New York · founded 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany
Vintage Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. was founded in New York in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and became the defining American jewelry house of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It adopted the 925 sterling silver standard in 1851, well before it was law in the United States, introduced the six prong Tiffany setting in 1886, and its later work is closely identified with the designers Jean Schlumberger, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso.
The house
Tiffany began as a stationery and fancy goods store and moved into jewelry in the following decades, building its reputation on silver as much as on gemstones. Its decision to adopt the English 925 sterling standard in 1851 helped make that standard normal in the United States, and Tiffany silver of the later nineteenth century is collected in its own right.
The six prong solitaire mount introduced in 1886 lifted the diamond clear of the band so light could enter from the sides, and it became the template for the modern engagement ring. Almost every solitaire made since is a descendant of it, which is exactly why the name is attached to so many rings that have nothing to do with the house.
From the middle of the twentieth century Tiffany's identity ran through named designers. Jean Schlumberger's enamel and gold work, Elsa Peretti's fluid silver from 1974 and Paloma Picasso's bold graphic pieces from 1980 each carry their own signature alongside the house mark, which is useful for dating a piece.
Iconic designs and collections
- Tiffany setting
- Six prong solitaire mount introduced in 1886.
- Elsa Peretti
- Fluid silver designs joined the Tiffany line in 1974.
- Jean Schlumberger
- Sculptural enamel and gold work associated with the house.
- Tiffany T
- Geometric bar motif line introduced in 2014.
Named designers and later icons
From the mid twentieth century, Tiffany's identity became closely tied to named designers who signed their work alongside the house mark. Jean Schlumberger, known for sculptural enamel and gold pieces, and Elsa Peretti, whose fluid, minimal silver designs joined the Tiffany line in 1974, are the two most closely associated with the house's vintage output. Paloma Picasso's bolder, graphic pieces followed from 1980.
The Tiffany T line, a geometric bar motif in gold, was introduced in 2014 as a more recent addition to the house's jewelry, distinct from the nineteenth and twentieth century pieces most often seen in estate collections.
Recognizing marks and signatures
Tiffany pieces are typically stamped TIFFANY & CO. in full, with T & CO. used on smaller items, alongside a metal standard such as 925 for sterling silver or 750 and 18K for gold. Designer names such as Peretti, Schlumberger or Paloma Picasso appear on later work credited to them, which helps place a piece after that designer's association with the house began.
Marks should be evenly and cleanly stamped. A soft, shallow or crowded stamp is one of the most common signs of a copy.
Common fakes and warning signs
The house name and the PLEASE RETURN TO TIFFANY & CO. NEW YORK wording used on its Return to Tiffany line are among the most copied marks in the jewelry trade. Mismatches between the stamped metal standard and the actual metal, or a stamp quality that does not match the finishing of the piece, are common warning signs.
Why marks alone do not authenticate
Because Tiffany introduced settings and forms that the wider trade later adopted, a design resembling Tiffany's work is not evidence of who made it. Attribution depends on the mark, the metal standard, the construction and, for designer pieces, the presence and quality of the designer's signature together with the house mark.
How to recognize the work
- Clean, confident forms with very little unnecessary decoration
- Silver of a consistently high standard, often substantial in the hand
- Named designer work with a recognizable vocabulary, from Peretti's soft organic curves to Picasso's graphic scale
- Engagement rings built on the six prong knife edge template the house created
- Marks that are cleanly and evenly stamped, not soft or crowded
What the marks mean
- TIFFANY & CO. stamped in full on most pieces, with T & CO. used on smaller items
- A metal standard alongside the name, most often 925 for sterling silver or 750 and 18K for gold
- A designer name on later work, for example Peretti, Schlumberger or Paloma Picasso
- PLEASE RETURN TO TIFFANY & CO. NEW YORK on the Return to Tiffany line, which is one of the most copied marks in the trade
- Occasional patent, pattern or date letter marks on nineteenth and early twentieth century silver
Buy carefully
The Tiffany name and the Return to Tiffany wording are copied constantly, and a soft, shallow or crowded stamp is the most common tell. We photograph the mark on every piece and, where the metal standard and the stamp quality do not agree, we do not describe the piece as Tiffany.
Common questions
What does the 925 mark on Tiffany silver mean?
It is the sterling standard, 925 parts silver per thousand. Tiffany adopted it in 1851, ahead of the American trade generally, and it appears on the great majority of its silver.
Is every six prong solitaire a Tiffany ring?
No. Tiffany introduced the setting in 1886 and the whole trade adopted it. The setting style is not evidence of the maker; only the mark, the construction and the finishing are.
Why do designer names appear on the mark?
Because from the mid twentieth century Tiffany credited its designers on the piece. A Peretti, Schlumberger or Picasso signature alongside the house mark helps place a piece after that designer joined.
Are you an authorized dealer?
No. We are an independent estate jeweler and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the house. We buy signed pieces from European estates, examine and photograph the signature, numbers and metal marks, and describe exactly what we can and cannot establish.
When did Tiffany adopt the 925 silver standard?
In 1851, ahead of it being standard practice generally in the United States, and the great majority of Tiffany silver carries the 925 mark.
Is every six prong solitaire ring a Tiffany ring?
No. Tiffany introduced the setting in 1886 and it was widely adopted across the trade. The setting style alone is not evidence of the maker.
When did Elsa Peretti's designs join Tiffany?
In 1974. Her fluid, minimal silver pieces carry her name alongside the Tiffany mark, which helps place them after that date.
What is Tiffany T?
A geometric bar motif jewelry line introduced by the house in 2014, distinct from the nineteenth and twentieth century pieces more often found in estate collections.
What does PLEASE RETURN TO TIFFANY & CO. NEW YORK mean on a piece?
It is wording used on the house's Return to Tiffany line. It is also one of the most frequently copied marks in the trade, so stamp quality and construction matter as much as the wording itself.
Shop the pieces
Signed Tiffany & Co. in stock
Estate pieces signed Tiffany & Co., photographed mark and all. Each one is a single example.
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