When Jean Schlumberger perched a diamond-encrusted bird atop a cabochon lapis lazuli stone for Bunny Mellon in 1965, he probably thought the resulting brooch would be a one-off. But the creation was so popular that other grandes dames of international society were soon donning their own versions—affixed to semiprecious and precious stones such as aquamarine and morganite.
Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Rock necklace set with a 12-carat tanzanite.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Today, the late designer likely would be surprised to learn that one of his most enduring works has experienced a cool-factor renaissance. What was once a high-jewelry offering reserved for female socialites and V.I.P.s has more recently become a must-have tuxedo accessory for Hollywood gentlemen hitting the red carpet. It has proved so successful that, in 2023, it was reimagined as a line of necklaces, pendants, rings, and earrings. Now, the company has launched Wings—a collection of mostly fine jewelry that’s less literal and more abstract.
A bracelet with an 8-carat tanzanite.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.’s chief artistic director, Nathalie Verdeille, chose to open up the wings—which have typically lain flat against the bird—to launch the creature into flight. The idea is most dramatically expressed in two exclusive high-jewelry suites that accompany the fine pieces—one in turquoise and the other in tanzanite. The latter is the highlight, combining not one icon but two. Just three years after Schlumberger’s original debuted, tanzanite was discovered in the African nation of Tanzania. Tiffany immediately saw the gem’s potential and heavily promoted the stone in a campaign, which helped put it on the map. (After all, the company has a bit of an affinity for blue.) Four tanzanites ranging in size from 8 to 12 carats adorn the set’s earrings, bracelet, and necklace, each of which is crafted from an elevated mix of platinum, 18-karat yellow gold, rubies, and diamonds.
Top: Earrings with 10 carats of tanzanites.
