Oceana: inspecting the natural beauty of Tiffany & Co.'s 2016 Blue Book Collection
We may all feel familiar with the legacy of Tiffany & Co., but beyond the iconic shop windows on Fifth Avenue in New York, recognisable engagement rings and covetable robin egg blue boxes with white ribbon is the jewellery house’s Blue Book collection – a stunning annual collection of one-of-a-kind jewellery creations, just waiting to be discovered and treasured.
As the brand’s greatest showcase, Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book collection places the house’s craftsmanship, access and history at the fore. Created by design director Francesca Amfitheatrof, the pieces incorporate the finest and most vibrant gems for truly extraordinary results. Viewed by appointment and only available to Tiffany & Co.’s most prized customers, the collection of unique pieces are highly sought after for good reason.
For 2016, the collection continues to explore themes in nature. Titled ‘The Art of Transformation’, Amfitheatrof’s second Blue Book collection builds upon the underwater motifs she explored in her first.
‘In this collection, we are taking you on a journey through nature,’ she says. ‘From the deep ocean, we float to the edge of the water where stillness reigns. In this world, cocooned in calm, transformation occurs. Life changes, and nature reaches to the surface and takes its first breath of air. It’s a story about evolution and all that is possible in silence and peace, where nature plays its magic and creates the mysteries of the world we live in.’
To this end, stunning pieces that resemble seaweed glisten underwater, a pair of starfish cuffs and even a pearl octopus broach festooned with diamonds and blue sapphires speak to Tiffany & Co.’s age-old tradition of crafting veritable art pieces in gem form. There are plenty of more abstract pieces to appreciate too, including a pendant featuring a 22.11 carat yellow sapphire and white diamonds reminiscent of the glowing sun surrounded by swirling clouds, and an incredibly geometric diamond bracelet made from round, pear-shaped, emerald-cut, oval, marquise, square-cut and trilliant diamonds that are invisibly set to mimic the movement of rivers rushing into the sea.
Of course, there’s no beating the diamonds. Consistently the most sought-after pieces in each Blue Book collection, this year’s offerings include several diamond pendant necklaces boasting otherworldly, 40 carat stones. The effortless mingling of different cut stones not only speaks to the skills of Tiffany’s artisans, but articulates a contemporary design ethos as well.
INFORMATION
Tiffany & Co’s Blue Book collection begins travelling in April 2016. For more details, visit the website
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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.
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