Mukesh Ambani is on his way to world domination. And who wouldn’t be, with that kind of money? Just recently he acquired Hamley’s – the oldest toy shop in the world. And now he’s on his way to bring Tiffany & Co. to India! You remember Tiffany & Co. right? The one from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Or more recently the place that Nick Jonas shut down to propose our desi girl Priyanka Chopra. Soon enough we’ll have New York’s famous luxury jewellery store in India and of course, we are beyond excited! So here’s a little Tiffany’s trivia for you guys in order to know more about the brand.
1. Not just Jewellery
The company was founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John F. Young and was actually called Tiffany & Young. The iconic luxury jewellery store actually began as a stationery and fancy goods store. This was until Tiffany took over the company in 1853 and renamed it Tiffany & Co. and decided to focus primarily on jewellery.
2. Tiffany’s blue colour
The colour blue is synonymous with Tiffany’s brand. Empress Eugenie de Montijo, the wife of Napoleon III, was the biggest fashion icon of the 19th century, the time when Tiffany’s was established. The founder, Charles Tiffany, saw a portrait of her in a blue gown and knew that the shade of her gown would become wildly popular. This is why he decided to make that the official colour of the brand and the colour was trademarked in the 19th century.
3. Pantone No. 1873
The robin’s egg blue colour, officially called Pantone Number 1873, was named Pantone’s colour of the year for the year Tiffany went into business. Which is why this colour is used as the colour of their boxes and bags!
4. The Engagement Ring
In 1886 Tiffany introduced the engagement ring as we know it today. Previously, diamond rings were set in bezels. Tiffany’s ring was designed to highlight brilliant-cut diamonds by lifting the stone of the band into the light. This famous ring was named the Tiffany® Setting. To this day, it is the most sought-after engagement ring style. (and we totally want one!)
5. “Carat” as a measurement unit for diamonds and gems
Tiffany & Co pushed for the adoption of the metric carat in the United States to ensure everyone referred to the same thing when selling diamonds. Their gemologists standards were so exact that when the Gemological Institute of America introduced their grading system, it was a simplified version of Tiffany’s!
6. The first completely air-conditioned building in New York
Tiffany’s flagship store at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan, with its polished granite exterior, is well known for its window displays. This seven-storey building was the first fully air-conditioned building in all of New York!
7. One of the largest yellow diamonds
Tiffany’s yellow diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered. It weighed 287 carats when it was discovered and was cut to 129 carats before being set. The famous yellow diamond now resides in Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue store where visitors can view it.
8. The precious blue box
There is a rule that the precious Tiffany’s blue box can only be provided when you buy merchandise. No matter how much money you may offer, there is no way you can get that blue box unless you buy something from the store.
The first store in India is expected to arrive in our very own Delhi city sometime this year-end. Ladies & gents, are we excited or are we excited!
Featured Image Source: thegalleria.digitalandcode
