tiffany

For $70 million you can be the proud new owner of the SS Delphine, one of the last great private steamships of the 1920s, built for motorcar magnate Horace Dodge. The 257-ft. yacht was launched in 1921, fitted out with an interior by Tiffany & Co. and every conceivable luxury a gentleman could wish for on the high seas. Constructed at the Great Lakes Engineering Works in Michigan, she was pressed into service during World War II as the flagship for Admiral Ernest Joseph King, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Navy, and Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt are said to have met aboard her prior to convening the Yalta Conference with Stalin in 1945. In the decades following she fell into disrepair until a European clothing mogul had her fully restored to former glory, including the steam engines, several years ago at a cost of $60 million. Along with accommodations for 26 guests and 28 crew members, there's a music salon, cinema, fitness center, spa, sauna, smoking room, swimming pool and original fixtures like the telegraph machine in the mahogany pilothouse.

[via Duncan Quinn]

The new Tiffany Charms sunglasses are classic and chic with an oversized design that calls Audrey Hepburn to mind, and they come with a little something extra charming: actual charms.

True purists can get them in black and Tiffany blue, but we love the double laminated violet and candy pink combo above (rich brown with red is also available). Lenses are available in gray or brown and violet gradient. The charms include a heart, the letter "T" and the Tiffany & Co. logo. First bracelets, then necklaces (in the 80s), and now you'll find charms on everything from your cell phone to your handbag. To purchase a pair of these fanciful, chichi shades, visit ILORI ($320).

It looks like luxury retail is getting ready for a comeback. Shoppers in enviable tax brackets are doing a better job of prying their wallets open, at least if you can believe their stock prices. Tiffany, Saks and Nordstrom all showed signs of progress heading into Black Friday, meaning that investors were willing to bet on the wealthy.

Dan Greenhaus, chief economic strategist at Miller Tabak, explained to USA Today, "We're resting our (upbeat outlook) on the upper-income consumer, who seems to be holding up pretty well." This group, he continued, "is where the vast majority of spending in this country is done."

Research firm Penn Schoen Berland weighed in with agreement: "Well-to-do Americans are feeling much less of a crunch." Households with incomes of greater than $70,000 a year, the firm found, planned to amp up their holiday spending by 27 percent this year. Those with incomes below $40,000 are cutting their holiday joy by 14 percent.

While the bargain hunters turn to the discount retailers, which are expected to do well this year, look for the higher-income consumers to spend more at places like Williams-Sonoma and other mid-range to upscale retail establishments.

So, with deeper pockets starting to open this year, it looks like the wealthy will turn last year's holiday bust around. A good holiday season for Saks shows that those with the bucks are starting to open up, and recoveries start at the top.

Best in Lighting
Each of the finalists for best lighting is a master in their field. One is credited with founding modern interior lighting designs, while another creates sculptural masterpieces. A third produces lighting that radiates beauty from every angle while the crystal chandeliers of another have been sought out by royalty. Last, but not least, there's one which melds exquisitely cut crystal with its masterful designs

Baccarat
Bodner Chandeliers
Jean Perzel
Niermann Weeks
Schonbek

Best in Furniture
The best in furniture nominees offer a range of original artistry from simple and pure to the exotic; from traditional to the ultra-modern. The styles may vary but each has a timeless quality that extends far beyond trendiness. Many of their creations are collected by connoisseurs and even museums.

Vladimir Kagan
Kreiss
Roche-Bobois
Stickley Furniture
William Switzer & Associates

Best in Glassware
The Best in Glassware nominees for a Luxist Award include award-winning brands from France, Sweden and the United States. Each represents the finest of quality and artistry while offering the most exquisite of designs. The styles may vary but all the nominees have their own proud tradition of glass craftsmanship.

Baccarat
Lalique
Orrefors
Steuben
Tiffany

Best in Dishware
Nominees for Best in Dishware include companies that have been producing china for decades; some for centuries. Two have roots in the Limoges region of France, the cradle of the French porcelain industry. One nominee is quintessentially English while two produce American classics.

Bernardaud
Haviland Limoges
Pickard China
Tiffany
Wedgwood

Best in Antiques Resources
Nominees for Best Antiques Resource include the most prestigious art and antiques fairs in the world. These fairs, which are international in scope, are annual destinations for serious connoisseurs, collectors and museum curators who are in search of the best. Each of these fairs have rigorous vetting processes in which the quality, condition and authenticity of each piece is carefully investigated.

American International Fine Art Fair, Palm Beach
International Fine Art and Antique Dealer's Show, New York
Maastricht Art Fair, Netherlands
The San Francisco Art Antiques Fair
Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia, London

.
Tiffany & Co.'s new custom-design service is the answer for anyone in search of unique, one-of-a-kind table settings.

Master artisans at the company-owned Le Tallec Studio in Paris, the world-renowned studio for hand-painted porcelain, create unique pieces that are custom-ordered and designed to meet the specifications of the Tiffany customer. From the creation of the initial pattern to the finished plate, the process details the custom design service Tiffany & Co. offers clients who wish to create their own Le Tallec pattern.

"We had so many requests for custom design jewelry work, that it only seemed natural to offer custom dishware, too," says Allen Nissim, a Tiffany & Co. group director who oversees the custom Le Tallec business. "This is really 21st century luxury."

Custom designs have ranged from those that incorporated a family crest to a favorite animal, flower or even the home decor of a customer. The Tiffany design department presents several different options to the customer and tweaks from there before a pattern is finalized. Each piece is initialed by the painter, dated and marked "Tiffany & Co., hand painted, Made in France." The artists can also include an inscription that says "This piece was made specially for..." and include the customer's name. Customers can initiate the custom design process at any Tiffany & Co. store location. The pattern seen above was created by designer Celerie Kemble who worked closely with actress Mariska Hargitay. It was based on Le Tallec's Cirque Chinois collection.

The labor intensive, entirely hand-created process is much like the manufacturing and decorating techniques used during the 18th and 19th centuries. The design process is labor-intensive even for designs that are as seemingly simple as green stripes. "It is labor-intensive to get the colors consistent around the border," says Nissim. "It takes a lot of skill to get the shades just right."

The initial creative process in developing a pattern can take as long as three months, depending on what the client is looking for and the scope of the order. The design may be somewhat different for a dinner plate or a bowl than it is for a tray. "Different pieces may have different interpretations of the same pattern," says Nissim.

One order for a set of 400 pieces required nearly six months just to develop the pattern and another year to create the pieces. Prices vary depending on the piece and design. A dinner plate starts at $1,200, but can cost more depending on the design. "People are comfortable with the cost when the finished product reflects their interest and taste," says Nissim

Smaller orders are also acceptable. A recent request was placed by a soon-to-be married couple who wanted custom-designed trays to present as a gift to members of their bridal party with each piece personally inscribed.

"These pieces become a legacy for generations to come," Nissim adds.

Wedding guests are often sent to a Tiffany registry but this is the first time I've seen a registry for a Navy ship. The NY Times City Room blog reports that the the U.S.S. New York, which will be commissioned on November 7 has its own Tiffany registry. The U.S. S. New York includes more than seven tons of salvaged steel from the World Trade Center and it has some pretty pricey tastes. On the list are the sterling silver Chippendale tray ( $2,868.75) shown at right, a Queen Anne tea pot and a commemorative Riedel ice bucket as well as a full flatware service.

Why the registry? Naval ships often have "ship's silver" that is brought out for special and diplomatic occasions and usually a ship's silver is donated by a state or a corporation or a large entity. But for this ship, which is so much a part of New York City, the U.S.S. New York commissioning committee wanted to involve the people. Purchasers can engrave the name of a loved one on the silver pieces they buy. The newest U.S.S. New York will inherit some Tiffany pieces from the last U.S.S. New York battleship, which was built in 1911 and retired after World War II and from other previous ships that bore the name. These days state names refer to submarines, but former New York Governor George E. Pataki asked that the U.S.S. New York name be revived in 2002. The motto for the ship is "Strength forged through sacrifice. Never forget."

The registry was set up back in July but only around 20 of the more than 200 pieces have been purchased. The ship is an amphibious assault ship which will carry Marines. It will be based in Norfolk, Virginia. On November 2, the ship will arrive in New York City and it will stop in water near Ground Zero, lower its flag to half mast and fire a 21-gun salute. Some crew members who are from New York requested to be part of the first crew of the ship.

Nominations have been received and vetted for the best-of-breed in lighting, furniture, antiques resource, dishware and glassware. The Luxist Readers' Choice Decor Awards will be awarded based on your voting.

Each of finalists for the Readers' Choice for the Best in Lighting is a leader in the industry. One is credited with founding modern interior lighting designs, while another creates sculptural masterpieces. A third produces lighting that radiates beauty from every angle while the crystal chandeliers of another have been sought out by royalty. Last, but not least, there's one which melds exquisitely cut crystal with its masterful designs.

The Readers' Choice for the Best in Furniture nominees offer a range of original artistry from simple and pure to the exotic; from traditional to the ultra-modern. Their creations are collected by connoisseurs and museums alike.

The Readers' Choice for the Best in Glassware for a Luxist Award include award-winning brands from France, Sweden and the United States. Each represents the finest of quality and artistry while offering the most exquisite of designs.

Nominees for Readers' Choice for Best in Dishware include companies that have been producing china for centuries. Two have roots in the Limoges region of France, the cradle of the French porcelain industry. One nominee is quintessentially English while two produce American classics. Dishware created by each of these nominees are owned by the who's who of world leaders from the King of Saudi Arabia and the Queen of England to the President of the United States.

Readers' Choice nominees for Best Antiques Resource include the most prestigious art and antiques fairs in the world. These fairs, which are international in scope, are annual destinations for serious connoisseurs, collectors and museum curators who are in search of the best. Each of these fairs have rigorous vetting processes in which the quality, condition and authenticity of each piece is carefully investigated.

Vote now for what you believe is the best of breed for each of these categories. Readers' Choice Awards for Decor will be announced on October 31st.

Tiffany & Co. is a nominee for a Luxist Award in both the dishware and glassware categories.

Over the past two centuries, Tiffany & Co. has built an international reputation as a premier jeweler and is renowned for its fine china and crystal. Today, its signature blue gift box topped by the white silky bow is an icon for luxury.

Tiffany & Co. was founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in the late 1830's. Starting out as a stationary and fancy goods store, the partners soon expanded to include silver hollowware and flatware, and later jewelry, luxury table, personal and household accessories. Tiffany first achieved international recognition at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1867. The company was then awarded the grand prize for silver craftsmanship---the first time an American design house had been so honored by a foreign jury. By 1870, Tiffany & Co. was America's premier purveyor of jewels and timepieces, as well as luxury table, personal, and household accessories.

Throughout the jeweler's history, the most prominent members of American society were devoted Tiffany customers from Vanderbilts, Astors and Whitneys to J.P. Morgan, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Paul Mellon, all of whom commissioned Tiffany to produce their gold and silver services. Tiffany china has also set the stage for countless White House dinners.

The tradition continues into the 21st century. Today, Tiffany & Co. is one of America's best known institutions.

Tiffany & Company showed off their designs this week for their latest store in Las Vegas, a new approximately 10,000-square-foot store at the CityCenter development on the Las Vegas Strip. The two-level store will be located in Crystals, CityCenter's 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district which was designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind and Rockwell Group. The store is set to open in December and will have an 85-foot-high glass facade which is shaped like a diamond. The overall effect is luxe with a bit of Vegas flash, the entrance will be gleaming black granite around Art Deco-inspired stainless steel doors and inside etched mirror walls, iridescent fabrics and glittering chandeliers add sparkle. The second floor will be reached via a spiral steel-and-glass staircase that is lit from underneath. There is a separate engagement ring salon and a private sales salon with can be reached via a glass bridge. This will be the third Tiffany store in Las Vegas there are two other shops on the Strip, one at the Shops at Via Bellagio and one at The Forum Shops at Caesars but this is the largest one yet. JCK Online has more pictures of the interior renderings.

While the Lambertson Truex line has been a favorite for fashionistas it never became a household name. But now the company, which filed for bankruptcy in March, will have a second life under the aegis of Tiffany & Co. Tiffany bought the brand likely to bring the label's talented namesakes Richard Lambertson and John Truex into the company. Just what is Tiffany going to do with handbag designers? It seems likely that Tiffany may be looking into creating a line of purses and small leather accessories. Not many details have been made public yet and no financial terms were revealed.

If you loved the beautiful Tiffany & Co. Key Collection we recently highlighted, you'll love this -- you can get a Tiffany Key, like the Heart Key Charm with Tiffany Blue® Enamel Finish (right) for $200 or less.

It might be the perfect Mother's Day (May 10th) gift, or just a little something you do for yourself. Why not engrave it with Mom's initials or with something special to you?

The keys, which can cost up to $15,000 (for the Round Kaleidoscope Key Pendant with Marquise which features square and round brilliant diamonds in platinum on a platinum and diamond chain), come at a wide range of prices. Forgo the diamonds and the platinum to get a reasonably priced gold key, or an even more affordable silver key.

At any price, all the key pendants have the vintage charm and fanciful glamour of Tiffany's. Below are our favorite "Small Splurges:"

Tiffany & Co. has a new collection of keys you're going to love.

There's something so intriguing and exciting about a key. A key represents mystery, privilege, and secrecy, and perhaps most importantly, security -- something that is hard to come by lately. The new Tiffany & Co. Key Collection has all that plus more -- including diamonds.

Alas, these beautiful keys are more magical than practical; none of them open any doors. Still, the elegant, beautiful designs could capture any heart, and a simple engraving could add timeless meaning and individuality to one of these key pendants.

The Tiffany keys come in gold, silver, and platinum with Celtic inspired designs, diamond details, and an array of matching chains is available. Shop here, and have a look at some of our favorite designs below.

Next month marks the first anniversary of the Patek Philippe Salon at Tiffany's famed NYC flagship, and to celebrate the two storied brands are producing a new limited edition diamond and gold ladies' wristwatch. Only 100 of the $21,800 timepieces are being made, half with a white lacquered dial with black external minute railroad, and half with a black lacquered dial with white external minute railroad (right).

The Art Deco-esque "Gondolo" design was inspired by Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. watches from the 1930s and features a curved, tonneau-shaped case in 18 karat white gold accented with 164 round brilliant-cut diamonds, a lacquer dial with classic guilloche pattern, Arabic numerals and a black, hand-stitched alligator strap.

The timepiece is double-signed Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. and will be sold exclusively through Tiffany's Patek Philippe Salon in NYC. The Salon showcases current collections as well as timepieces on loan from the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva that "embody the tradition and innovation for which Patek Philippe is renowned."

[via JustLuxe]

The economic downturn continues to hammer Tiffany & Co. which released the company's sales figures for 2008. Worldwide total sales were down three percent (four percent on a constant-exchange-rate basis) and same-store sales were down nine percent on a constant-exchange-rate basis. But that's not the worst of it. The fourth quarter was disastrous, the fiscal fourth-quarter net income dropped 76 percent with total sales falling 20 percent. In the U.S. there was a 33 percent drop in same-store U.S. sales in the fourth quarter (34 percent in the fourth quarter at the flagship store in New York City).

The internet and catalog sales categories also took a hit, falling 10 percent for the total year and 20 percent in the last quarter alone. Around 600 Tiffany employees have taken an early retirement offer and together with other staff reductions and the upcoming closing of Tiffany's Iridesse pearl stores, the company will be losing around 10 percent of its staff worldwide.

Tiffany isn't predicting blue skies anytime soon. Tiffany Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Kowalski says the company expects to experience "challenging economic conditions throughout the year," with a total sales decline of 11 percent.

Shares of Tiffany were up after the announcement because the company is seen to have done a good job at curtailing costs and because its lower quarterly profit beat Wall Street expectations. The company has also said it will not cut prices and will focus on marketing and on new products.

Jewelry companies seem to be a bit behind the times on social networking. It took Cartier until last June to get a MySpace page and now Tiffany & Co. has joined Facebook. The company already has more than 124,000 "fans" on its official Facebook page which was created in February. The company uses the center of the page to showcase Tiffany eyecandy as well as video relating to Tiffany designers such as Paloma Picasso.