Legacy is an interesting thing. With 187 years of history behind it, the American jeweller Tiffany & Co.— despite more easily imagining and relating it with youth—has oodles of history behind it.
It’s a fact that the house is now eager to reclaim and celebrate, as evidenced by its latest project: Tiffany Wonder, an ambitious brand exhibition that recently opened at Tokyo Node in the Japanese capital city. The exhibition brings together over 500 objects from the brand’s archives to offer a broad sweep of its varied history. There are the jewels, of course, designed by the many talents who have worked for the brand over the decades, and historic artefacts such as the first cash book when Tiffany opened for business.
Read More Inside the wondrous new Tiffany & Co. exhibition staged in Tokyo By Gordon Ng Amid all this history, I got a chance to speak with Victoria Reynolds, the brand’s present-day chief gemologist. Reynolds has spent 37 years with the jeweller, with roles previously in diamond grading, custom designs, business sales, marketing high jewellery, and since 2020, heading the brand’s diamond and gemstone acquisition.
Reynolds is, from observation, a creature of habit. She wears a jewellery uniform of sorts, and if you look her up you’ll notice the same Jean Schlumberger pieces—she confesses favour for the designer—turning up. Most interestingly, she wears a black jeweller’s loupe on a gold chain.
When asked about it, she let on that it was an inheri.