“What I’ve found does the most good is just to get into a taxi and go to Tiffany’s,” said Holly Golightly, played famously by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. 60 years later, it seems the quote stays true.
There are a few clear hallmarks in recognising Tiffany & Co. – from its signature blue box to its classic engagement ring designs. Founded in 1830 by Charles Lewis Tiffany, the brand has long anchored its name in the luxury jewellery world, where every design tells its own unique story. At prestigious soirees, countless celebrities have been known to adorn themselves with Tiffany & Co., from stunning earrings to statement necklaces. However, of course, the maison’s prestige didn’t happen overnight. Read on for the history behind the ‘T’ motif by Tiffany & Co. that the respected brand is reputable for.
The beginning of a legacy
Tiffany & Co. first accelerated in popularity after the iconic movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, aired in 1961. The movie starring Audrey Hepburn began with the main character, Holly Golightly, strolling through New York City one early morning. She mentioned Tiffany & Co. one too many times throughout the span of the movie, influencing global viewers across America, Europe, and even Asia to seek out the brand’s iconography and elegance, simultaneously soaring its net sales.
In the year 1975, when Tiffany & Co. had just presented its annual high jewellery collection in a printed catalogue known as the Blue Book, one of the designs showed a 14k gold bracelet with the letter ‘T’ formed as its clasp. Little did they know, it was only the beginning of what would become the brand’s signature emblem.
The story behind the ‘T’, though, was that Charles Lewis Tiffany had long been intertwined with the energy of New York City. To him, other than being a city that never sleeps, New York was also a place of promise and possibilities. He held to the belief dearly, so much so that it shaped his brand’s creative direction. One of them is the minimal yet powerful ‘T’ motif reinterpreted through clean and intersecting lines, mirroring the city’s architecture, streets, and relentless forward motion. The world could spot the brand with only one letter, echoing its symbol and the city it calls home.
From Blue Book to an eternal icon
It was not until 2014 that the ‘T’ motif officially had its own line, where it was reintroduced to a new generation as an homage to the maison’s historical significance. The trademarked T by Tiffany now has a clean silhouette and is embedded in a line of bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces, all wrapped in diamond-accented designs.
To put it shortly, T by Tiffany is reinterpreted as love’s endless potential. On a closer look, however, the new concept brings a new meaning to clarity, precision, and restraint. Each 90-degree angle is meticulously formed by Tiffany’s master craftsmen, exemplifying Tiffany’s commitment to technical excellence, where even the simplest design demands precision and perfection. Its clean geometry translates as a canvas for refinement, balance, and proportion – aligning with both love and New York City.
The timeless mark now has a number of additions, with the letter ‘T’ laced in each design. T1 forms a circle, clean and clear-cut, excellently representing powerful women, while the Tiffany T Smile shows a warped double-ended ‘T’ motif, displaying a beaming smile with the ‘T’ alphabet as dimples. T True, the newly introduced sub-line, celebrates partnership and unity with interlocking ‘T’ forms. This latest edition proposes more unisex wear, suitable for every jewellery lover.
Ring in the holiday with Anya Taylor-Joy
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In 2021, Tiffany & Co. unveiled Anya Taylor-Joy as its global house ambassador. The artist and maison go hand in hand from that point forward, through each collection and holiday campaign, including for 2025. Rooted in archival history yet unmistakably contemporary, T by Tiffany stands as one of the House’s most recognisable modern signatures. It’s where the maison’s heritage and innovation merge, capturing Tiffany & Co.’s enduring legacy.
For more Eternal Icons, read here.