Tiffany & Co Presents: Vision and Virtuosity Shanghai Exhibition

Tiffany & Co announces a new exhibition opening in Shanghai, “Vision & Virtuosity,” celebrating the renowned jeweller’s greatest creative masterpieces. The first of its kind for Tiffany, Vision & Virtuosity was conceived as a journey through history, an exploration of the brand’s codes and a glimpse of what’s to come. It’s an immersive view into the acclaimed house that honours its past while revealing the importance of this unique history to the present. Shanghai, a global capital with a rich cultural heritage and international influence, is a fitting destination for an exhibition of this calibre.

“Vision & Virtuosity is a tribute to Tiffany & Co, which has stood for masterful craftsmanship and innovative design since Charles Lewis Tiffany founded his company in New York City in 1837,” says Alessandro Bogliolo, the brand’s CEO. “These two values – vision and virtuosity – lie at the heart of Tiffany & Co and this exhibition represents the best of our brand.”

Vision & Virtuosity transports visitors to an imaginative world that showcases the most important objects from the Tiffany archives. The exhibition’s installations contextualise the brand’s trailblazing moments, documenting the numerous “Tiffany firsts”, such as the introduction of the modern engagement ring: the Tiffany Setting. “There are many incredible objects in the Tiffany archives that we draw inspiration from, and we are constantly finding ways to reinvent and reinterpret them for our designs today,” says Reed Krakoff, Tiffany’s chief artistic officer. “With this exhibition, we honor the past and show how beauty and masterful craftsmanship are timeless and always relevant.”

The thematic journey takes visitors through six chapters devoted to Tiffany & Co.’s longstanding history of excellence in design and craftsmanship.

Blue is the Colour of Dreams

The robin’s-egg Tiffany Blue takes centre stage in this room, which highlights the iconic colour used in Tiffany jewellery and branding and its important presence as a cultural icon. Paying tribute to Tiffany’s legacy of discovering and introducing coloured gemstones, this room features stones such as Montana sapphires and tanzanites – a purplish-blue stone that Tiffany introduced to the world in 1968.

The World of Tiffany

A visual testament to the breadth of Tiffany’s representation in popular culture, The World of Tiffany showcases Tiffany’s iconic influence in film, television, music and literature. This space highlights the evolution of the Tiffany Blue Box, the construction of the Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City, the influential figures who have donned Tiffany jewels and other definitive moments that have positioned Tiffany as a destination that creates joy through its inspiring designs.

The Tiffany Blue Book

Visitors will discover the innovation and artistry behind the high jewellery pieces that define the Blue Book collections. This room presents everything from the original 1845 Blue Book, the United States’ first mail-order catalogue, to the transcendent works of Jean Schlumberger and Elsa Peretti. This room tells the story of the design evolution and the craftsmanship that have informed Tiffany’s inventiveness for nearly two centuries, including pieces from current Tiffany & Co chief artistic officer Reed Krakoff’s Blue Book collections.

Tiffany Love

Tiffany has always crafted designs that celebrate connections and the way people express their feelings through tokens of love. The objects in this room offer a glimpse into the important role that Tiffany has played in the world’s greatest love stories, including the design of the first modern engagement ring, the Tiffany Setting and the newly introduced Tiffany True engagement ring.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

No other film has had such a profound role in cementing Tiffany’s allure in popular culture than Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This chapter takes visitors behind the scenes of the film with its curation of exclusive objects such as the original script with Audrey Hepburn’s personal annotations and behind-the-scenes photos at the Fifth Avenue flagship store.

Diamonds: Miracles of Nature

In this room, visitors are invited to discover Tiffany’s most treasured and important diamonds. Diamonds: Miracles of Nature pays tribute to Tiffany’s diamond authority through the ages, from the Gilded Age and Art Deco periods to contemporary designs. The exhibition culminates with the crowning jewel of Tiffany – the Tiffany Diamond. This 128.54-carat fancy yellow diamond, which has long been a source of inspiration and a starting point for jewellery collections at Tiffany, is unequivocally one of the most important gemstones in the world.

Exhibition Name                   : Vision & Virtuosity

Exhibition Date                     : September 23 to November 10, 2019

Exhibition Venue                  : Fosun Foundation, Shanghai 

Tickets will be available for purchase beginning in September, with all ticket sales benefitting the Fosun Foundation and its charitable programmes.