Tiffany Celebrates 150 Years of Stylish Jewellery
Taroon Shah
Copyright 2006 Tatstar
You've seen the images of Audrey Hepburn in Truman Capote's
Breakfast at Tiffany's, epitomising diamond allure and American
chic. Well, Tiffany's stylish jewellery has stood the test of
changing times and this year celebrates 150 years of its journey
through jewellery design and craftsmanship with a special
exhibition at Somerset House. From the early 1830s, Tiffany's
had a humble existence as a souvenir and fancy goods store. In
one its first catalogues, the range of French jewellery was
tucked behind a host of goods; fine stationery, French perfumes
and French sugar plums.
Right from the very start, Tiffany's creator, Charles Lewis
Tiffany was an innovator not just in jewellery design but the
way it was sold and made sure that there was something for
everyone, whether it was a parasol for $10 or a diamond brooch
for $1000. Tiffanys started off keeping it simple; silver
jewellery in understated styles.
By the 1830s, European designs had become hugely fashionable
with a richness and diversity of jewellery styles that lasted
throughout the nineteenth century. People started to travel
more, there were international exhibitions and crafts of other
countries were being recognised. Tiffany kept up with the trends
particularly with the discoveries of precious materials
throughout the century and consistently kept to designing silver
jewellery.
In 1840, Tiffanys popularity escalated. Tiffany profited from
the revolutionary turmoil in France when diamonds and jewellery
were being sold at very good prices. By the nineteenth century,
the emerging middle classes and the commercial elite wanted to
enhance their status by owning possessions and looked to the
aristocrats and royalty for inspiration. Tiffanys had a distinct
American style but looked to Europe and the courts of Europe for
patriotic items of jewellery like silver spurs with matching
stirrups.
Womens fashion further influenced jewellery designs. In the
1850s, jewellery became bold and brassy and towards the end of
the nineteenth century when the corset and lighter dress fabrics
evolved, there were more lighter jewellery designs; diamond
jewellery mounted in platinum with a move away from silver and
gold.
After the first world war and the art deco period, women were no
longer seen to follow rigid social code and conventions; they
wore shorter skirts, applied makeup in public and smoked so
jewels were schematic colour combinations.
For Tiffany the history of success has repeated itself. Tiffany
of acclaimed international fame has never failed to stun the
world with its great international exhibitions of innovative
jewellery. The Tiffany brand has combined the aesthetic of
European fashion with an original and distinctly American chic.
Even though diamonds have been the heart of the Tiffany, one of
the exhibition highlights is the exquisite diamond and pearl
designs of the 1870s. At this exhibition, ugly designs sit
alongside beautiful ones, making this one of the greatest
displays of wealth ever created.
About the author:
Taroon Shah is based in the UK and can be contacted via:
Copyright 2006 Tatstar
You've seen the images of Audrey Hepburn in Truman Capote's
Breakfast at Tiffany's, epitomising diamond allure and American
chic. Well, Tiffany's stylish jewellery has stood the test of
changing times and this year celebrates 150 years of its journey
through jewellery design and craftsmanship with a special
exhibition at Somerset House. From the early 1830s, Tiffany's
had a humble existence as a souvenir and fancy goods store. In
one its first catalogues, the range of French jewellery was
tucked behind a host of goods; fine stationery, French perfumes
and French sugar plums.
Right from the very start, Tiffany's creator, Charles Lewis
Tiffany was an innovator not just in jewellery design but the
way it was sold and made sure that there was something for
everyone, whether it was a parasol for $10 or a diamond brooch
for $1000. Tiffanys started off keeping it simple; silver
jewellery in understated styles.
By the 1830s, European designs had become hugely fashionable
with a richness and diversity of jewellery styles that lasted
throughout the nineteenth century. People started to travel
more, there were international exhibitions and crafts of other
countries were being recognised. Tiffany kept up with the trends
particularly with the discoveries of precious materials
throughout the century and consistently kept to designing silver
jewellery.
In 1840, Tiffanys popularity escalated. Tiffany profited from
the revolutionary turmoil in France when diamonds and jewellery
were being sold at very good prices. By the nineteenth century,
the emerging middle classes and the commercial elite wanted to
enhance their status by owning possessions and looked to the
aristocrats and royalty for inspiration. Tiffanys had a distinct
American style but looked to Europe and the courts of Europe for
patriotic items of jewellery like silver spurs with matching
stirrups.
Womens fashion further influenced jewellery designs. In the
1850s, jewellery became bold and brassy and towards the end of
the nineteenth century when the corset and lighter dress fabrics
evolved, there were more lighter jewellery designs; diamond
jewellery mounted in platinum with a move away from silver and
gold.
After the first world war and the art deco period, women were no
longer seen to follow rigid social code and conventions; they
wore shorter skirts, applied makeup in public and smoked so
jewels were schematic colour combinations.
For Tiffany the history of success has repeated itself. Tiffany
of acclaimed international fame has never failed to stun the
world with its great international exhibitions of innovative
jewellery. The Tiffany brand has combined the aesthetic of
European fashion with an original and distinctly American chic.
Even though diamonds have been the heart of the Tiffany, one of
the exhibition highlights is the exquisite diamond and pearl
designs of the 1870s. At this exhibition, ugly designs sit
alongside beautiful ones, making this one of the greatest
displays of wealth ever created.
About the author:
Taroon Shah is based in the UK and can be contacted via:
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