Going to Tiffany & Co. is always a delight and I was in an especially good mood when I made my way up to the fifth floor the other day to preview the jeweler’s Fall 2011 collection. Upon entering, I went up to the fourth floor of the New York City flagship to pick up an Elsa Peretti Salad Serving Fork and Spoon, which I had been eyeing for awhile as a gift for my mother’s birthday. Needless to say, despite the fact that the utensils just went up in price – those darn silver prices keep rising, serving as a reminder that if you like something, don’t dwell on it! – I was excited with my new purchases and looking forward to seeing more.
I had been to the fifth floor before and was amazed to see what the Tiffany & Co. team did with the relatively minimalist, multi-room space. They completely transformed it to suit the lush mood of the new pieces on display, complete with dozens and dozens of flower arrangements, an ode to Frank Gehry’s signature rock motif, and a number of jewelry sketches and wall renderings of some of the key styles.
Hand-painted Frank Gehry bangles.
It goes without saying that there were many multi-million dollar pieces on display, many of which came finished with countless glimmering diamonds and awe-inspiring stones, but I was most drawn to a reintroduction of a Tiffany flower brooch that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and the hand painted Frank Gehry bracelets. A take on the architect’s Torque bracelet, each of the one-of-a-kind bangles will retail for $20,000. While there was no word on exactly how many of them would be made, I was told the quantity would be “extremely limited.”
Edible treats from Oliver Cheng.
For those looking for under $1,000 buys, Elsa Peretti’s Open Bottle Pendant will be back and available in a variety of iterations, while soon-to-be-wed couples will find no shortage in appealing rings. Of course, this being a Tiffany & Co. preview, everything was immaculately flawless down to the catering, which for the event was done by Oliver Cheng. So where did that leave me? I left the event wanting two things, a Tiffany engagement ring and a wedding catered by Cheng, neither of which, as one might imagine, my boyfriend was too excited to hear once I got home.
A $2 million necklace (right).
Flower brooch that will be reintroduced in the Fall. Elizabeth Taylor once owned this style.
Flower display at the entrance of the Fall 2011 preview event.
