Tiffany
& Co. celebrated the opening of a brilliant new store at 62, avenue
des Champs-Elysées, the renowned boulevard in Paris recently. From its façade lit with
Tiffany Blue to its gracious interior, the store reflects the company’s global
reputation as a luxury brand and a 177-year history that includes Paris, where Tiffany
first opened a store in 1868. The approximately 976-square-meter (10,000 square feet) store combines the energy of New York with the elegance of Paris. Constructed on three levels, it is the pinnacle of the Tiffany shopping experience, with luxurious private salons and windows that afford maximum natural light for the proper viewing of the world’s most beautiful diamonds. The levels are connected by a Calacatta marble and limestone staircase that encircles a magnificent chandelier. This sculptural crystal column cascades to the ground floor, where some of Tiffany’s most iconic jewelry is arrayed, including dazzling Tiffany Yellow Diamonds, bold Atlas creations, the essence of strength and freedom; Tiffany Keys to collect and wear as symbols of joy and a life filled with possibility; as well as the Return to Tiffany™ collection.
The second floor’s décor of pale blue, bronze and shimmering silver walls frames contemporary collections. A hand-painted art installation inspired by the ribbon that wraps the Tiffany Blue Box captures the jewelry’s sheer energy and chic. Other interior details include gilded walnut paneling, iridescent wall coverings, and chandeliers and carpeting with magnolias patterned after the stained-glass masterworks of Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of the company’s founder and a world leader of the Art Nouveau movement. The store’s exterior features details of the entrance to the Fifth Avenue flagship store, including the Art Deco-style stainless steel doors and the wheat leaf pattern etched on the new store’s windows and columns.
On view for a limited time, is one of the rarest of all diamonds: the legendary Tiffany Diamond, mounted in a necklace of white diamonds totaling over 100 carats. The radiant yellow stone was purchased by Tiffany’s founder in 1878 and brought to Paris, where it was cut to 128.54 carats of pure beauty and light. Glamour gives way to love and romance in the first floor’s bridal salon, with the world’s most coveted diamond engagement rings showcased amid custom furnishings and white lacquered walls. Included in the collection is the Tiffany® Setting, which has enjoyed universal popularity since its 1886 introduction.
In addition, individual galleries with images and historical creations enlighten customers on Tiffany’s great legacy. Among these images are Tiffany jewels and objects that were awarded gold medals at the great Paris expositions of 1889 and 1900, along with artwork and images of New York City, where Tiffany was founded in 1837. French-born designer Jean Schlumberger, who for three decades reigned over the jewelry world from his salon at Tiffany & Co., is depicted in his Paris studio, with sketches for jewels collected by legends from Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy to today’s celebrities and stylish women. Together, these images and artifacts tell a visual story of Tiffany & Co. as New York’s first great jeweler, now open in Paris with all the treasures of its honored heritage.
“This preeminent location places Tiffany & Co. in the heart of a fabled city that draws people from all over the world,” says Frédéric Cumenal, president of Tiffany & Co. “We invite everyone to discover the magnificent jewelry that places Tiffany at the forefront of glamour and style.” Florence Rollet, group vice president of Tiffany & Co. Europe, adds, “Our presence on the avenue des Champs-Elysées underscores our commitment to business development in France and Europe.”
