January 1, 2025 • 41 mins
In our latest episode, we spotlight the creative geniuses who shaped Tiffany & Co.'s enduring legacy. Meet George Kuntz, the gem enthusiast who brought semi-precious gemstones into the limelight, and John Schlumberger, whose nature-inspired designs became iconic. Delve into the cultural phenomenon of Tiffany & Co., with iconic film moments and celebrity collaborations that highlight its timeless allure. From the glitz of Hollywood to modern fashion collaborations, learn how Tiffany balances classic elegance with contemporary trends, leaving an indelible mark on pop culture. Join us for a fascinating exploration of luxury, creativity, and cultural influence.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, divas, and welcome to Magnifique, your
favorite jewelry insightspodcast.
I'm your host, gabrielle, andtoday we talk about all things
Tiffany Co.
But first, happy New Year.
Real quick, let's hear thoseNew Year's resolutions.
Sound them off.
Mine is to be the best versionof myself and I already am, so
(00:25):
no work needed to be done.
So Tiffany Co.
The story of Tiffany Co is onethat heavily leans into the
American dream.
With a little grit and hardwork, you too can have it all.
You too can own a monopoly ongems.
While, in theory, tiffany Costarted from nothing and became
(00:46):
a worldwide sensation, manypeople are behind the operation,
pouring their souls into eachand every piece of work that
goes into Tiffany products.
The ones you know and love havea lot of hard work and blood,
sweat and tears blood literallyin the diamonds.
But can I be honest, we're notgoing to be talking about the
blood diamonds today.
(01:06):
I would love to dig deeper intothat in another episode, but
today we'll discuss the names ofthe Tiffany game.
We'll explore Charles Tiffany,himself world-recognized
gemologist, george F Kuntz, aswell as each of their highly
esteemed jewelry designers.
Along the way, we'll beintroduced to celebrities and
(01:28):
various controversies.
But Tiffany's is apeople-forward brand.
So let's get into the people.
I chose this topic because,truthfully, I knew nothing about
Tiffany Co except for the bluebox and a scene that's been
engraved in my brain fromreality TV.
Perhaps you've heard of theshow Vanderpump Rules, perhaps
(01:53):
there is.
In the show there's a young ladwho comes from a very rich
family who eventually comes downon his luck family who
eventually comes down on hisluck.
But there's a scene with thedude and his mother and they're
just talking about how they camedown on their luck and in an
argument the mom yells you tookyour first steps in a freaking
(02:16):
tiffany's.
She used the f word but um,we're two minutes in and I don't
feel like doing that, so Iwon't't.
You took your first steps ineffing Tiffany's and you know
that really resonated with me inthat I have no relation there,
but that's all she wrote.
So I present to you today.
(02:38):
So everything I present to youtoday is news to me that
actually impacted me in a wayI've never expected.
So Charles Lewis Tiffany CharlesLewis Tiffany was born in
Killingly, connecticut, anAquarius son with a birth date
of February 15th 1812.
(02:58):
He comes from family money,with his father being a
prosperous textile manufacturerand at the ripe age of 25,
charles Lewis decides he wantsto make something of himself.
So he and his bestie John BYoung move to the big city, nyc,
(03:20):
and open up a stationery andfancy goods store.
This was funded by a small loanof $1,000 from Tiffany's father
.
The first few days of the storewere rough.
No sugarcoating it.
They made a solid $4.98 on thefirst day.
Granted, that does come out tobe $150 today, still not still
(03:44):
not rocking with it.
The two of them housed verylittle money or knowledge of
business, but they did havevibes and skills, and with these
vibes and skills, charlesTiffany was able to talk his way
into purchasing coveted goodsdirectly from ships that were
returning to New York fromforeign ports.
(04:04):
These coveted goods includeditems like Chinese porcelain or
the latest French accessories.
From the jump, mr Tiffanyunderstood the importance of
publicity, and this led him avery long way in his career.
Speaking of people skills, Ihave been trying to hone my
people skills as well.
(04:26):
So I've started reading how toWin Friends and Influence People
, and I've heard that that bookis both a cry for help and also
life-changing.
That being said, I fear I haveno choice but to read it cover
to cover and to be quite honestwith you, I got it about a month
ago and I'm 16 pages in, soit's not really influencing me
(04:47):
at all, in the slightest.
But new year, new me, right?
So I'll get back to it.
I'll get back to it, don'tworry about me, worry about
yourself.
So Charles Tiffany built hiscompany into the first
institution of American luxury.
Without him, who knows whereluxury would be today?
(05:07):
He'd become known as the Kingof Diamonds due to his sheer
wealth in the gemstonerepertoire.
His son and heir to thebusiness, louis Comfort Tiffany.
Um, I didn't do my duediligence.
Maybe it's Louis, but for hereon out he's going to be Tiffany.
He was appointed designdirector at the death of his
(05:30):
father in 1902.
So post Charles Tiffany death,he left an estate worth $35
million.
Today it'd be nearly a billion.
No biggie.
But his most everlastingachievement is the founding of
Tiffany Co.
So that is our boy, charlesLewis.
Let's talk about the companyfinding its stride and then
(05:53):
we'll talk about some other bignames.
So anyway, the variety storewas surviving, but not yet
thriving.
In 1841, the businessmenrecruited another partner, jl
Ellis, after which luck began tofavor the trio quite nicely.
Nothing says luck and successquite like a trio of
(06:17):
generationally wealthy white men.
We also saw the debut of thefirst direct mail catalog,
dubbed the Blue Book Collection.
This allowed people from allover the world, all over the
United States at the time.
It was during the 1840s thatthe company found solace in the
fall of the Louis-Philipperegime in France.
(06:39):
This led French aristocrats toflee the political turmoil and
they sold their diamonds inexchange for quick cash to fuel
their flee.
Who lucked out in this instance?
Charles Louis Tiffany, becausehe saw this as a golden
opportunity to buy and risk theprofits of the fledging
(07:01):
enterprise on a cash of splendiddiamonds.
But he really saw anopportunity and took it.
And that right, there iscapitalism at its finest.
No, it's not, I'm just kind oftalking at this point.
The buying of all of thesediamonds marks the incarnation
of American luxury.
It was in 1848 that the companypoured most of its funds into
(07:25):
importing the highest qualityjewelry from Europe.
So pre-1848, they weren't doingfine jewelry, they were doing
costume jewelry, but theyweren't doing jewelry.
Throughout the 1850s thecompany and Sir Charles Lewis
saw a plethora of opportunitiesto build his legacy.
(07:46):
The company purchased thepartnership of a prominent
silversmith, john C Moore.
It was during this partnershipthat the sterling silver 925
standard quality was set inplace.
The 925 standard refers to thequality of your silver.
It means that the metal thatyou're wearing contains 92.5%
(08:11):
pure silver and 7.5% mixed metalbase.
It's a British standard thatwas only brought to the United
States by Charles Tiffany.
So here we are, 1853.
Charles Tiffany assumes totalcontrol of the company due to
Young and Ellis both seekingretirement and truly their
retirement is probably the bestthing that could happen to
(08:33):
Charles.
Because Charles moves to changethe name to Tiffany and Company
, later shortened to Tiffany andCo.
Another happening in the 50s.
In 1858, to be more clear,charlesllas handles even.
But this really saw a boom inthe business because once they
(09:11):
were available the crowds linedup.
And the crowds were so rowdythat the police had to intervene
and do some crowd control inthe 1850s.
In the 1850s, a Paris WorldFair loves to see Charles
(09:32):
Tiffany coming.
In 1867, the company receivedan award of merit for silver
hardware.
I wrote hollowware.
I don't know if I meant that.
This was the first time that anAmerican designer had yet been
awarded with such honor by aforeign jury.
In 1878, paris World's Fairagain, charles Tiffany receives
an award for excellence inquality of silver and jewelry.
(09:55):
Then again, in 1900, Tiffany wasappointed as the royal jeweler
for the crowned heads of Europe,for the crowned heads of Europe
, the Ottoman Emperor andRussian Tsars.
Having said that, I did do alittle Google search of who is
the royal jeweler for mostcrowned heads today, and that is
(10:17):
Cartier.
Don't know what happened there,but Cartier is the premier
royal jeweler.
Now royal jeweler is reallymessing me up.
I feel like I'm in 30 rock.
I don't know if you guys haveseen the running joke on 30 rock
, the rural juror.
I feel like that.
I cannot say royal jeweler,okay.
(10:40):
Anyway, in addition to properroyals, tiffany and co would go
on to work with American socialroyals like Jackie O, the Astors
, among many other Gilded Agesocialites you about.
(11:08):
In 1885, tiffany redesigned theUS seal and Tiffany's also
redesigned the Vince Lombarditrophy.
For all my fellow girly pops,I'm so sorry, it's football,
it's a Super Bowl medal, butthis happened all the way in the
future in 1966.
Future freaking 100 years later.
Here's a fun and patriotic fact.
Did you know that during theCivil War?
Here's a fun and patriotic fact.
Did you know that during theCivil War, tiffany and Co made
swords for the Union forces?
They also supplied flags,medals, surgical instruments,
(11:33):
what have you?
They were really just fightingfor the Union.
The year is 1879, when Tiffanyand Co bought the largest yellow
diamond in the world,nicknaming it the Tiffany
Diamond, setting him back a cool$18,000, which in today's
dollars would go ahead and beabout $14.28 million.
This beauty sits at 287.42carats as a roughed stone, but
(12:00):
then is cut down to 128.54 carat.
What happened to the other 160carat Girl, I don't know.
This gem was once sourced fromKimberly Diamond Mines in South
Africa.
Since its conception, only fourpeople have ever worn it Audrey
Hepburn, lady Gaga and Beyonce.
(12:20):
I know you're saying Gabrielle,that's three.
I know because everywhere Ilooked for the fourth person, I
could not find it.
So if you find it, let me knowand I can just do a little edit.
But I read so many freakingarticles and watched so many
freaking videos.
Um, I could not.
They were gatekeeping thefourth name so Audrey Hepburn,
lady Gaga and Beyonce.
(12:41):
Okay, let's take a slightdetour and talk about the man
behind the Tiffany diamond.
While Charles was the one topurchase it, george F Kuntz put
his blood, sweat and tears intoensuring the yellow diamond was
cut and shaped into the mostoptimal size, shape and had the
most appropriate number offacets.
(13:04):
George Frederick Kuntz was borna Libra, on September 29, 1856
in the Big Apple, nyc.
I must say this company hasdecimated my concept of history.
Why are these people livingregular degular lives 200 years
ago, literally?
(13:24):
What do you mean 200 years ago?
That?
That makes me so annoyed.
That makes me so annoyed.
It actually makes me mad.
Because what do you mean?
Our normal lives are prettymuch similar to their normal
lives, aside from, like, dailydressing and formalities.
Girl, get out of here, I can't,I can't do that.
That is so that's so annoying.
Girl, get out of here, I can't,I can't do that.
(13:44):
That is so that's so annoying.
George Kuntz has been a gem andmineral enthusiast his entire
life, so much so that by histeens he had amassed 4,000 some
odd gem specimens which he soldto the University of Minnesota
for $400.
$8,000 today he meant business,because he's quoted saying that
(14:08):
the money wasn't as much of afactor.
Rather, he just wanted to markhimself as a real gem collector.
He did seek out a collegeeducation, though he didn't
graduate and found more successteaching himself about
mineralogy by reading everypiece available to him in
addition to his alreadyproficient field research.
And honestly, that's how I'mtrying to be, that is how I am
(14:30):
going about things as well justa coveted, self-taught fashion
girly who's finding her waythrough mountains of articles
and research for each subject.
Just a girly trying to knoweverything, and for that I
really relate to you.
He was called on by Tiffany Coto collaborate at just the age
(14:51):
of 23.
He toured the gem mines as wellas cutting facilities and
served as a special agent withthe US Geological Survey.
George was entrusted tosupervise the cutting of the
Tiffany Yellow Diamond.
He studied the 270-caratdiamond for a year before
determining size, shape andnumber of facets.
(15:14):
He chose for the gem to hold 82facets, which is 24 more than
traditional, for the purposes ofmaximizing the gem's brilliance
.
He proved himself so muchthroughout his tenure that, at
age 52, he was propelled to a VPposition at Tiffany's.
How he proved himself throughthe years is by changing the way
(15:35):
retailers diversify their gemspecies.
While most jewelers mainlyfocused on diamonds, rubies,
sapphires and emeralds, kuntzwas more interested in
semi-precious gemstones Thinktourmaline, aquamarine, garnet,
moonstoneonstone, the works.
Kunz was able to convincecharles tiffany to purchase a
(15:58):
green tourmaline specimen for anexperimental collection.
This collection outperformed abusinessman's expectation and as
such, the world was introducedto the semi-precious colored
gemstones.
Kuntz was not only the man forCharles Tiffany and a
world-traveling gem researcher,but he also took on personal
(16:21):
clients to assemble theirpersonal collections.
Perhaps you've heard of old manJP Morgan.
Old man, capitalist,billionaire, buddy, love him so
much.
I actually don't know too muchabout him, I just hear
billionaire and say oops.
(16:41):
George Kuhns has built manycollections for Morgan, as he
was Kuhns' best and most loyalclient.
The first collection comprisedover a thousand specimens and
won multiple golden awards atthe 1889 Paris World's Fair.
The second collection has beendonated to the American Museum
(17:02):
of Natural History in New York.
I fear a Tiffany's tour aroundNew York City is in my future,
hopefully in my near future.
Anyway, to show hisappreciation to JP Morgan's
loyalty, he sourced a rose goldvariety of beryl from Madagascar
and he named the gem Morganite.
(17:23):
Kuntz loved to name gems afterthose in his life, naming
Kuntzite after himself, which isa lilac pink variety of
spodumene found in California.
And okay, let me just speak mypiece.
It really annoys me that thesereally pretty gems have boy
names.
I'll say it Pretty gems shouldnot have boy names.
(17:43):
How about that?
How about that?
How about nothing?
Actually, george Kuntz is a, anational treasure.
He pioneered the way that theworld wears and appreciates
jewelry and, moreover,semi-precious gemstones.
Without his contribution to thespace, who's to say what gems
(18:03):
we be rocking on our rings or inour bracelets?
Um, really, just, thank you,buddy.
Buddy, I really, I reallyappreciate George Kintz.
I think in the future I mighthave a whole episode dedicated
to just him and maybe theavenues of his little collection
.
Little they were.
A thousand specimens, they'renot little.
(18:25):
Anyway, during the turn of the20th century 1902 to be more
specific our beloved CharlesLewis Tiffany passes away,
leaving his son, lewis ComfortTiffany, to take over as
official design director.
Design directors andcollaborators truly turned
Tiffany Co into the company thatwe know and love today.
(18:47):
I don't personally know, justdue to not owning any Tiffany
jewelry, but I do love what theygot going on.
So let's talk about JohnSchlumberger.
He took the reins at Tiffany in1956.
Sorry, we're in the 1900s now.
I keep thinking we're in 1800sbecause we just spent so much
(19:07):
time there.
Oh, my gosh Okay.
So he took the reins in 1956.
But before that, jeanSchlumberger was born in 1905 to
a what A prominent textilemanufacturer Boom in business In
Alsace, france.
Jean had a knack for drawingfrom a young age, but he was
(19:31):
pushed to find a more profitablecareer in banking.
He began to rebel in his 20s bymoving to Paris to hone his
creative impulses.
Schlumberger first worked in aFrench couture house with Lucien
(19:51):
Leland, after which moving to aParisian art publishing house.
As he was severely drawn to andinspired by Parisian art
culture, he loved to wander thestreets of flea markets looking
and adoring Victoriana relicsand would create his jewelry
(20:11):
after his discoveries.
His first big break, like majorbig break, was with Elsa
Schiaparelli.
She commissioned him to be alead designer of buttons and
costume jewelry.
His catalog includedinspiration from animals, shells
, cherubs, fruits and insects.
(20:32):
He eventually made his way toNYC to open up his own shop when
he met none other than chairmanof the company, walter Hoving,
chairman of Tiffany Co, I shouldsay he started his partnership
with his salon within theflagship Tiffany's location and
made contributions like thePilonel enamel.
(20:55):
It was Slumberger's signaturejewelry style.
He was also known for theaffinity for 18-carat yellow
gold in his design.
You may have seen his favorite.
You may have seen his famousbird-on-a-rock design.
He is most famous for it.
I'd say he brought a newperspective to jewelry designing
(21:16):
one of a more natural and looseartistic way, if you will.
It pleased the crowd and keptthem coming back for more.
So thank you, jean Schlumberger.
He's unfortunately no longerwith us, but he did pass in 1987
, so it's been a minute.
But thank you, sean.
I have been perusing theTiffany Co website, naturally
(21:42):
for research purposes.
I really do love the bird on arock brooch.
I think that is very classic,dare I say, timeless, gorgeous.
I really do love it and I wouldbuy it if I could afford it.
With some overlap, our nextdesigner left a descriptive mark
of her own in the luxuryjewelry space.
(22:04):
Elsa Peretti was born in Italyand she sought an education in
Rome for interior design.
From interior design she wentto fashion model in New York
City as well as Barcelona, butthen ultimately turning to
jewelry design.
Her debut design was at Georgesde Sant'Angelo show and it was
(22:32):
an instant success.
She ended up joining Tiffany Coin 1974 with a jewelry case at
the flagship store, and hercontributions included that of
the Tiffany Peretti bone cuff.
You may have seen this on MileyCyrus during the 2024 Grammys.
(22:52):
You may have seen this on MileyCyrus during the 2024 Grammys.
Her designs are powerfullyfeminine and revolutionize the
way that women wear and takepleasure in jewelry.
In honor of her 25th workanniversary in 1999, tiffany's
(23:18):
established the Elsa PerettiProfessorship in Jewelry Design
at FIT in New York and then, in2001, she was presented with an
Honorary Doctorate of Fine Artsfrom FIT.
Unfortunately, miss ElsaPeretti died in 2021 at the age
of 80, but her legacy will beremembered for generations.
Like I said, I was doing fieldresearch on the Tiffany's
website.
I think I can confidently saythat I prefer Elsa's designs
(23:43):
over any of the other designers.
I think they are verypowerfully feminine, very dainty
, but also very no-transcript.
Like I said, she changed theway that women enjoy jewelry, so
(24:04):
for that I thank her endlessly.
This next designer actuallytook me by surprise, mainly
because I didn't know what wasgoing on.
I severely messed up myperception of time.
A lot of the story messes up myperception of time, clearly,
but I'd like to talk about MissPaloma Picasso.
(24:26):
Born in 1949 to Pablo Picassoand Francois Guilaud, paloma
Picasso is definitely anartist's daughter, she first
created necklaces for FolletBergier, later seeking formal
education in jewelry design.
She was able to present herfirst collection to her good old
(24:51):
pal, yves Saint Laurent, towhich he immediately
commissioned her to designjewelry to complement his latest
collection.
She took a brief hiatus in 1973when her father passed away,
but shortly after, tiffanydesign director John Loring
invited Paloma to present atable setting for an exclusive
(25:11):
collection.
Due to this, she moves to NYCand immediately becomes known
for her unique approach ofcolors, shapes and gems.
Her style is deemedaggressively chic.
She receives a lot ofinspiration from the graffiti of
NYC.
(25:32):
Her most notable piece of workis her 2013 olive leaf
collection.
It pays tribute to the olivetrees around her home, as well
as being a universal symbol forpeace.
She was awarded by the FashionGroup International in 1988 for
(25:55):
her design contributions andlater the Hispanic Designers
Incorporated presented her withits Moda Award for Design
Excellence.
Paloma Picasso is still withthe company with her latest
collection incorporating customcut hexagon gemstones on rings,
bracelets, pendants, you name it18 karat gold designs set with
colored gemstones and varyingspecies.
(26:18):
Paloma Picasso's style isincredibly unique, and this is
an evo baby that I can getbehind During my field research.
Of course, let's talk about myfield research of
wwwtiffanyandcocom.
You can really see her playingwith varying gemstones and she
(26:38):
loves that olive leaf collection.
You can still see it in 2024.
It is not going anywhere and Ilove it.
I love it so much.
Yeah, let's talk about howthey're staying relevant today,
as mentioned Tiffany Co isacultural icon.
Take me as proof.
(26:58):
I had never known anythingabout Tiffany until trekking on
this venture.
Aside from being fine jewelryand the little blue box, I still
knew that Tiffany's wassomething to aspire towards.
Of course, that's anunintentional marketing tactic
relating it with luxury andaspirations.
(27:21):
Luxury and aspirations.
Tiffany Co prides itself onstaying in the culture sphere
with Alexander Arnold.
Every time I talk about LVMH, Icannot see this man's name.
I couldn't say his dad's nameand now I can't say his name.
It's really just the last nameAlexander Arnold, son of LVMH.
(27:43):
Emperor Bernard Arnold.
Someone get me into speechclass.
Perhaps you remember this namefrom the Louis Vuitton episode
when Louis Vuitton joined theconglomerate with Moet Hennessy.
When Alexander and LVMHacquired the Tiffany brand in
(28:05):
2021, he loosely stated that wecannot get so scared that we
don't do anything exciting.
Tiffany has been a part of popculture for 185 years and we
plan to continue that forever.
Whether with Beyonce or Koreanpop star Rosé, they're really
just pushing for Tiffany tocontinue to expand their reach
(28:29):
and with a variety ofpartnerships they are on their
way to do so.
Individuals accredit theirdesire for Tiffany's to the
inspirational imagery portrayedin music movies and television.
Imagery portrayed in musicmovies and television A tried
and tested business practice.
For the company is a sensationof exclusivity and luxury.
(28:52):
A large part of this luxury isbeing able to shop and
experience the Tiffany Co storesin person.
Part of the luxury is toindulge in the fantasy of such
superfluity.
This is demonstrated in anumber of films and television
moments.
Gentlemen Prefer Blonde, theMusic Number, breakfast at
(29:13):
Tiffany's Sleepless in Seattle,eagerly Blonde, great Gatsby,
gossip Girl, glee, yada, yada.
I've grown very fond of MarilynMonroe since doing my episode on
her last month.
Would you mind indulging me onjust one more tangent Please?
During the performance ofDiamonds Are A Girl's Best
Friend in the infamous film howto Marry a Millionaire, the song
(29:37):
only mentioned Stephanie'slyrically twice.
Even so, and through thecelebrity affiliations, monroe
was introduced as a credibleembodiment of the Tiffany's
brand essence.
The musical number waspermanently attached to her
image, to that of alluringTiffany diamonds for the target
(29:59):
audience.
Fun fact did you know thatDiamonds Are a Girl's best
friend?
Was supposed to have acompletely different costume,
but our boy, hugh Hefner, ruinedthat for us.
I told you I'm his biggesthater last episode, during this
tangent, I'm going to repeat itI'm Hugh Hefner's biggest hater.
So during the preparation forthe shoot, hugh Hefner released
(30:23):
his first edition of Playboywith none other than Marilyn
Monroe as the first editioncover.
While the cover isn't overlylewd in today's day and age, it
was back then and the photousage wasn't approved by Marilyn
and her team, and havingMarilyn tied to the magazine was
(30:44):
just a bad look all around.
So the OG costume was abejeweled body-stalking giving
showgirl, but the costume wasswapped to detach her image from
the scandal.
Fair enough, girly, Idefinitely get it.
I hate Hugh Hefner, that's thatOkay.
So perhaps the most iconicrepresentation of Tiffany's is
(31:09):
the character Holly Golightly inthe film adaptation of
Breakfast at Tiffany's.
This film introduced the worldto New York as the infatuating
setting upon which the Tiffany'sdiamond rested.
It enabled the iconic HollyGolightly, audrey Hepburn, to
personify the feeling of beingabroad in New York,
demonstrating the seductivenature of a Tiffany's store
(31:32):
experience.
New York was the influentialcultural instigator that
propelled Tiffany Co fromaconsumer product to a cultural
icon, circulating itsiconography via celebrity
affiliation and representationin music, film, literature,
established its place inAmerican heritage through
(31:53):
historical contributions,pledged an association to New
York by personifying theAmerican dream.
That was the longest run-onsentence I think I've ever
contributed to.
So let's move on Speaking ofNew York and another culturally
iconic moment reminding me,reminding the public that
(32:15):
Tiffany Co is that girl.
Sex and the City.
During an episode of the show,without all the necessary
backstory, carrie wantedCharlotte to sell her Tiffany's
engagement ring from her firstmarriage so that Carrie could
purchase her apartment.
Carrie got mad that Charlottedidn't jump at the opportunity
(32:35):
to sell her tens of thousands ofdollar ring to get Carrie out
of a situation that she putherself in Mind.
You, samantha and Miranda, hadalready offered to help her, and
I do understand the principle.
That's all well and good, butbut when you had an affair and
allowed the man that you werecheating on to purchase your
(32:58):
apartment, literally, what didyou expect?
Anyway, she ended up guiltingCharlotte into doing selling her
ring.
But, girl, I am CarrieBradshaw's biggest hater my
ranking.
Thanks for asking Samantha,charlotte, miranda, everybody
else, carrie big.
(33:20):
I dislike Carrie, but I loathebig.
Do you know that song in Wicked?
What is this feeling?
Loathing, unadulteratedloathing.
For your shoes, your face, yourclothing.
I loathe it all.
Every little trait, howeversmall, I loathe big.
(33:48):
Anyway, tiffany co remains atthe forefront of the luxury
zeitgeist, with its uncannyability to read the public and
staying committed to keeping itclassy rather than making sharp
pivots when trends do the same.
Now, that's not to say theynever produce trendy and with
the time pieces they simplywouldn't survive without trends.
However, they adopt the withthe times, versions of the
classics.
(34:08):
During the 1920s, we saw moreelegant pieces modern to
postmodern during the 50s andduring the 30s and 50s, and they
continue to possess a classicallure today.
Trendy moments from Tiffany'sinclude Tiffany Co and Nike Air
Force collab.
(34:29):
This broke the internet becauseit came with a Tiffany blue
sneaker box.
Oh, fun fact, the Tiffany Cocolor was trademarked in 1993
and Pantone collaborated withTiffany Co in 2001 to create the
color Tiffany 1835 in honor ofthe year that Tiffany was
(34:53):
created, 1835.
Okay, I lied and I just hopethat you can forgive me.
It's actually Tiffany 1837.
But you knew that because youwere paying attention to this
podcast episode.
It is called Tiffany 1837because Tiffany was founded in
1837.
Okay, sorry about that.
Let's get back to here.
The shoes cost a whopping $400.
(35:17):
Another collaboration wasVisual Rebrand, partnered with
Cat Street Tokyo.
It is Japan's most profoundhotspot and it's dedicated to
streetwear and youth culture.
The capsule was available inultra-limited quantities at a
dedicated pop-up shop.
(35:39):
Next one they really love, likesports and leaning into sports
spalding basketball and soccerballs, all co-branded with the
douse of the iconic tiffany blue.
And then, lastly, last butcertainly not least, and also
not last, because I'm missing afew kendrick lamar sported a
one-of-a-kind crown of thorns oftitanium and pave diamonds, a
(36:04):
collaborative project betweenthe rapper Dave Free and Tiffany
Co that took 10 months and1,300 hours to produce.
It is a non-purchasable crown,but it has been worn on numerous
occasions.
Brahma, dave Free and just hisbesties Dave Free and just his
besties.
Tiffany's has had its fairshare of criticism from the
(36:27):
public.
In 2021, beyonce became thefirst Black woman, and fourth
person ever, to wear the147-year-old Tiffany diamond.
Intense backlash followed theTiffany diamond campaign because
the diamond was mined in 1877in South Africa.
The Tiffany Diamond is just areminder of exploitation in
(36:51):
Africa.
The Tiffany Co website nowassures people that they follow
the Kimberly certificationprocess to ensure that they only
get ethically sourced diamonds.
Diamonds make up about 20% ofTiffany's sales, mostly in the
form of engagement rings andwedding bands, with gold and
(37:11):
silver jewelry, bringing in abulk of the profits.
But Arnold says that Tiffanywill and this is kind of going
off of their controversy.
But Alexander Arnold says thatTiffany will continue to
continue with the entry-levelsilver jewelry.
It is a big part of who we areand why we are liked.
(37:33):
This is in response toinflation scares and price hikes
price gouging, if you will.
But there is a charity calledTiffany Co Foundation.
It is helping restore abandonedmines in Africa One of the
biggest supporters.
They are also one of thebiggest supporters of the Peace
Diamonds Restoration Initiativeby Resolve.
(37:55):
It is working to rehabilitateland destroyed by mining and
since 2000, tiffany Co has givenabout $20 million in grants to
conserve marine life in coral.
This comes as they were sellingcoral jewelry, so they've since
(38:15):
stopped that in 2004.
But Tiffany Co is cemented inthe foundation of American
luxury.
The jewelry house holds so muchhistory I surely missed a few
points, but the people behindthe brand are truly what the
(38:36):
consumers are coming back formore.
I am dazzled by the passionthat each contributor holds for
their craft.
I will own something fromTiffany's in 2025, you mark my
word, even if it's from the realroom.
In the beginning, I mentionedthat the company's history and
learning about the people whobuilt the company up impacted me
in a way that I never imagined.
What I mean by that is watchingpeople my age 25, be led down
(39:03):
one path that might notnecessarily be their dream plan
A, but it is a sustainable planA and a reliable plan A, and
time and time again they chooseplan B, which was far more
rewarding for them in the longrun.
It's inspiring in many waysbecause while I'm big chillin'
(39:25):
with my plan A, there's always alittle voice in my head that's
like are you sure I want to dothis forever?
Does this make us happy?
Could we be happier?
Yada, yada.
But it's nice to know and niceto have examples of people who
weren't necessarily protégésGeorge Kuhns not included in
this, and they don't have atraditional education George
(39:46):
Kuhn's is included in that partin his piece and still dominate
their craft, which I find verybeautiful.
It's just inspirational.
Dare I say, I feel a littleweird calling a bunch of rich
white men inspirational, butElsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso
an epibaby.
I still find them in a wayinspirational and I find them
(40:10):
amazing.
I am dazzled by their passion.
And let me have that, please.
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
If you did, please feel free tofollow the podcast.
We upload monthly, but I amkind of playing around with the
upload times.
You're definitely getting atleast one episode every month,
(40:32):
but I want to do more and I'mkind of just figuring it out.
If I am to just speak my truthfor a sec, I don't really know.
Um, feel free to follow thepodcast.
Turn on notifications, give usa rating wherever you're
listening.
I'd prefer five stars, but youdo what feels truthful in your,
(40:52):
your body and yourself.
Um, I I'd appreciate if youfollowed my personal links.
Those are in the bio, not thebio, but the episode notes
gabrielle forshe.
Gabrielle for she gonzalez,gabrielle gonzalez, it's one of
those names on every piece ofsocial media.
Um, figuring out whether I wantto use my married name or my
(41:12):
maiden name is really difficultbecause I like them both.
But yeah, links are in thedescription.
Please follow us um, and I hopeyou enjoyed this month's batch
of episodes.
Okay, bye guys.
Hi, divas, and welcome to Magnifique, your
favorite jewelry insightspodcast.
I'm your host, gabrielle, andtoday we talk about all things
Tiffany Co.
But first, happy New Year.
Real quick, let's hear thoseNew Year's resolutions.
Sound them off.
Mine is to be the best versionof myself and I already am, so
(00:25):
no work needed to be done.
So Tiffany Co.
The story of Tiffany Co is onethat heavily leans into the
American dream.
With a little grit and hardwork, you too can have it all.
You too can own a monopoly ongems.
While, in theory, tiffany Costarted from nothing and became
(00:46):
a worldwide sensation, manypeople are behind the operation,
pouring their souls into eachand every piece of work that
goes into Tiffany products.
The ones you know and love havea lot of hard work and blood,
sweat and tears blood literallyin the diamonds.
But can I be honest, we're notgoing to be talking about the
blood diamonds today.
(01:06):
I would love to dig deeper intothat in another episode, but
today we'll discuss the names ofthe Tiffany game.
We'll explore Charles Tiffany,himself world-recognized
gemologist, george F Kuntz, aswell as each of their highly
esteemed jewelry designers.
Along the way, we'll beintroduced to celebrities and
(01:28):
various controversies.
But Tiffany's is apeople-forward brand.
So let's get into the people.
I chose this topic because,truthfully, I knew nothing about
Tiffany Co except for the bluebox and a scene that's been
engraved in my brain fromreality TV.
Perhaps you've heard of theshow Vanderpump Rules, perhaps
(01:53):
there is.
In the show there's a young ladwho comes from a very rich
family who eventually comes downon his luck family who
eventually comes down on hisluck.
But there's a scene with thedude and his mother and they're
just talking about how they camedown on their luck and in an
argument the mom yells you tookyour first steps in a freaking
(02:16):
tiffany's.
She used the f word but um,we're two minutes in and I don't
feel like doing that, so Iwon't't.
You took your first steps ineffing Tiffany's and you know
that really resonated with me inthat I have no relation there,
but that's all she wrote.
So I present to you today.
(02:38):
So everything I present to youtoday is news to me that
actually impacted me in a wayI've never expected.
So Charles Lewis Tiffany CharlesLewis Tiffany was born in
Killingly, connecticut, anAquarius son with a birth date
of February 15th 1812.
(02:58):
He comes from family money,with his father being a
prosperous textile manufacturerand at the ripe age of 25,
charles Lewis decides he wantsto make something of himself.
So he and his bestie John BYoung move to the big city, nyc,
(03:20):
and open up a stationery andfancy goods store.
This was funded by a small loanof $1,000 from Tiffany's father
.
The first few days of the storewere rough.
No sugarcoating it.
They made a solid $4.98 on thefirst day.
Granted, that does come out tobe $150 today, still not still
(03:44):
not rocking with it.
The two of them housed verylittle money or knowledge of
business, but they did havevibes and skills, and with these
vibes and skills, charlesTiffany was able to talk his way
into purchasing coveted goodsdirectly from ships that were
returning to New York fromforeign ports.
(04:04):
These coveted goods includeditems like Chinese porcelain or
the latest French accessories.
From the jump, mr Tiffanyunderstood the importance of
publicity, and this led him avery long way in his career.
Speaking of people skills, Ihave been trying to hone my
people skills as well.
(04:26):
So I've started reading how toWin Friends and Influence People
, and I've heard that that bookis both a cry for help and also
life-changing.
That being said, I fear I haveno choice but to read it cover
to cover and to be quite honestwith you, I got it about a month
ago and I'm 16 pages in, soit's not really influencing me
(04:47):
at all, in the slightest.
But new year, new me, right?
So I'll get back to it.
I'll get back to it, don'tworry about me, worry about
yourself.
So Charles Tiffany built hiscompany into the first
institution of American luxury.
Without him, who knows whereluxury would be today?
(05:07):
He'd become known as the Kingof Diamonds due to his sheer
wealth in the gemstonerepertoire.
His son and heir to thebusiness, louis Comfort Tiffany.
Um, I didn't do my duediligence.
Maybe it's Louis, but for hereon out he's going to be Tiffany.
He was appointed designdirector at the death of his
(05:30):
father in 1902.
So post Charles Tiffany death,he left an estate worth $35
million.
Today it'd be nearly a billion.
No biggie.
But his most everlastingachievement is the founding of
Tiffany Co.
So that is our boy, charlesLewis.
Let's talk about the companyfinding its stride and then
(05:53):
we'll talk about some other bignames.
So anyway, the variety storewas surviving, but not yet
thriving.
In 1841, the businessmenrecruited another partner, jl
Ellis, after which luck began tofavor the trio quite nicely.
Nothing says luck and successquite like a trio of
(06:17):
generationally wealthy white men.
We also saw the debut of thefirst direct mail catalog,
dubbed the Blue Book Collection.
This allowed people from allover the world, all over the
United States at the time.
It was during the 1840s thatthe company found solace in the
fall of the Louis-Philipperegime in France.
(06:39):
This led French aristocrats toflee the political turmoil and
they sold their diamonds inexchange for quick cash to fuel
their flee.
Who lucked out in this instance?
Charles Louis Tiffany, becausehe saw this as a golden
opportunity to buy and risk theprofits of the fledging
(07:01):
enterprise on a cash of splendiddiamonds.
But he really saw anopportunity and took it.
And that right, there iscapitalism at its finest.
No, it's not, I'm just kind oftalking at this point.
The buying of all of thesediamonds marks the incarnation
of American luxury.
It was in 1848 that the companypoured most of its funds into
(07:25):
importing the highest qualityjewelry from Europe.
So pre-1848, they weren't doingfine jewelry, they were doing
costume jewelry, but theyweren't doing jewelry.
Throughout the 1850s thecompany and Sir Charles Lewis
saw a plethora of opportunitiesto build his legacy.
(07:46):
The company purchased thepartnership of a prominent
silversmith, john C Moore.
It was during this partnershipthat the sterling silver 925
standard quality was set inplace.
The 925 standard refers to thequality of your silver.
It means that the metal thatyou're wearing contains 92.5%
(08:11):
pure silver and 7.5% mixed metalbase.
It's a British standard thatwas only brought to the United
States by Charles Tiffany.
So here we are, 1853.
Charles Tiffany assumes totalcontrol of the company due to
Young and Ellis both seekingretirement and truly their
retirement is probably the bestthing that could happen to
(08:33):
Charles.
Because Charles moves to changethe name to Tiffany and Company
, later shortened to Tiffany andCo.
Another happening in the 50s.
In 1858, to be more clear,charlesllas handles even.
But this really saw a boom inthe business because once they
(09:11):
were available the crowds linedup.
And the crowds were so rowdythat the police had to intervene
and do some crowd control inthe 1850s.
In the 1850s, a Paris WorldFair loves to see Charles
(09:32):
Tiffany coming.
In 1867, the company receivedan award of merit for silver
hardware.
I wrote hollowware.
I don't know if I meant that.
This was the first time that anAmerican designer had yet been
awarded with such honor by aforeign jury.
In 1878, paris World's Fairagain, charles Tiffany receives
an award for excellence inquality of silver and jewelry.
(09:55):
Then again, in 1900, Tiffany wasappointed as the royal jeweler
for the crowned heads of Europe,for the crowned heads of Europe
, the Ottoman Emperor andRussian Tsars.
Having said that, I did do alittle Google search of who is
the royal jeweler for mostcrowned heads today, and that is
(10:17):
Cartier.
Don't know what happened there,but Cartier is the premier
royal jeweler.
Now royal jeweler is reallymessing me up.
I feel like I'm in 30 rock.
I don't know if you guys haveseen the running joke on 30 rock
, the rural juror.
I feel like that.
I cannot say royal jeweler,okay.
(10:40):
Anyway, in addition to properroyals, tiffany and co would go
on to work with American socialroyals like Jackie O, the Astors
, among many other Gilded Agesocialites you about.
(11:08):
In 1885, tiffany redesigned theUS seal and Tiffany's also
redesigned the Vince Lombarditrophy.
For all my fellow girly pops,I'm so sorry, it's football,
it's a Super Bowl medal, butthis happened all the way in the
future in 1966.
Future freaking 100 years later.
Here's a fun and patriotic fact.
Did you know that during theCivil War?
Here's a fun and patriotic fact.
Did you know that during theCivil War, tiffany and Co made
swords for the Union forces?
They also supplied flags,medals, surgical instruments,
(11:33):
what have you?
They were really just fightingfor the Union.
The year is 1879, when Tiffanyand Co bought the largest yellow
diamond in the world,nicknaming it the Tiffany
Diamond, setting him back a cool$18,000, which in today's
dollars would go ahead and beabout $14.28 million.
This beauty sits at 287.42carats as a roughed stone, but
(12:00):
then is cut down to 128.54 carat.
What happened to the other 160carat Girl, I don't know.
This gem was once sourced fromKimberly Diamond Mines in South
Africa.
Since its conception, only fourpeople have ever worn it Audrey
Hepburn, lady Gaga and Beyonce.
(12:20):
I know you're saying Gabrielle,that's three.
I know because everywhere Ilooked for the fourth person, I
could not find it.
So if you find it, let me knowand I can just do a little edit.
But I read so many freakingarticles and watched so many
freaking videos.
Um, I could not.
They were gatekeeping thefourth name so Audrey Hepburn,
lady Gaga and Beyonce.
(12:41):
Okay, let's take a slightdetour and talk about the man
behind the Tiffany diamond.
While Charles was the one topurchase it, george F Kuntz put
his blood, sweat and tears intoensuring the yellow diamond was
cut and shaped into the mostoptimal size, shape and had the
most appropriate number offacets.
(13:04):
George Frederick Kuntz was borna Libra, on September 29, 1856
in the Big Apple, nyc.
I must say this company hasdecimated my concept of history.
Why are these people livingregular degular lives 200 years
ago, literally?
(13:24):
What do you mean 200 years ago?
That?
That makes me so annoyed.
That makes me so annoyed.
It actually makes me mad.
Because what do you mean?
Our normal lives are prettymuch similar to their normal
lives, aside from, like, dailydressing and formalities.
Girl, get out of here, I can't,I can't do that.
That is so that's so annoying.
Girl, get out of here, I can't,I can't do that.
(13:44):
That is so that's so annoying.
George Kuntz has been a gem andmineral enthusiast his entire
life, so much so that by histeens he had amassed 4,000 some
odd gem specimens which he soldto the University of Minnesota
for $400.
$8,000 today he meant business,because he's quoted saying that
(14:08):
the money wasn't as much of afactor.
Rather, he just wanted to markhimself as a real gem collector.
He did seek out a collegeeducation, though he didn't
graduate and found more successteaching himself about
mineralogy by reading everypiece available to him in
addition to his alreadyproficient field research.
And honestly, that's how I'mtrying to be, that is how I am
(14:30):
going about things as well justa coveted, self-taught fashion
girly who's finding her waythrough mountains of articles
and research for each subject.
Just a girly trying to knoweverything, and for that I
really relate to you.
He was called on by Tiffany Coto collaborate at just the age
(14:51):
of 23.
He toured the gem mines as wellas cutting facilities and
served as a special agent withthe US Geological Survey.
George was entrusted tosupervise the cutting of the
Tiffany Yellow Diamond.
He studied the 270-caratdiamond for a year before
determining size, shape andnumber of facets.
(15:14):
He chose for the gem to hold 82facets, which is 24 more than
traditional, for the purposes ofmaximizing the gem's brilliance
.
He proved himself so muchthroughout his tenure that, at
age 52, he was propelled to a VPposition at Tiffany's.
How he proved himself throughthe years is by changing the way
(15:35):
retailers diversify their gemspecies.
While most jewelers mainlyfocused on diamonds, rubies,
sapphires and emeralds, kuntzwas more interested in
semi-precious gemstones Thinktourmaline, aquamarine, garnet,
moonstoneonstone, the works.
Kunz was able to convincecharles tiffany to purchase a
(15:58):
green tourmaline specimen for anexperimental collection.
This collection outperformed abusinessman's expectation and as
such, the world was introducedto the semi-precious colored
gemstones.
Kuntz was not only the man forCharles Tiffany and a
world-traveling gem researcher,but he also took on personal
(16:21):
clients to assemble theirpersonal collections.
Perhaps you've heard of old manJP Morgan.
Old man, capitalist,billionaire, buddy, love him so
much.
I actually don't know too muchabout him, I just hear
billionaire and say oops.
(16:41):
George Kuhns has built manycollections for Morgan, as he
was Kuhns' best and most loyalclient.
The first collection comprisedover a thousand specimens and
won multiple golden awards atthe 1889 Paris World's Fair.
The second collection has beendonated to the American Museum
(17:02):
of Natural History in New York.
I fear a Tiffany's tour aroundNew York City is in my future,
hopefully in my near future.
Anyway, to show hisappreciation to JP Morgan's
loyalty, he sourced a rose goldvariety of beryl from Madagascar
and he named the gem Morganite.
(17:23):
Kuntz loved to name gems afterthose in his life, naming
Kuntzite after himself, which isa lilac pink variety of
spodumene found in California.
And okay, let me just speak mypiece.
It really annoys me that thesereally pretty gems have boy
names.
I'll say it Pretty gems shouldnot have boy names.
(17:43):
How about that?
How about that?
How about nothing?
Actually, george Kuntz is a, anational treasure.
He pioneered the way that theworld wears and appreciates
jewelry and, moreover,semi-precious gemstones.
Without his contribution to thespace, who's to say what gems
(18:03):
we be rocking on our rings or inour bracelets?
Um, really, just, thank you,buddy.
Buddy, I really, I reallyappreciate George Kintz.
I think in the future I mighthave a whole episode dedicated
to just him and maybe theavenues of his little collection
.
Little they were.
A thousand specimens, they'renot little.
(18:25):
Anyway, during the turn of the20th century 1902 to be more
specific our beloved CharlesLewis Tiffany passes away,
leaving his son, lewis ComfortTiffany, to take over as
official design director.
Design directors andcollaborators truly turned
Tiffany Co into the company thatwe know and love today.
(18:47):
I don't personally know, justdue to not owning any Tiffany
jewelry, but I do love what theygot going on.
So let's talk about JohnSchlumberger.
He took the reins at Tiffany in1956.
Sorry, we're in the 1900s now.
I keep thinking we're in 1800sbecause we just spent so much
(19:07):
time there.
Oh, my gosh Okay.
So he took the reins in 1956.
But before that, jeanSchlumberger was born in 1905 to
a what A prominent textilemanufacturer Boom in business In
Alsace, france.
Jean had a knack for drawingfrom a young age, but he was
(19:31):
pushed to find a more profitablecareer in banking.
He began to rebel in his 20s bymoving to Paris to hone his
creative impulses.
Schlumberger first worked in aFrench couture house with Lucien
(19:51):
Leland, after which moving to aParisian art publishing house.
As he was severely drawn to andinspired by Parisian art
culture, he loved to wander thestreets of flea markets looking
and adoring Victoriana relicsand would create his jewelry
(20:11):
after his discoveries.
His first big break, like majorbig break, was with Elsa
Schiaparelli.
She commissioned him to be alead designer of buttons and
costume jewelry.
His catalog includedinspiration from animals, shells
, cherubs, fruits and insects.
(20:32):
He eventually made his way toNYC to open up his own shop when
he met none other than chairmanof the company, walter Hoving,
chairman of Tiffany Co, I shouldsay he started his partnership
with his salon within theflagship Tiffany's location and
made contributions like thePilonel enamel.
(20:55):
It was Slumberger's signaturejewelry style.
He was also known for theaffinity for 18-carat yellow
gold in his design.
You may have seen his favorite.
You may have seen his famousbird-on-a-rock design.
He is most famous for it.
I'd say he brought a newperspective to jewelry designing
(21:16):
one of a more natural and looseartistic way, if you will.
It pleased the crowd and keptthem coming back for more.
So thank you, jean Schlumberger.
He's unfortunately no longerwith us, but he did pass in 1987
, so it's been a minute.
But thank you, sean.
I have been perusing theTiffany Co website, naturally
(21:42):
for research purposes.
I really do love the bird on arock brooch.
I think that is very classic,dare I say, timeless, gorgeous.
I really do love it and I wouldbuy it if I could afford it.
With some overlap, our nextdesigner left a descriptive mark
of her own in the luxuryjewelry space.
(22:04):
Elsa Peretti was born in Italyand she sought an education in
Rome for interior design.
From interior design she wentto fashion model in New York
City as well as Barcelona, butthen ultimately turning to
jewelry design.
Her debut design was at Georgesde Sant'Angelo show and it was
(22:32):
an instant success.
She ended up joining Tiffany Coin 1974 with a jewelry case at
the flagship store, and hercontributions included that of
the Tiffany Peretti bone cuff.
You may have seen this on MileyCyrus during the 2024 Grammys.
(22:52):
You may have seen this on MileyCyrus during the 2024 Grammys.
Her designs are powerfullyfeminine and revolutionize the
way that women wear and takepleasure in jewelry.
In honor of her 25th workanniversary in 1999, tiffany's
(23:18):
established the Elsa PerettiProfessorship in Jewelry Design
at FIT in New York and then, in2001, she was presented with an
Honorary Doctorate of Fine Artsfrom FIT.
Unfortunately, miss ElsaPeretti died in 2021 at the age
of 80, but her legacy will beremembered for generations.
Like I said, I was doing fieldresearch on the Tiffany's
website.
I think I can confidently saythat I prefer Elsa's designs
(23:43):
over any of the other designers.
I think they are verypowerfully feminine, very dainty
, but also very no-transcript.
Like I said, she changed theway that women enjoy jewelry, so
(24:04):
for that I thank her endlessly.
This next designer actuallytook me by surprise, mainly
because I didn't know what wasgoing on.
I severely messed up myperception of time.
A lot of the story messes up myperception of time, clearly,
but I'd like to talk about MissPaloma Picasso.
(24:26):
Born in 1949 to Pablo Picassoand Francois Guilaud, paloma
Picasso is definitely anartist's daughter, she first
created necklaces for FolletBergier, later seeking formal
education in jewelry design.
She was able to present herfirst collection to her good old
(24:51):
pal, yves Saint Laurent, towhich he immediately
commissioned her to designjewelry to complement his latest
collection.
She took a brief hiatus in 1973when her father passed away,
but shortly after, tiffanydesign director John Loring
invited Paloma to present atable setting for an exclusive
(25:11):
collection.
Due to this, she moves to NYCand immediately becomes known
for her unique approach ofcolors, shapes and gems.
Her style is deemedaggressively chic.
She receives a lot ofinspiration from the graffiti of
NYC.
(25:32):
Her most notable piece of workis her 2013 olive leaf
collection.
It pays tribute to the olivetrees around her home, as well
as being a universal symbol forpeace.
She was awarded by the FashionGroup International in 1988 for
(25:55):
her design contributions andlater the Hispanic Designers
Incorporated presented her withits Moda Award for Design
Excellence.
Paloma Picasso is still withthe company with her latest
collection incorporating customcut hexagon gemstones on rings,
bracelets, pendants, you name it18 karat gold designs set with
colored gemstones and varyingspecies.
(26:18):
Paloma Picasso's style isincredibly unique, and this is
an evo baby that I can getbehind During my field research.
Of course, let's talk about myfield research of
wwwtiffanyandcocom.
You can really see her playingwith varying gemstones and she
(26:38):
loves that olive leaf collection.
You can still see it in 2024.
It is not going anywhere and Ilove it.
I love it so much.
Yeah, let's talk about howthey're staying relevant today,
as mentioned Tiffany Co isacultural icon.
Take me as proof.
(26:58):
I had never known anythingabout Tiffany until trekking on
this venture.
Aside from being fine jewelryand the little blue box, I still
knew that Tiffany's wassomething to aspire towards.
Of course, that's anunintentional marketing tactic
relating it with luxury andaspirations.
(27:21):
Luxury and aspirations.
Tiffany Co prides itself onstaying in the culture sphere
with Alexander Arnold.
Every time I talk about LVMH, Icannot see this man's name.
I couldn't say his dad's nameand now I can't say his name.
It's really just the last nameAlexander Arnold, son of LVMH.
(27:43):
Emperor Bernard Arnold.
Someone get me into speechclass.
Perhaps you remember this namefrom the Louis Vuitton episode
when Louis Vuitton joined theconglomerate with Moet Hennessy.
When Alexander and LVMHacquired the Tiffany brand in
(28:05):
2021, he loosely stated that wecannot get so scared that we
don't do anything exciting.
Tiffany has been a part of popculture for 185 years and we
plan to continue that forever.
Whether with Beyonce or Koreanpop star Rosé, they're really
just pushing for Tiffany tocontinue to expand their reach
(28:29):
and with a variety ofpartnerships they are on their
way to do so.
Individuals accredit theirdesire for Tiffany's to the
inspirational imagery portrayedin music movies and television.
Imagery portrayed in musicmovies and television A tried
and tested business practice.
For the company is a sensationof exclusivity and luxury.
(28:52):
A large part of this luxury isbeing able to shop and
experience the Tiffany Co storesin person.
Part of the luxury is toindulge in the fantasy of such
superfluity.
This is demonstrated in anumber of films and television
moments.
Gentlemen Prefer Blonde, theMusic Number, breakfast at
(29:13):
Tiffany's Sleepless in Seattle,eagerly Blonde, great Gatsby,
gossip Girl, glee, yada, yada.
I've grown very fond of MarilynMonroe since doing my episode on
her last month.
Would you mind indulging me onjust one more tangent Please?
During the performance ofDiamonds Are A Girl's Best
Friend in the infamous film howto Marry a Millionaire, the song
(29:37):
only mentioned Stephanie'slyrically twice.
Even so, and through thecelebrity affiliations, monroe
was introduced as a credibleembodiment of the Tiffany's
brand essence.
The musical number waspermanently attached to her
image, to that of alluringTiffany diamonds for the target
(29:59):
audience.
Fun fact did you know thatDiamonds Are a Girl's best
friend?
Was supposed to have acompletely different costume,
but our boy, hugh Hefner, ruinedthat for us.
I told you I'm his biggesthater last episode, during this
tangent, I'm going to repeat itI'm Hugh Hefner's biggest hater.
So during the preparation forthe shoot, hugh Hefner released
(30:23):
his first edition of Playboywith none other than Marilyn
Monroe as the first editioncover.
While the cover isn't overlylewd in today's day and age, it
was back then and the photousage wasn't approved by Marilyn
and her team, and havingMarilyn tied to the magazine was
(30:44):
just a bad look all around.
So the OG costume was abejeweled body-stalking giving
showgirl, but the costume wasswapped to detach her image from
the scandal.
Fair enough, girly, Idefinitely get it.
I hate Hugh Hefner, that's thatOkay.
So perhaps the most iconicrepresentation of Tiffany's is
(31:09):
the character Holly Golightly inthe film adaptation of
Breakfast at Tiffany's.
This film introduced the worldto New York as the infatuating
setting upon which the Tiffany'sdiamond rested.
It enabled the iconic HollyGolightly, audrey Hepburn, to
personify the feeling of beingabroad in New York,
demonstrating the seductivenature of a Tiffany's store
(31:32):
experience.
New York was the influentialcultural instigator that
propelled Tiffany Co fromaconsumer product to a cultural
icon, circulating itsiconography via celebrity
affiliation and representationin music, film, literature,
established its place inAmerican heritage through
(31:53):
historical contributions,pledged an association to New
York by personifying theAmerican dream.
That was the longest run-onsentence I think I've ever
contributed to.
So let's move on Speaking ofNew York and another culturally
iconic moment reminding me,reminding the public that
(32:15):
Tiffany Co is that girl.
Sex and the City.
During an episode of the show,without all the necessary
backstory, carrie wantedCharlotte to sell her Tiffany's
engagement ring from her firstmarriage so that Carrie could
purchase her apartment.
Carrie got mad that Charlottedidn't jump at the opportunity
(32:35):
to sell her tens of thousands ofdollar ring to get Carrie out
of a situation that she putherself in Mind.
You, samantha and Miranda, hadalready offered to help her, and
I do understand the principle.
That's all well and good, butbut when you had an affair and
allowed the man that you werecheating on to purchase your
(32:58):
apartment, literally, what didyou expect?
Anyway, she ended up guiltingCharlotte into doing selling her
ring.
But, girl, I am CarrieBradshaw's biggest hater my
ranking.
Thanks for asking Samantha,charlotte, miranda, everybody
else, carrie big.
(33:20):
I dislike Carrie, but I loathebig.
Do you know that song in Wicked?
What is this feeling?
Loathing, unadulteratedloathing.
For your shoes, your face, yourclothing.
I loathe it all.
Every little trait, howeversmall, I loathe big.
(33:48):
Anyway, tiffany co remains atthe forefront of the luxury
zeitgeist, with its uncannyability to read the public and
staying committed to keeping itclassy rather than making sharp
pivots when trends do the same.
Now, that's not to say theynever produce trendy and with
the time pieces they simplywouldn't survive without trends.
However, they adopt the withthe times, versions of the
classics.
(34:08):
During the 1920s, we saw moreelegant pieces modern to
postmodern during the 50s andduring the 30s and 50s, and they
continue to possess a classicallure today.
Trendy moments from Tiffany'sinclude Tiffany Co and Nike Air
Force collab.
(34:29):
This broke the internet becauseit came with a Tiffany blue
sneaker box.
Oh, fun fact, the Tiffany Cocolor was trademarked in 1993
and Pantone collaborated withTiffany Co in 2001 to create the
color Tiffany 1835 in honor ofthe year that Tiffany was
(34:53):
created, 1835.
Okay, I lied and I just hopethat you can forgive me.
It's actually Tiffany 1837.
But you knew that because youwere paying attention to this
podcast episode.
It is called Tiffany 1837because Tiffany was founded in
1837.
Okay, sorry about that.
Let's get back to here.
The shoes cost a whopping $400.
(35:17):
Another collaboration wasVisual Rebrand, partnered with
Cat Street Tokyo.
It is Japan's most profoundhotspot and it's dedicated to
streetwear and youth culture.
The capsule was available inultra-limited quantities at a
dedicated pop-up shop.
(35:39):
Next one they really love, likesports and leaning into sports
spalding basketball and soccerballs, all co-branded with the
douse of the iconic tiffany blue.
And then, lastly, last butcertainly not least, and also
not last, because I'm missing afew kendrick lamar sported a
one-of-a-kind crown of thorns oftitanium and pave diamonds, a
(36:04):
collaborative project betweenthe rapper Dave Free and Tiffany
Co that took 10 months and1,300 hours to produce.
It is a non-purchasable crown,but it has been worn on numerous
occasions.
Brahma, dave Free and just hisbesties Dave Free and just his
besties.
Tiffany's has had its fairshare of criticism from the
(36:27):
public.
In 2021, beyonce became thefirst Black woman, and fourth
person ever, to wear the147-year-old Tiffany diamond.
Intense backlash followed theTiffany diamond campaign because
the diamond was mined in 1877in South Africa.
The Tiffany Diamond is just areminder of exploitation in
(36:51):
Africa.
The Tiffany Co website nowassures people that they follow
the Kimberly certificationprocess to ensure that they only
get ethically sourced diamonds.
Diamonds make up about 20% ofTiffany's sales, mostly in the
form of engagement rings andwedding bands, with gold and
(37:11):
silver jewelry, bringing in abulk of the profits.
But Arnold says that Tiffanywill and this is kind of going
off of their controversy.
But Alexander Arnold says thatTiffany will continue to
continue with the entry-levelsilver jewelry.
It is a big part of who we areand why we are liked.
(37:33):
This is in response toinflation scares and price hikes
price gouging, if you will.
But there is a charity calledTiffany Co Foundation.
It is helping restore abandonedmines in Africa One of the
biggest supporters.
They are also one of thebiggest supporters of the Peace
Diamonds Restoration Initiativeby Resolve.
(37:55):
It is working to rehabilitateland destroyed by mining and
since 2000, tiffany Co has givenabout $20 million in grants to
conserve marine life in coral.
This comes as they were sellingcoral jewelry, so they've since
(38:15):
stopped that in 2004.
But Tiffany Co is cemented inthe foundation of American
luxury.
The jewelry house holds so muchhistory I surely missed a few
points, but the people behindthe brand are truly what the
(38:36):
consumers are coming back formore.
I am dazzled by the passionthat each contributor holds for
their craft.
I will own something fromTiffany's in 2025, you mark my
word, even if it's from the realroom.
In the beginning, I mentionedthat the company's history and
learning about the people whobuilt the company up impacted me
in a way that I never imagined.
What I mean by that is watchingpeople my age 25, be led down
(39:03):
one path that might notnecessarily be their dream plan
A, but it is a sustainable planA and a reliable plan A, and
time and time again they chooseplan B, which was far more
rewarding for them in the longrun.
It's inspiring in many waysbecause while I'm big chillin'
(39:25):
with my plan A, there's always alittle voice in my head that's
like are you sure I want to dothis forever?
Does this make us happy?
Could we be happier?
Yada, yada.
But it's nice to know and niceto have examples of people who
weren't necessarily protégésGeorge Kuhns not included in
this, and they don't have atraditional education George
(39:46):
Kuhn's is included in that partin his piece and still dominate
their craft, which I find verybeautiful.
It's just inspirational.
Dare I say, I feel a littleweird calling a bunch of rich
white men inspirational, butElsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso
an epibaby.
I still find them in a wayinspirational and I find them
(40:10):
amazing.
I am dazzled by their passion.
And let me have that, please.
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
If you did, please feel free tofollow the podcast.
We upload monthly, but I amkind of playing around with the
upload times.
You're definitely getting atleast one episode every month,
(40:32):
but I want to do more and I'mkind of just figuring it out.
If I am to just speak my truthfor a sec, I don't really know.
Um, feel free to follow thepodcast.
Turn on notifications, give usa rating wherever you're
listening.
I'd prefer five stars, but youdo what feels truthful in your,
(40:52):
your body and yourself.
Um, I I'd appreciate if youfollowed my personal links.
Those are in the bio, not thebio, but the episode notes
gabrielle forshe.
Gabrielle for she gonzalez,gabrielle gonzalez, it's one of
those names on every piece ofsocial media.
Um, figuring out whether I wantto use my married name or my
(41:12):
maiden name is really difficultbecause I like them both.
But yeah, links are in thedescription.
Please follow us um, and I hopeyou enjoyed this month's batch
of episodes.
Okay, bye guys.
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