Tiffany & Co. is one of the most prominent purveyors of luxury goods in the United States, and has long been an important arbiter of style in the design of diamond engagement rings. A young Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed to his future wife, Eleanor, with a Tiffany ring in 1904. Vanderbilts, Whitneys, Astors and members of the Russian imperial family all wore Tiffany & Co. jewelry. And Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis preferred Tiffany china for state dinners at the White House.
Although synonymous with luxury today, the firm started out rather modestly. Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young founded it in Connecticut as a “stationery and fancy goods emporium” in 1837, at a time when European imports still dominated the nascent American luxury market. In 1853, Charles Tiffany — who in 1845 had launched the company’s famed catalog, the Blue Book, and with it, the firm’s signature robin’s-egg blue, which he chose for the cover — shifted the focus to fine jewelry.
In 1868, Tiffany & Co. gained international recognition when it became the first U.S. firm to win an award for excellence in silverware at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. From then on, it belonged to the pantheon of American luxury brands.
At the start of the Gilded Age, in 1870, Tiffany & Co. opened its flagship store, described as a "palace of jewels" by the New York Times, at 15 Union Square West in Manhattan. Throughout this period, its designs for silver tableware, ceremonial silver, flatware and jewelry were highly sought-after indicators of status and taste. They also won the firm numerous accolades, including the grand prize for silverware at the Paris Exposition of 1878. Among the firm’s glittering creations from this time are masterworks of Art Nouveau jewelry, such as this delicate aquamarine necklace and this lavish plique-à-jour peridot and gold necklace, both circa 1900.
When Charles Lewis Tiffany died, in 1902, his son Louis Comfort Tiffany became the firm’s design director. Under his leadership, the Tiffany silver studio was a de facto design school for apprentice silversmiths, who worked alongside head artisan Edward C. Moore. The firm produced distinctive objects inspired by Japanese art and design, North American plants and flowers, and Native American patterns and crafts, adding aesthetic diversity to Tiffany & Co.’s distinguished repertoire.
Tiffany is also closely associated with diamonds, even lending its name to one particularly rare and exceptional yellow stone. The firm bought the Tiffany diamond in its raw state from the Kimberley mines of South Africa in 1878. Cut to create a 128.54-carat gem with an unprecedented 82 facets, it is one of the most spectacular examples of a yellow diamond in the world.
In a broader sense, Tiffany & Co. helped put diamonds on the map in 1886 by introducing the American marketplace to the solitaire diamond design, which is still among the most popular engagement-ring styles. The trademark Tiffany® Setting raises the stone above the band on six prongs, allowing its facets to catch the light. A lovely recent example is this circa-2000 platinum engagement ring. Displaying a different design and aesthetic (but equally chic) is this exquisite diamond and ruby ring from the 1930s.
Find Tiffany & Co. jewelry, serveware and decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.
$2,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 1.63 in W 5.88 in D 3.5 in
Tiffany American Modern Classical Sterling Silver Jewelry Box
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Midcentury Modern Classical sterling silver jewelry box. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York. Rectangular with straight sides; cover hinged with rectilinear rim. Acid-etched frames wit...
Sterling Silver
$6,139
H 3.55 in W 9.45 in D 6.7 in
Handsome Antique Sterling Silver Double Sided Cigar Box - London 1915
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1915 by James Samuel Bell, this very handsome, Antique Sterling Silver Cigar Box, is double sided and plain in design, with a...
Sterling Silver
Antique Tiffany Art Deco Sterling Silver Box
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Art Deco sterling silver box. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1920. Rectangular with straight sides; cover hinged with curved top. Engine-turned horizontal lines on sides; cove...
Sterling Silver
$11,353
H 3.75 in W 12.01 in D 7.09 in
Antique Victorian Sterling Silver Cigar Box, A. & J. Zimmerman, 1899
By A&J Zimmerman Ltd.
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in Birmingham in 1899 by A. & J. Zimmerman, this fine Antique Victorian sterling silver cigar box has a plain rectangular form with rounded corners. The box features a...
Sterling Silver
Antique Tiffany American Edwardian Sterling Silver Box
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
American Edwardian sterling silver box, ca 1910. Rectangular with straight sides; cover hinged with gently curved top and molded rim. Engine-turned stripes in plain frames; on cover ...
Sterling Silver
Tiffany & Co. Silver-Soldered Stamp Box and Cover
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Tiffany & Co. Silver-soldered stamp box and cover. Early 20th. Century. Of slightly-curved rectangular form. 3 by 2 1/4 in., Weighted.
Silver
Antique Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Rectangular Dresser Box Hinged Lid 7969
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Westport, CT
This antique Tiffany & Co. sterling silver rectangular dresser box features a sleek, minimalist form with a hinged lid and rounded corners. Originally designed as a luxury vanity...
Sterling Silver
Mappin & Webb Ltd Art Deco Style Sterling Silver Cigarette Box
By Mappin & Webb
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive vintage Elizabeth II English sterling silver cigarette box in the Art Deco style; an addition to the ornamental silverware collection. This exc...
Silver, Sterling Silver
$1,612
H 2.76 in W 6.89 in D 3.55 in
Elegant Silver Cigar Box, Ideal Gift, Gibson & Langman, London 1895
By Gibson & Langman
Located in London, London
A timeless and distinguished gift, this antique sterling silver cigar box is hallmarked in London in 1895 by renowned silversmiths Gibson & Langman. Beautifully crafted with a smooth, minimalist exterior and gently rounded edges, it exudes quiet sophistication and classic Victorian refinement. Inside, a richly grained cedar wood lining not only preserves cigars but adds a touch of luxury that speaks to the craftsmanship of the era. Whether for a milestone birthday, retirement, wedding, or Father’s Day, this piece is ideal for those who appreciate fine design and enduring quality. The elegant plain surface offers ample space for a bespoke engraving—perfect for initials, dates, or a personal message—making it a meaningful and memorable keepsake. Gibson & Langman's silverwork is celebrated for its superior finish, and this box is no exception, offering beauty, function, and sentiment in equal measure. A thoughtful and versatile gift, it can also serve as a refined storage box for watches...
Sterling Silver
Art Deco Style 1960s Sterling Silver Cigarette Box
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive vintage Elizabeth II English sterling silver cigarette box in the Art Deco style; an addition to the ornamental silverware collection. This exceptional vintage Elizabeth II sterling silver cigarette box has a plain rectangular form onto four bracket style feet. The surface of this impressive silver box is embellished with impressive engine turned decoration. The box is fitted with two hallmarked hinged covers each embellished with further panels of engine turned decoration in addition to an applied leaf border which continues across a central plateau. The interior of each solid silver cover features a paralleling band of engine turned decoration in addition to the part hallmarks; decoration to the posterior surface of a cover is an indication of the fine quality of a piece. The central plateau is surmounted with an impressive shaped handle, in the Art Deco style. The body of this exceptional box features the original cedar wood lining. This antique Art Deco cigarette box has a weighted base and retains the original leatherette covering to the underside. The box is supported by four impressive cast silver, Art Deco style stepped bracket feet. By virtue of its size this versatile vintage cigarette box could be used for a multitude of functions. Note: The majority of such boxes have a wood lining to the cover; it is a sign of quality when boxes have an unlined, solid silver covers. Condition This vintage silver cigarette box...
Silver, Sterling Silver
Antique 19th Century Victorian Solid Silver Cigar Box, London c.1888
By William Leuchars
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Victorian solid silver cigar box. Elegantly crafted, this box features a shaped central handle and two hinged lids that open to reveal a divided compartment. The...
Silver
Antique 20th Century Edwardian Solid Silver Cigar Box, London c.1909
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 20th Century Edwardian solid silver cigar box. Finely crafted, it features a curved central handle and two hinged lids, which open to reveal a divided compartment. The handle...
Silver
Antique 19th Century Victorian Solid Silver Cigar Box c.1898
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Victorian solid silver cigar box. Elegantly crafted, this box features a shaped central handle and two hinged lids that open to reveal a divided compartment and ...
Silver
Antique Cigar Box by William Summers, Solid Silver, London, 1876
By William Summers 1
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century English solid silver cigar box of rectangular form, with smooth sides and a heavy gauge. The hinged lid features a mounted curved handle on one side. Hallmarked...
Silver
Vintage 20th Century English Solid Silver Cigar Box Retailed By Finnigans c.1947
By Finnigans, London 1
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Vintage 20th Century English solid silver cigar box. Elegantly crafted, this box features a reeded decoration throughout in adjacent placement. On the underneath of the box, there is...
Silver
19th Century Imperial Russian Solid Silver Trompe L'oeil Cigar Box
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Imperial Russian solid trompe l'oeil cigar box. The outside of the box features a decorative engraving with the words "Paper", "Cigarettes" and "25 pieces" in Cy...
Silver
The actress and Benny Blanco tied the knot with style in Santa Barbara over the weekend.
Diamonds and sapphires still played a starring role, but less popular stones popped up too.
