A Legacy of Discovery

Prior to the mid-19th century, colored gemstones were seldom used in American jewelry. This changed in 1876 when gemologist Dr. George Frederick Kunz joined Tiffany and embarked on a lifelong quest for the world’s most extraordinary gemstones. In fact, Kunz played a critical role in discovering new specimens including his eponymous stone kunzite in 1902, as well as morganite in 1910. 

Tiffany & Co.’s gemstone heritage remains as vibrant today as it did with our discovery of tanzanite and tsavorite. Introduced by Tiffany in 1968, tanzanite is known for its rich blue hue and named after its origin location: Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro. Tsavorite was also named after its discovery site at the Kenya-Tanzania border near Tsavo National Park by Henry B. Platt, then President of Tiffany, in 1974.  

For centuries, rubies, emeralds and sapphires have been regarded as the most extraordinary gemstones and Tiffany’s collection is of renowned quality. Extremely rare and highly coveted, it is challenging to find a single gemstone that meets Tiffany’s standards, let alone a matching suite. Our master jewelers bring these stones to life using time-honored techniques and innovative design.