Tiffany & Co. dove deep into the archives for its latest Blue Book collection.
The new Out of the Blue line pays homage to the late, great Jean Schlumberger and his legendary oceanic creations. The French designer, who began working with the house back in the 1950s, translated his passion for the underwater world into wildly imaginative pieces. The new high jewellery reimagines Schlumberger’s enigmatic symbols of the sea with truly exquisite gems.
Out of the Blue is the first Blue Book collection to be designed by Tiffany’s chief artistic officer of jewellery and high jewellery, Nathalie Verdeill, who left Cartier to join the American brand last year. It is also the first fully realised one to be released since LVMH acquired the house. The collection will debut in two phases over the course of the year, with the summer line exploring seven distinct themes: Shell, Coral, Jellyfish, Pisces, Starfish, Sea Star, and Star Urchin.
“In Jean Schlumberger’s imagination and design philosophy, the sea represented an unknown, infinite world,” Verdeille said in a statement. “He choreographed unparalleled manifestations of its majesty and mystery.”
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With geometric and stylised aesthetics, the pieces nod to the respective themes without being too on the nose. The Shell designs were inspired by the way in which objects are sculpted underwater and may even have treasures hidden within. One transformable pendant, for instance, features a detachable diamond brooch with a stunning black opal of over 21 carats inside.
The Coral pieces reflect the vibrancy of their namesake with tanzanites, sapphires, and yellow diamonds, while the Jellyfish bling takes cues from the ethereal creature with luminescent details. The jellyfish brooch with gem-encrusted tentacles is particularly striking.
The Pisces creations are characterised by padparadscha sapphires, Umba sapphires, and diamonds, while the Star Urchin designs showcase tanzanites and hand-carved chalcedony in honour of their eponym’s spiky exterior. The Starfish pieces elevate that familiar silhouette with opals, aquamarines, tourmalines, and beryls with diamond accents. Finally, the Sea Star jewellery features a custom-cut mother-of-pearl starfish entwined in coral-inspired motifs.
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“My first Blue Book collection for the House is a deep dive into aquatic life that both honors and reimagines Schlumberger’s vision,” adds Verdeille.
Out of the Blue will be on display at Tiffany’s newly reopened Fifth Avenue flagship, a.k.a. the Landmark, this summer. The iconic boutique also has a number of Schlumberger’s bedazzled birds on the main floor, a fourth-floor section dedicated to the jeweller, and a number of his pieces in the high jewellery area on the seventh floor.
“With Blue Book 2023, we saw an opportunity to honour Jean Schlumberger’s legacy by giving new life to some of his most celebrated designs,” Tiffany CEO Anthony Ledru said. “These creations have a distinct Schlumberger quality and personality to them, but the designs are all new. We are certain that he would have been as pleased with each masterpiece as we are.”
Click here to see all the photos of the collection.
