a commitment to supporting the world’s most treasured seascapes and landscapes. The Foundation has awarded over USD $100 million in grants since.
1987
Tiffany silversmiths begin crafting the US OPEN® trophies for the United States Tennis Association®. Today, the House is responsible for the craftsmanship of five separate tennis awards for the US OPEN®, held in New York every year.
1980
Paloma Picasso’s first Tiffany collection launches. Inspired by the graffiti on New York City buildings during the ’70s, the Paloma’s Graffiti collection reimagines the street art form as jewelry.
1979
John Loring is appointed Design Director. He shapes Tiffany’s design legacy for the next 40 years.
1977
Tiffany is commissioned to create the NBA Championship Trophy. It stands two feet tall and weighs approximately 16 pounds.
1974
Tiffany introduces the gemstone tsavorite and names it in honor of Tsavo National Park near the border of Kenya and Tanzania, where it was discovered.
1974
Elsa Peretti joins Tiffany and revolutionizes jewelry design with her sculptural aesthetic and modern sensibility, as exemplified by her iconic Bone cuff. Under Peretti’s direction, sterling silver attains a glamorous new status; and her Diamonds by the Yard® collection introduces diamond jewelry that can be worn every day.
1968
Tiffany introduces tanzanite, a gemstone discovered in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. To this day, it remains the only gemstone that can be found in just one country: Tanzania.
1967
Tiffany crafts the Vince Lombardi Trophy® for the first NFL® Super Bowl®. It weighs in at seven pounds.
1966
The Return to Tiffany® key ring debuts. Each one sold was assigned a serial number and registered so that if lost, it could be returned to the Tiffany flagship store on Fifth Avenue and reunited with its owner. The iconic design goes on to inspire one of Tiffany’s best-selling collections worldwide.
1961
Tiffany makes its cinematic debut in the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which stars Audrey Hepburn®. An instant Hollywood classic, it is the first movie ever filmed at Tiffany’s flagship store, followed by Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and Sweet Home Alabama (2002).
Audrey Hepburn®—Trademark and Likeness property of Sean Hepburn Ferrer and Luca Dotti—All Rights Reserved.
1956
Legendary designer Jean Schlumberger joins Tiffany, ushering in an unprecedented chapter of jewelry design. His lavish, whimsical designs are coveted for their imaginative use of diamonds and vivid gemstones.
1955
Gene Moore joins Tiffany and transforms the New York flagship store windows into magical mini-theaters of adventure, romance and wit. His creative collaborations with celebrated artists attract spectators from all over the world.
Photograph by Ricky Zehavi
1940
The Tiffany flagship store opens at the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, establishing the area as New York’s premier shopping destination.
1910
Dr. George F. Kunz introduces morganite to the American public and names it in honor of financier and philanthropist J.P. Morgan. Discovered in Madagascar, the gem is a rare pink to peach variety of beryl.
1902
The gem kunzite is discovered and named in honor of Tiffany’s Chief Gemologist, Dr. George F. Kunz. Tiffany is the first retailer to have a gemologist position on staff.
1902
Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, becomes the company’s first official Design Director. An influential figure in the Art Nouveau movement, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s colorful, naturalistic aesthetic—as exemplified by the iconic “Wisteria” lamp—remains a major inspiration for Tiffany designers today.
1887
Charles Lewis Tiffany makes headlines when he purchases the French Crown Jewels. The jewels are placed in Tiffany designs and sold to America’s high society.
1886
Charles Lewis Tiffany introduces the Tiffany® Setting, the engagement ring as we know it today. Flawlessly engineered, the six-prong setting is virtually hidden and allows the brilliant diamond to float above the band and into the light, resulting in a ring so beautiful it has been a symbol of the world’s greatest love stories for over 130 years.
1885
Tiffany redesigns the Great Seal of the United States. It appears on the dollar bill to this day and enables everyone to carry a Tiffany design in their wallets.
1877
Charles Lewis Tiffany purchases a 287.42-carat fancy yellow diamond. The following year, it is cut to 128.54 carats and named the Tiffany Diamond, one of the world’s largest and finest fancy yellow diamonds to date.
1868
Tiffany & Co. starts manufacturing gold fashion jewelry designs, making luxury available to Americans.
1866
Tiffany introduces the Tiffany Timer, America’s first stopwatch.
1862
President Abraham Lincoln purchases a Tiffany seed pearl necklace and earrings for his wife, who wears them to the inaugural ball.
1853
Charles Lewis Tiffany unveils a nine-foot Atlas clock above the Tiffany store. Today, the clock still stands above the entrance of The Landmark at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue and is the oldest public clock in New York City.
1851
Tiffany is the first American company to institute the .925 sterling silver standard, which is later adopted by the United States.
1848
Tiffany becomes a renowned destination for diamonds when Charles Lewis Tiffany purchases the gemstones from European aristocrats and brings them back to the U.S., allowing the nation’s elite to purchase major jewels at home for the first time.
1845
Tiffany publishes the first direct mail catalogue in the U.S. and introduces Americans to luxury goods. Now known as the Blue Book Collection, it represents the pinnacle of the House’s jewelry portfolio.
1837
The first Tiffany store opens in New York City. The first day’s sales total is USD $4.98.
Shop by Category
Shop by Category