Few pieces of jewellery carry the cultural weight of Jean Schlumberger Bird on a Rock. First created in 1965, the design, a whimsical gold bird perched atop a massive gemstone, became one of Tiffany most recognisable and collectible high jewellery creations. Now, under the creative direction of Nathalie Verdeille, the house is bringing it back.
The new collection comprises 12 unique pieces, each featuring a different combination of bird design and gemstone base. The birds are rendered in 18-karat yellow gold with pavé diamond detailing, enamel work, and coloured gemstone accents. Stones include a 45-carat unheated Sri Lankan sapphire, a 38-carat Colombian emerald, and a 62-carat kunzite that glows with an otherworldly pink light.
Each brooch has been handcrafted in Tiffany New York workshop over a period of roughly 400 hours. The level of detail is extraordinary, from individually set feathers on the birds to the hand-polished facets of each gemstone.
"Schlumberger believed jewellery should make you smile before it makes you gasp. That spirit guides everything we have done with this collection." - Nathalie Verdeille, Tiffany Chief Artistic Officer
Pricing starts at 125,000 dollars for the smallest pieces and rises significantly for the major gemstone versions. The sapphire brooch, the collection centrepiece, is rumoured to carry a price tag north of 2 million dollars.
The collection will be shown privately to clients in New York and Paris before a public exhibition at the Tiffany Fifth Avenue flagship in April. Select pieces will also travel to the brand new Bond Street boutique in London and its recently expanded Tokyo Ginza location.
In an era of minimalist jewellery and quiet luxury, the Bird on a Rock is a reminder that sometimes the most memorable pieces are the ones that refuse to blend in. Tiffany is betting that maximalism still has a place at the highest levels of fine jewellery, and based on this collection, that bet looks well placed.