January 6, 2020: Tiffany & Co. closed its Fifth Avenue flagship doors for two years of renovations in January 2020, right before the world turned on its axis due to the coronavirus pandemic. The timing of its closure was, dare we say, ideal. Soon after, a walk down Fifth Avenue was quiet, desolate, even. The virus forced retailers to abruptly close, painting a somber scene on New York City’s luxury row.
But now that a vaccine offers hope for the future, the idea of strolling down Fifth Avenue for a weekend shopping spree and biting into a buttery, flaky croissant à la Holly Golightly isn’t so impossible to picture. When Tiffany & Co. reopens its doors for shoppers to experience the new, modernized store in 2022, the firm will also unveil the necklace, which is expected to be its most expensive piece ever.
The jeweler recently acquired the 80-carat D-Color oval diamond, sustainably sourced in Botswana. NYC-based Tiffany artists are setting the diamond into an archival Tiffany high jewelry necklace from 1939. It’s swapping out the luxury piece’s aquamarine stone with the newly acquired gem. The team initially debuted the design at the World’s Fair in Queens, New York, just one year before the opening of its famed flagship.
“What better way to mark the opening of our transformed Tiffany flagship store in 2022 than to reimagine this incredible necklace from the 1939 World’s Fair, one of our most celebrated pieces when we opened our doors on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue for the first time,” said Victoria Reynolds, Tiffany & Co. Chief Gemologist. “The new necklace perfectly reflects our brand heritage as a New York luxury jeweler, whose founder was known as the ‘King of Diamonds.'”
Tiffany & Co.’s new design will go down in history, similar to the likes of its 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond, worn by Lady Gaga and Audrey Hepburn. Unlike the company’s recent acquisition, this piece was never put up for sale.
The necklace is currently in production, but in the meantime, we encourage you to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s on repeat. Press “play” on the video below to indulge yourself in the 1961 film’s opening scene.
