SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS BY THE SEA SHORE

The precious materials used to make jewelry tend to get very standard. I personally admire the jeweler who reaches outside of the box for something different. Something as ordinary as a shell, perhaps. By incorporating it into his design, the jeweler elevates it to a level where we stop taking the shell for granted and really take a look at it.

Children love seashells. For the avere person, they are a passing fancy. But once a shell - seemingly something we can pick up for free at the shore - is suddenly worth five thousand dollars, it grabs our attention! Set in gold and studded in a few percious gems,  it never fails to bring out an "ooh" of admiration.

One must allow me a brief tangent on the subject. The very act of dressing up a simple shell with a little gold and pearls, framing it and turning it into an object of desire, sounds similar to the relationship between jewelry and women, does it not? Both the woman and the shell were just as beautiful to begin with. So why does a small bit of polish and gold make such a difference? But back to the topic at hand.



Shells are used in jewelry in more ways than are at first obvious. Mother of pearl is an obvious exmaple, and is used very commonly. Cameos are traditionally carved from shells. It was a clever step for jewelers to take advantage of the natural transition of colors between layers in a piece of shell. My favorite is when designers use the shell itself, as a whole, crust and all. Its cleaned and polished to reveal the pattern, or sometimes rasped and polished to expose the pearly sheen found on the inside of some shells. The shapes themselves are so organic, cunning, and perfect. The colors, textures, and patterns are utterly captivating. I cannot get enough!

Seaman Schepps and Trianon are two designers who use shells playfully and elegantly in their work. When a shell is studded with gold an dpearls, it almost looks like bits of ocean water still clinging to its surface. Vhernier takes a deconstructive approcah. He carves a shell shape into clear quartz, and sets it on top of mother of pearl, bubbling and exploring the textures and light effects. David Webb often uses very realistic shell motifs in his work (almost like he cast the shell in gold).



Next time you are on the prowl for jewelry, I urge you to consider the humble shell.

GOLDEN GLOBES

There are many big fashion events over the course of one year, but nothing brings out the best in everyone like a red carpet event! This year, starlets dazzled us with decadent colors, glamorous bangles, and surprisingly chic headbands!

This round at the golden globes, it appears that most designers wear a slightly sophisticated shade of bright colors (midnight blue, dark emerald green, Fuchsia, cream, and royal purple) with no patterns. Instead, textures and creative seam lines break up the large blocks of color. The dresses this year are also creating fascinating conteours for our hollywood starlets. Angelina goes with a beautiful form hugging cream gown that reminds us of the glamorous 30's, while Tina Fey and Sofia verger go with the hip hugging mermaid dress. Even young Ariel Winter is wearing a slightly off bell shape on her dress. An intriguing length for all the starlets.

Angelina Jolie swept the carpet up with her bold classic look. She wore a cream form-fitting Atelier Versace gown with a red collar, a tight bun, and bright red lipstick. As for her jewelry accessory, she paired her striking outfit with something simple and faint. Just a touch of glimmer. Smart move to put the jewelry in second place here. Her outfit wasn't exactly loud, but it commanded a lot of attention and aristocracy, something gaudy jewelry would have detracted from.

Sofia Vergara (Gloria in Modern Family) wore an impressive midnight blue mermaid dress by Vera Wang. This woman has an incredible body, and has the ability to wear the dress to show that off! Despite leaving her shoulders and neck bare, she wore a small collection of Harry Winston's Jewelry (two glittering diamond cuff bracelets, two rings, and stud earrings), totaling 5 million dollars


Vintage jewelry also made an appearance at the Golden Globes with Charlize Theron, who wore a vintage Cartier headband to emphasize her flowing 30's look. Tilda Swinton also had some vintage pieces, but more on that later!

 January 14,  Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images North America

As far as jewelry designers go, Lorraine Schwartz seems to be reeling them in this year! Bangles for Elle Macpherson, a jewelry set for Lea Michele, a necklace for Heidi Klum - the list keeps going!  However, our two favorites of the evening go out to Lea Michele (Rachel on Glee), and Tilda Swinton!

Lea Michele came out in a show stopping scalloped feather number. A scandalously sheer top embroidered with black, white, and grey feathers could have been a disaster, but Miss Michele looked stunning! The classic contour helped to keep this dress grounded. Her choice of earrings were perfect. The shape of the earrings themselves accented the forms in her hair and dress. She also featured a green emerald ring (to detract from the black and white ensemble), and some beautiful diamond bracelets.

Tilda Swiinton's has a knack for being slightly androgens. From her roles like Orlando and Archangel Gabriel, to her fashion sense, she has always favored suit tops and trousers. However, she always wore them with the utmost femininity. This year at the Golden Globes was no different. She wore her designer friend Haider Ackermann's Skirt Suit. Tilda Swilton was bold, glamorous, and fierce in her perfectly tailored suit and dress.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

To offset her icy look, she wore beautiful floral 18K gold coil cuff bracelets by Fred Leighton. Each one was set with sapphire and 1940's rose cut diamonds. Fred Leighton had also done a few of the other star's pieces, including Julianne Moore's emerald dangle earrings (the perfect pair for a deep redhead).

photo by Danny Moloshok/reuters sun, jan 15, 2012

ELIZABETH TAYLOR JEWELRY AUCTION

photo AP: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

Elizabeth Taylor - the hollywood icon and fashion starlet - passed away in march 2011. She was the owner of one of the most extensive and "fabulous" wardrobes and jewels in America.

This past mid December, Christie's held an estate sale of late starlet Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry, clothing, and fashion accessories. Their auction totaled a 150 million dollars - 115 of which was jewelry alone. Jewelry pieces ranged from 30 thousand to 300 thousand a piece, and no article of clothing was sold for under $2,000.

This collection is considered to be the world's most impressive and best private collections, and has taken several world records along with it. Her jewelry collection was valued at $30,000. It ended up selling for 38 times more, making it not only the record breaker for an auction revenue in jewelry, but a record breaker for any auction in history! Included are also the Taj Mahal - the most expensive piece of Indian jewelry ever sold, and the La Peregrina pearl, the most expensive pearl in the world.

There are a myriad of factors which explains why her things sold for such a jaw dropping amount. All other variables aside, the pieces of jewelry themselves were the largest finest of their kind. The best designers, Large gems, perfectly cut diamonds, boldly designed arrangements; these themselves would fetch a higher price than their peers. Another reason is the collection itself. It is the most varied and extensive private jewelry collection, with pieces from all over the world, and pieces with deep histories. Her collection is the kind written about by the likes of Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. On top of it all, it was her personal collection. These pieces were owned by a Hollywood icon and superstar, and also worn by her.

Today's red carpet stars have armies designers create their looks for them, head to toe. But in Mrs. Taylor's day, the artist had to do it all herself. She created her own look and paid for it all herself. Well, almost everything.

There were many gifts featured in her collection, most famously the record breaking $11.8 million "La Peregrina" pearl necklace designed by Cartier and given to her by Richard Burton, one of Taylor's seven husbands and biggest contributor to her collection.  He bought the necklace for her in 1969 for $37,000. (pictured above) "It's a 16th century pearl which belonged to many kings and queens and other royals" says Chairman of Christie's Jewelry Department, Francois Curiel. Burton also gave her a 33.19-carat diamond ring which sold for $8.8 million. Taylor also received gifts from the late singer, Michael Jackson. A personal favorite of hers was a whimsical jewel encrusted necklace made of figures of monkeys, and a matching set of earrings. Another gift featured in her collection was an ivory necklace featuring ivory opera passes from the estate of Edith Head


Van Cleef and Arpels, along with Bvlgari and Cartier made a multitude of appearances amongst her jewels, each one more sumptuous than the last. Click here to see online catalogue of her entire collection.


Elizabeth Taylor wasn't covered in glittering gems merely because she was a movie star and could afford it. Jewelry was a burning passion for her. So much so that in 2002 she wrote a book about them tilted "My Love Affair With Jewelry." It is probably the world's most expensive hobby, but she sought it out with gusto. She was known to all the top jewelers, and was fortunate enough to be married to both Richard Burton and Mike Todd, who showered her from head to foot in the most expensive and historically rich pieces they could find. She ironically writes:

"As I look at some of my jewels I realize what a very lucky girl I am. Sometimes I wonder what will become of everything, because just like the Duchess of Windsor's collection, they will be up for auction one day. They will be scattered to the four corners of the world, and I hope that whoever buys each pieces loves it as much as I do and takes care of it and realizes that having jewelry is a temporary gift. In truth, we 'owners' are just the caretakers. Nobody owns beautiful paintings. Nobody every owns anything that is beautiful. We are only the guardians."

JOHN HARDY

Sometimes it is a mystery where designers get their inspiration. Naturally, a piece of art needs to be able to stand on its own and communicate the ideas clearly. However, meeting the designer or understanding where the designer comes from always gives the beholder a deeper layer of understanding, and a deeper connection with the piece itself.

John Hardy's designs are dangerously dark and bold, spiritual, and very enigmatic. Unfortnately they sometimes fall under the radar. As a designer, however, John Hardy is very passionate and very close to earth. Like other designers (such as Gurhan, LaLaounis) he draws his inspiration from the past. But rather trying to recreate elements of old, he hones in on a very specific design element, and follows it through with an entire collection.

His youtube channel and home site offers a wonderful series of videos that take one behind the scenes to draw a direct link from his inspiration to his design process. Take this necklace from his Kali collection. This pattern is taken from wet stone walls found by creek or riversides, and is reflected elegantly in the entire collection.

John Hardy is also a very environmentally aware brand. It was the basic principle on which the company was established. It didn't "become green" for the sake of following the current trend, it was its leader.

Overall John Hardy brand is very exotic, very close to earth, and very spiritual. Their beautiful videos offer wonderful imagery and concise explanations of their company that are truly worth taking a closer look at. You can see more at www.johnhardy.com

CHARRIOL

Charriol is a slightly unique jewelry company. Granted, most jewelry designers have their own look and feel, but Charriol comes with an unusual "twist." By twist, of course, i mean that he uses stainless steel cables -something no other jewelry brand does, not even David Yurman who uses the rope motif often in his work.

Charriol's designs have the same effect on you as champagne. They are warm, slightly bubbly, and sophisticated. It comes with distinctive design elements that make it instantly recognizable: the stainless steel cable,  and the cushion cut pale gemstones. Phillipe Charriol's designs were greatly inspired by the Celtic torque, and uses modern takes on Celtic motifs often.






With new collections coming out almost every year, Charriol somehow still manages to be consistent. His work is classy, sporty, and just eccentric enough to be enjoyed by conservative jewelry collectors and young fashionistas alike.

BREITLING

Breitling is a watch company that was started in 1884. For the longest time it turned its business exclusively to manufacturing and developing the most accurate and dependable time tools they could, spending all of their power on precision.

Their dogged loyalty to quality was responsible for most of the developments which result in the modern day watch. They helped pioneer the wrist watch (as opposed to the pocket watch), they combined the wristwatch with chronograph features, they patented the automatic windup mechanism, and many, many, more.

They were considered the number one watch brand for aviators because they needed very precise tools for their jobs (which is why most of their branding features planes and pilots).

Their watches are designed for the hardworking professional who depends on accuracy. Historically, Brietling made chronographs, not watches. Its designs don't reflect leisure or luxury, but rather reflect dependence and utilitarianism.

This shows in their crisp, aggressive designs. They don't seek to simplify their watch face, but rather reflect the complexity and brilliance of their inner workings.

 

  

A MARTINEZ

A Martinez is very easy to distinguish amongst other fine jewelers. Big clues into what makes an A Martinez piece is its hefty size and weight, the use of Sterling Silver, peculiar abstract design work, and the large turquoise stones. The influence of A Martinez's designs comes from Native American Navajo style jewelry.

The work itself looks very man made, with uneven contours, textured metal, and a hammered style. The design work on the bracelets themselves can vary from something more symmetrical and methodical, to a collection of heavy cuff bracelets that have punched out metal scraps arranged cleverly on their surfaces.

From a scale of 1 to 10 in boldness, where Cathy Waterman is a 1, and David Webb is a 9 or a 10, A Martinez is probably a 13 or 14. Although slightly uncouth, these pieces pair stunningly with cowboy boots or the little black dress.

Fine Estate Jewelry

The subtle hints of sophistication, polish, and status that jewelry gives a woman, and how much a woman is willing to pay to get that, is the essence of the jewelry business. Jewelry, and the reasons to wear or make it is a vast and fascinating annex of the art world. Nowhere do brand names matter as much as in jewelry. It is a fast and easy way for a woman to express exactly what she thinks of the fashion world and how seriously she thinks it matters in her life. From cheap colorful plastic bangles, to expensive 18K gold filigreed earrings studded with precious gems, there is a jewel for every woman, and a woman for ever jewel.

But none is as fascinating as the world of fine estate jewelry. For here is not only the pinnacle of prices and status, but also of history, sentiment, and intrigue. Both Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dedicated several stories and novels for their sleuths to track down famous diamonds and strings of pearls.

Estate jewelry simply means pre-owned jewelry. It by no means devalues it. There are plenty of - and please excuse the pun - diamonds in the rough to be found amongst estate jewelry. A beautiful pair of diamond and sapphire Buccellati earrings with intense fire, or an elegant geometric H Stern bracelet lightly dusted with small diamonds. Or perhaps for the bolder, a David Webb cocktail ring made of coral, jade, diamond, and gold, or an elegant Tiffany & Co. brooch. The styles and eras and individual designers all bring their own flare to these little wearable pieces of art. Each ring, bracelet, and pendant, is a compilation of hours of labor, sweat, cutting, polishing, casting, sawing, rasping, collecting, and setting. Each little gem, carefully mined, washed, analyzed, cut, analyzed again, sold, and set, and sold again. Each piece of jewelry has a wake of artists, businessmen, high society, appraisers, and history behind it. It is a true form of art that can be worn, touched, and handled.

So where can the average person get a piece of the action? A general place to find goodies like these, would be at an estate sale. This isn't exactly a yard sale, nor is it a flea market. An estate sale is when someone is trying to sell off their belongings as quickly as possible to get the maximum return profit. They are almost always being conducted by a professional. By the time an average person hears about and gets to one of these sales, most of the good stuff is generally gone. And to the unexperienced eye, figuring out which pieces of jewelry are worth buying and which ones are not, can be very tricky.

For one, coming in armed with knowledge of designers, their hallmarks (the numbers, symbols, and signatures stamped into the inside or underside of jewelry), and a general sense of what is worth how much, when, and why, is a good start. That way you can easily identify what a material is made of, when it was made, and how much it is worth. For instance, 750 usually refers to 18K gold. Sometimes designers will stamp 18K directly into their work, sometimes not. 925 refers to sterling silver. Knowing the general total weight in carats on a piece with diamonds, will also indicate how much the piece is really worth. For more information on hallmarks, and how to stylistically recognize certain designer's work, one can take a gander at this article compilation blog: www.oak-gem.blogspot.com.

To some collectors, half the fun is perusing estate sales, finding pieces, and getting them appraised. For others, they just want to find the jewelry without the hassle and risk of paying too much for a piece better off to be scrapped.

In the latter case, it would just be better to find a professional in the business and purchase your piece of jewelry from them. The person to contact would be an estate jewelry salesman and BUYER. The fact that they buy is key. It means they know how much pieces are worth and can instantly detect quality. Someone who just sells will try to turn a profit on just about anything. But a person who buys, HAS to know their stuff.

A fine example of an organization that buys and sells fine estate jewelry is OakGem. You can visit their website www.oakgem.com to see their wares, or do business with them in person. The three graces is another group that deals with second hand jewelry.

Jewelry is a fascinating part of human life and society. It is one of those things we cannot resist. One can wear it and feel a certain level of completion and pride, or one can collect it and treat it as art. Either way, fine estate jewelry is a fascinating world to enter, and when played right, can reap plenty of rewards.

SLANE AND SLANE

Slane and Slane is a very noble high end sterling jewelry line. Run by bi coastal sisters, Heath and Landon Slane, this studio produces spiritually and architecturally influences pieces that resonate with a higher meaning.

The Slane sisters like to invite other artists and designers to work with them in their studio, and a lot of their pieces are a product of a collaboration between multiple artists. This gives their work the feeling of unity, strength, and camaraderie. They work with 100% recycled silver and 80% recycled gold. They are one of the greenest brands out right now, and 90% of their work is done here in America.

The designs of the jewelry itself are usually very humble, very structural, and based around a single idea or texture. A lot of thought goes behind the meaning of each collection. They take their inspiration from other cultures, animals, and architecture.  Each collection is a solid recognizable unit that can stand on its own quite well. Their work is a unique blend of both figurative and abstract design. One clearly sees the figurative influence or elements, but can still appreciate the elegant geometrical back drop.

They use a very small amount of gems to adorn their work. They are usually used either for color, or to add a small bit of glitter here and there. They do, however, have an exquisite pearl collection. They play with the natural forms of their pearls and enhance it with amazing sterling work.

Slane and Slane is the perfect jewelry brand for environmentalists, intellectuals, spiritualists, and artisans. Their work adds a meaningful and elegant touch to anybody, and is a pleasure to both wear and own.

PENNY PREVILLE

Penny Preville is an award winning contemporary jewelry designer. Her work has paved a comfortable path for itself on the red karate and in blockbuster films.

Her jewelry is lacy, but not too delicate. She has lovely hints of Indian and Middle Eastern influences in her designs, which adds a sort of visual fragrance to her work. Her motifs include chains of shapes studded with diamonds,  engraved platinum and white gold, and geometrical lacework.

She keeps up with today's fashion and makes jewelry with a whole outfit in mind.  She keeps her pieces just basic enough to go with most clothes, but still adds a graceful personal touch to them.

Penny Preville jewelry is a great starting point for anyone keen on collecting jewelry.

LAUREN K

Lauren K takes everything we love as little girls, and makes them elegant and mature. Brilliant color combinations, brightly cut stones, and dainty floral detailing makes all of her collectors giddy with satisfaction.

Design-wise she details bold shapes and colors with delicate feminine vines and flowers. She will dangle precious gems off of complex curved hoop earrings, and pairs diamond studded gold with brightly colored gems. For example, she will make a lovely delicate gold pendant, and use a string of precious gems as the chain. She has a fun collection of candy rings. Lovely cut stones set in diamond studded white gold. Although there is nothing original in her rings, they make exquisite accomplices to her other work. She designs with her entire array of work in mind, not just focusing on individual collections.

She has been featured in publications like Elle, Lucky, Marie Claire, New York Times, and Rapaport (just to name a few).

H STERN

H Stern is the deconstructionist of jewelry. He takes his inspiration from other artists. Architects, Dancers, Celtic Dunes, other designers, and so on. He then breaks down these things into their linear elements. If an artist were to take a brush, and do a contour drawing of anything, it would be a great example of the work h stern produces. He really plays with the basics of design unlike any other jeweler. He uses line and line width, and sees how far he can push the simplest of design elements.

Its fair to say that where other designers fall into extremes, his jewelry is a fine example of something in between. This makes his work compatible with almost anything. It is simple, brilliant, and elegant.

DORIS PANOS

Doris Panos is one of those remarkable young women who took the industry by storm. A true diamond in the rough. It is so rare to find female designers in the industry, and for companies this young to be flourishing, but there you have it. doris Panos has done it all! She spent years learning about the industry: from gold and metal smithing, to gemology, and even business. She was so exceptional in all fields that she was encouraged to go start her own company. And in 1993, she did!

Her work is shockingly beautiful. It is intricate and detailed. She features lovely stackable bangles that can be worn individually, or together as a stack. Her treatment of gems is a whole thing in of its own. She sets them in fine glittering rings with lacy metalwork.Her instinct for design creates this wonderful symbiotic relationship between curves and straight lines. Simply masterful!

 

All statements aside, her jewelry is stunning to wear. Period. End of story. However,  every woman who wears her make, and  every man who buys her work to collect, should understand that her jewelry isn't just stunning, it is also a sign letting everyone know that even a 150 year old male establishment cannot accomplish what this 20 year old company owned by a single strong woman just did.

CATHY WATERMAN

Cathy Waterman's jewelry is dripping with femininity and delicacy. Floral and vine motifs along with ethereal handiwork sets her apart from the rest. Her jewelry is very precious and gentle.

However, the woman behind them is very strong. Keeping up a strong designer
jewelry career and raising a family at the same time is an astounding accomplishment. Her work is so personal.  Each ring, each necklace, each bracelet holds a small sliver of her soul. When you wear her jewelry, you aren't wearing someone's big luxury name. Instead, you are wearing someone's fluttering heart and their undying love to create.

RITANI

Ritani creates unique and mysterious wedding and engagement rings.

Their work is layered. At first glance its hard to distinguish them from many of the other wedding and engagement ring companies, but upon closer observation, each ring reveals secrets and invites you to sit and stare at them for an hour or three.

They are one of the youngest companies sold by OakGem, but they have skyrocketed their recognition since opening in 1999. Their attention to detail and polish leaves a strong wake behind them as they surge forward in the seas of wedding and engagement rings. They also create beautiful custom order products. On top of their 11 separate lines of wedding rings. 

Their collections are highly detailed, and make use of not just the top of the ring, but the sides and underside of the rings as well. They take into account the cut of the diamond and incorporate that into the design of the ring itself. They push the boundaries of setting design and are always creating new, playful, and romantic pieces. Examples of this include putting eddies and spirals into the body of the ring, putting smaller diamonds on the sides of the setting instead of on top, and creating unique contours for the rings themselves.

Even if you're not in the market for a wedding or engagement ring, its definitely worth to have a look at their work, just for the aesthetic pleasure of their designs.

CHOPARD

Respect, audacity, independence, and precision. Besides being the company values of Swiss Luxury Watch Company, Chopard, it is also the best way to describe their products.

at first glance their watches are very classic and strict, but upon further observation one notices gems, colors, interesting shapes and patterns hidden within their faces. For a time piece to surprise you again and again like that is quite an accomplishment for a century and a half old swiss company.

Their jewelry line is also very classical and strict. They follow the rules of geometric aesthetics to a tee, and employ very minimalistic foundations in their designs. They do a lot of work with chains as well.

If Chopard's values are also important to you, then a Chopard piece is the perfect choice. Simple, timeless, and dependable.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

 Van Cleef and Arpels is a highly feminine art deco and art nouveau inspired jewely brand.

Their pieces both cater to our inner girl, and to our femininity. They use very figurative designs and have a vast arsenal of gems at their disposal. Interlocking spirals, birds, dangling diamonds, fairies, butterflies and flowers are common elements in their collections.

Their designs are dynamic ad use bold curves as the spine for their work. Mosaics os square cut gems will sometimes adorn the surfaces of their pieces. They create lustrous petals from precious gems found across the world, placed around a beautiful arrangement of centerpiece jewels. They use time pieces as a jewel that they place in the center of a floral arrangement of jewels and 18K gold.

Their gems are beautiful to behold, and their designs are daring. As youthful as their work is, their manner of execution makes these pieces wearable by a woman or girl of any age.

STEPHEN DWECK

Stephen Dweck is obsessed with nature. Yet his work is oxymoronic. On the one hand he depicts things like flowers, and leaves, and fairy like motifs. He uses stones with a gentle pallor and cut. On the other hand, his work is bold. His stones are huge, and aside from being polished are generally left in their original rough shapes. His metal smithing is bold and hefty. In this manner, Dweck makes a very original statement. He really shows off the "rock" element of his gems. Definitely jewelry for a woman who knows how to make a statement.





 This designer doesn't stay in the shadows of his luxury brand studio either. Like his work, he takes society by storm. His jewelry is shown in numerous TV shows and movies including gossip girl and sex in the city 2. He is truly a jeweler for the stars. He has also designed for famous ads, including a beautiful martini glass for a Bacardi ad. He has been featured in many runway fashion collections as well, including Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan, and Escada.

His passion for all things natural leads him around the world to collect beautiful and exotic semiprecious gems, which he turns into his stunning One Of A Kind pieces. Each one is adorned with Adam, a japanese beetle, usually cast in any kind of metal Stephen can get his hands on.

His pieces are designed as an homage to the beautiful world around him. He doesn't impose his cut onto nature's precious gems and squash them into forms familiar to everyone. He leaves their natural beauty alone, and only helps it along by polishing it up. A true lover of stones should really consider supporting his work.

TIFFANY & CO.

Tiffany and Company is perhaps the most well known designer jewelry firm here in America. One could even go as far as to call it a household name. The company was started by Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1837 in New York City. He opened a fancy items shop and very quickly gained renown. His clientele grew and soon he became the go to shop for heads of state and the creme de la creme of east coast society.

C.L. Tiffany bought the biggest fancy yellow diamond (Tiffany Diamond), and also bought the French royal jewels. He was then crowned the King of Diamonds. Aside from housing some of the biggest and most exquisite gems in the world, the company has also allegedly discovered new gems such as Tanzanite, Morganite, and Tsavorite by launching expeditions to remote parts of the world in search for new materials.

Years of pioneering designs, creating names, and developing newer methods has not only put, but kept Tiffany on the map for a century and a half. The company now includes scores of designers, including Elsa Peretti, Frank Ghery, Paloma Picasso, and Jean Schlumberger. They make jewelry for all classes and occasions. They have even been known to create parasol handles, spurs, halter tops, and bicycles in its colorful history. And like when it opened, it continues to attract heads of state and the creme de la creme of society.