Iconic jewelry store Tiffany & Co. announced a milestone that will make history in the luxury house's history with the reissue of an archival high-jewelry necklace created in 1939 for the World's Fair in New York. According to the Summum portal , the large aquamarine that was set in the original design of that necklace will be replaced in this reissue by an extraordinary oval-cut diamond weighing 80 carats, the largest diamond that Tiffany has put up for sale in its 183 years of history, only surpassed by the mythical Tiffany Diamond, which we already talked about in Summum, whose value is incalculable and which is not for sale.
The new necklace will be unveiled in 2022 to celebrate the re-opening of the Fifth Avenue store following its refurbishment, making history once again, just as the original necklace did when it made its debut at the World's Fair in New York nearly a century ago. .
“What better way to celebrate the reopening of our remodeled Tiffany flagship store in 2022 than to do so by reissuing this incredible necklace shown at the 1939 World's Fair and one of the most impressive jewels when the doors of the new Tiffany building opened in 727 Fifth Avenue in 1940”, comments Victoria Reynolds, Chief Gemologist at Tiffany & Co. A new piece of high jewelry that reflects to perdition the history of the brand whose founder, Charles L. Tiffany, was nicknamed the “ King of Diamonds."
A unique diamond in the world
The stunning center stone, an 80+ carat, internally flawless, D-color oval-cut diamond, is not only extremely unique, but also symbolizes Tiffany's priority in diamond traceability within the jewelry industry. Responsibly sourced in Botswana, Africa, the diamond will be set by Tiffany artisans in New York City.
The magnificent aquamarine and rare diamonds of the original necklace captivated the millions of people who visited the New York Exposition. Inaugurated under the motto "The dawn of a new day", the 1939 World Exhibition wanted to review "The world of tomorrow", inspiring its more than 44 million visitors in the dream of a promising, prosperous and calm future. With this necklace as a Tiffany masterpiece, the brand then wanted to set the stage for the opening of its iconic flagship store at 727 Fifth Avenue the following year, in 1940, heralding what will be another historic moment for the brand. in 2022.
Tiffany Diamond, the most exclusive
Throughout its 183-year history, Tiffany has sourced many rare gemstones for its jewelry designs, including the legendary Tiffany Diamond, one of the world's largest and finest yellow diamonds, as well as the Hooker Emerald (exhibited at the Smithsonian today) or the Mazarin Diamonds, purchased by Tiffany at the French Crown Jewels auction in 1887.
The Tiffany Diamond, considered one of the most important mineral discoveries of the 19th century, was discovered in 1877 in the Kimberley Mines in South Africa. Its more than 142 years old and its weight of 128.54 carats (originally 287.42 carats) after being carved in a cushion shape that gives it 82 facets (24 more than usual), make it an exceptional jewel. .
Exhibited in the mythical Tiffany store on Fifth Avenue in New York, Lady Gaga at the 2019 Oscar Awards gala was the last woman to wear it outside the facilities; she and the third woman to wear it in her 142-year history.
Priceless, this unique diamond went on sale for 24 hours through a classified ad in the New York Times in 1972. Its price? 5 million dollars, the equivalent of almost 26 million dollars today. Nobody bought it, probably because the truth of the advertisement was not believed.
