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To celebrate fifty years of this strong relationship with Japan
Tiffany & Co. - founded in the United States in 1837 - landed in Japan in 1972. The brand has more than seventy-three stores scattered throughout Japan - from Tokyo to Kyoto, from Nagoya to Fukuoka - and a new concept store, Tiffany @Cat Street, opened in 2019 in Harajuku.
To celebrate fifty years of this strong relationship with Japan, the brand organized the “MY TIFFANY DIAMOND” event (from July 15 to August 14), located on the third floor of its store in Tokyo Ginza.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
The Ginza Flagship - designed by the renowned Japanese office Kengo Kuma and Associates in 2008 - reflects the elegance and the celebrated technique of cuts and lights of Tiffany & Co., combining glow and transparency. The facade of the building consists of two hundred and ninety-two honeycomb panels made of glass and aluminum, positioned at different angles. The modules diffuse the light like a carefully cut diamond, enhancing the sophisticated atmosphere of Ginza. In the description of the project, Kuma Kengo asserts that:
"I wanted to reflect in our design Tiffany's well-known technique - the way face of jewelry is cut – the stone is slightly lifted up, and the light can come in from the back of the stone. I was always interested in the relationship between jewelry and light, as jewelry shines because of light. The attraction of Tiffany jewelry is exactly this, and I wanted to express their delicate transparency in this architecture."
©︎ Masao Nishikawa
©︎ Masao Nishikawa
A charming entrance welcomes the visitor of MY TIFFANY DIAMOND. An immersive space with two giant screens projecting floating Tiffany diamonds illuminate the environment and make it lively and iconic. The room, bordered by waving curtains with Blue Tiffany shades and adorned with a strictly Blue Tiffany carpet, delivers the feeling of entering a diamond in a Blue Box.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
A small laboratory - fitted with tools, a magnifying glass, and a monitor projecting a loop of photos and drawings of diamonds - hosts the diamond setter, Lucas Ison. The expert demonstrates how to adjust each prong and basket on an engagement ring by hand, to reveal the beauty of each stone. Ison explains that a typical Tiffany diamond has fifty-seven triangular or rhomboid faces, all arranged in such a way as to optimize the brightness or refraction of light. The quality of the diamond is checked through a 40X magnifying glass. The moment when you can admire the diamond through the lens is breathtaking. A mesmerizing shimmer radiates your eyes, your face, and your spirit as well.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Yellow sofas and armchairs decorate a welcoming and elegant living room that hosts the famed yellow diamond of Tiffany & Co. On the wall, a tempered glass installation evokes the “grindle table” of the diamond, with the “Tiffany® Setting” (weighing more than five carats) in the center.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. has always collaborated with experienced artisans to make each jewel unique and perfect. From lamp makers - who carefully cut and chose each glass - to diamond cutters, who cut and polish the diamonds with incredible precision and skills, enhancing the beauty of each stone. Engravers are also part of this team of experts. The next stop along the event's route is to observe the masterful and meticulous work of a master engraver. This service is offered only in selected brand flagships, including Ginza. The engraver manually reproduces the designs proposed by the customer - such as faces, pets, quotes, or skylines - on Tiffany's products.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
MY TIFFANY DIAMOND ends with dark space, lit only by a projection mapping of propagating diamonds. The room displays some of the brand's historical pieces, including “Bird on a rock” by French designer Jean Schlumberger.
Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
The designers of the Tiffany & Co. group achieved to create an elegant, enlightening, and inspiring event. Often, we don't realize how much precision, passion, and dedication lurks behind a simple object. Having the opportunity to observe so closely the skilled work of Tiffany's master artisans is priceless.
I am thankful to all the staff of Tiffany & Co. for their kindness and professionalism. My special thanks go to Ms.Yazawa Nanako, Ms. Kawakami Shuri, and Mr. Ison for their precious guidance during my visit.
