Is high jewelry art? In London, at the Saatchi Gallery, the exhibition Vision & Virtuosity by Tiffany aims to answer precisely this question. Sparkling in the spotlight, over 400 precious Tiffany jewels make up the Maison’s largest exhibition in nearly a century, an exhibit where visitors can get an up-close look at the art of motifs and the beauty of exceptional stones. Inside the gallery space, the jewels take on a sculptural attribute and the brightness, given by the large size of the gems, becomes almost hypnotic.
Vision & Virtuosity is the perfect introduction to the history of the Maison Tiffany and its 185 years of legacy. At the entrance, the exhibition celebrates the creativity of the windows that animated the Tiffany flagship store on Fifth Avenue. Over the years, these display cases have been transformed by legendary designers who have used their imaginations to display jewelry in playful and unique ways. Not to be missed, the Art Deco-inspired setting created for the release of The Great Gatsby (2013) by Baz Luhrmann, conceived in collaboration with the director and Academy Award winner Catherine Martin, costume designer and set designer of the film.
Called the “King of diamonds”, Charles Tiffany led the House to a leading role in the rare stone trade, setting the standard for American luxury. Its prestige was consolidated by purchasing precious jewels from European royal families, reaching its highest point in 1887 with the purchase of almost one third of the French crown jewels. In fact, thirteen emeralds belonging to Queen Isabella II of Spain are also on display, mounted on a suggestive diamond necklace. However, the true keepers of Tiffany’s long history are the Blue Books. Launched in 1845 as text-only pocket catalogs, these “Tiffany Bibles” have since become witnesses to the evolution and traditions of Western jewelry design.
Inspiration from the world of nature has been at the heart of Tiffany’s designs over the decades, especially under the guidance of Louis Comfort Tiffany, a successful painter and leader of the Art Nouveau movement. From a brooch in the shape of a chrysanthemum made with Mississippi River pearls, which look incredibly similar to flower petals, to the enameled orchids designed by George Paulding or to the necklace inspired by Angela Cumming’s wings, and then again the famous Tiffany lamps. All these extraordinary creations are a tribute to the beauty of nature.
A Tiffany exhibit wouldn’t be complete without a nod to the legendary Audrey Hepburn movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), And Vision & Virtuosity celebrates it with a dedicated room where visitors can admire Hepburn’s original script and Givenchy’s black dress worn by the actress in the opening scene.
Vision & Virtuosity it can also satisfy the needs of those seeking a moment Instagram, with an interactive room where visitors can write a personal message on digital walls. The hall Tiffany Love is the space of the exhibition dedicated to Tiffany’s engagement rings and the fundamental role of Charles Tiffany in making diamond rings a symbol of eternal love.
The exceptional nature of Tiffany’s high jewelery creations and its extraordinary precious stones reaches its peak in thelast room of the exhibitionwhere one of the rarest and largest yellow diamonds ever discovered takes center stage: the Tiffany Diamond 128.54 carat. Worn by only four women since its creation – Mrs. E. Sheldon Whitehouse in 1957, Audrey Hepburn in 1961, Lady Gaga in 2019 and Beyoncé in 2021 – this stunning necklace is reason enough to visit the exhibition and possibly, if you book in advance. , you could even take a selfie with the diamond on.
Vision & Virtuosity it can be visited at the Saatchi Gallery in London until 19 August.
Source: Vanity Fair
