Tiffany
Tiffany & Co. is one of the world’s most celebrated jewellery houses, founded in New York in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young. The house became synonymous with exceptional diamonds, innovative design and meticulous craftsmanship, establishing a reputation that has endured for almost two centuries.
Tiffany’s importance in jewellery history is particularly significant during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Under the direction of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the firm developed an international reputation for important gemstones and fine jewellery, while its designers embraced both European influences and distinctly American approaches to design.
The house was instrumental in popularising sophisticated diamond jewellery in America. Tiffany became particularly renowned for its use of platinum, intricate diamond settings and exceptional coloured gemstones, producing jewels in a wide variety of styles including Belle Époque, Edwardian and Art Deco.
One of Tiffany’s most important contributions to diamond jewellery was its development of the Tiffany Setting, introduced in 1886. This celebrated engagement-ring design raises a brilliant-cut diamond above the band using slender claws, allowing light to enter the stone from multiple directions and maximising its brilliance. The design remains one of the most recognisable engagement-ring settings in the world.
Tiffany’s early 20th-century jewels are highly regarded by collectors for their quality, craftsmanship and distinctive design. Pieces bearing an authentic Tiffany & Co. signature can be particularly desirable, especially when accompanied by period documentation, original boxes or other evidence supporting their history.
The house has also played an important role in the history of coloured gemstones, producing jewels incorporating sapphires, emeralds, rubies, aquamarines and other exceptional stones alongside diamonds.
For collectors, Tiffany jewellery from the late 19th and early 20th centuries represents an important chapter in the development of American jewellery. Its combination of exceptional materials, technical innovation and refined design continues to make antique Tiffany jewels highly sought after.
Period: 1837–present
Origin: New York, USA
Founded by: Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young
Known for: Fine diamond jewellery, platinum work, coloured gemstones and innovative settings
Notable design: The Tiffany Setting, introduced in 1886
Collector interest: Particularly strong for signed early and mid-20th-century jewels
