Someone has to say it, so it might as well be me: Tiffany & Co. needs to stop ceaselessly mining the past to reinterpret Jean Schlumberger’s designs. Yes, your legacy vaults are brimming with historic treasures that make any jewelry connoisseur swoon, but the relentless updating of Schlumberger’s archival creations is becoming exhausting. In its quest to flaunt its storied history, Tiffany—an iconic jewelry brand—risks losing touch with today’s jewelry landscape. Instead of celebrating innovation, it’s beginning to feel out of touch. Let me unpack that…
I initially planned to write this back in 2024, following the release of Tiffany’s Blue Book collection. But for a variety of reasons—including the fact that this platform wasn’t ready—I never got around to it. So, why now? Well, we’re in a new year, and the high jewelry world is about to come alive with phenomenal creations, thanks to the Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025 show, slated for Monday, January 27 to Thursday, January 30, 2025. As the event ushers in the sparkle season, I felt compelled to finally put my thoughts into words—in the hopes of reaching someone. Anyone.
The Enduring Legacy of Jean Schlumberger
If ever there was a jewelry designer who mastered his craft and defined the trends of his era, it was Jean Schlumberger. Serving as Tiffany & Co.’s lead designer from the 1950s to the 1970s, he created some of the brand’s most iconic pieces—works that remain legendary to this day. Honestly, he is one of my most respected designers, a true titan of the craft. (Perhaps it’s this deep respect for him and his work that makes Tiffany’s relentless reinterpretation of his ‘holy grail’ creations so painful to witness.)
Schlumberger was fearless in his imagination and execution. Take, for instance, his iconic Bird on a Rock brooch. Who could have imagined in 1965 that an everyday scene—a bird perched on a rock—could be transformed into a breathtaking wonder of nature, adorned with mesmerizing diamonds and colored gemstones? The answer, of course, is Schlumberger. He was a creative genius whose talent defies description.
Schlumberger had an extraordinary gift for capturing the beauty of nature in his jewelry. His pieces often featured fantastical interpretations of flora and fauna—starfish, sea creatures, birds, and vines—rendered with astonishing detail and lifelike movement. His designs didn’t merely mimic nature; they reimagined it with a surreal, almost magical quality, making them both bold and enchanting.
This mastery of form, nature, and gemstones earned him critical acclaim and a devoted following among royalty and Hollywood’s elite. From Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Elizabeth Taylor, the world’s most glamorous figures clamored to own his masterpieces. Schlumberger had an unparalleled ability to transform nature, mythology, and fantasy into exquisite, wearable art, cementing his status as one of the most celebrated jewelers of the 20th century.
It’s no wonder that jewelry connoisseurs and enthusiasts, myself included, would fall over themselves to own a piece of Schlumberger. Perhaps this is why Tiffany keeps returning to his archives for inspiration in their latest collections. But is this really a good idea—for Tiffany & Co., for Schlumberger’s legacy, and for the wider jewelry industry?
Tiffany and Jean Schlumberger Today
If you take a look at Tiffany’s recent collections, it’s impossible to miss the overwhelming influence of Jean Schlumberger. From reinterpretations to outright archival revivals, his legacy dominates the brand’s creative output. Let’s start with their latest release: the Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Céleste collection. Unsurprisingly, a significant number of the pieces are tied to Schlumberger in one way or another. According to Tiffany, the collection is ‘reimagining his iconic celestial motifs…’ Whether it’s the Owl on the Rock—a clear nod to Schlumberger’s Bird on a Rock—or the Unicorn brooch, which gives ‘new life to an archival Jean Schlumberger masterpiece,’ the designs feel eerily similar to his originals.
Rewind to 2023, and the story is the same. Tiffany’s Blue Book 2023: Out of the Blue collection was explicitly described as honoring Schlumberger’s legacy: ‘Legendary Tiffany & Co. designer Jean Schlumberger looked to the sea for inspiration… Honoring this legacy, Blue Book 2023: Out of the Blue both perpetuates and reinvents the aquatic worlds that he dreamt up.’
But the trend doesn’t stop there. In 2022, the Botanica: Blue Book collection saw Schlumberger’s Vigne necklace reimagined in 18k yellow gold, platinum, rubellites, emeralds, and diamonds. And in 2021, the Blue Book Collection: Colors of Nature was described by Tiffany as a celebration of Schlumberger’s daring imagination: ‘With a painterly palette of rare gemstones and sparkling diamonds, together with daringly imaginative creations by Jean Schlumberger, the new high jewelry designs transform the elemental into the extraordinary.’
Year after year, Tiffany seems to be stuck in a loop, endlessly revisiting Schlumberger’s archives rather than forging new creative paths.
The Problem With the Repetition of Schlumberger
I understand that when you have a designer as celebrated as Jean Schlumberger in your archives, it’s only natural—and perhaps even respectful—to update his works for modern times. But here’s the challenge: while this approach celebrates Schlumberger’s genius, it risks diluting the exclusivity and artistry of his creations, turning his legacy into a commercial product. Schlumberger was a jewelry design genius, and his pieces shouldn’t be something we expect to see reissued year after year, especially since he is no longer here to create (he passed away in 1987). In my opinion, his designs should be treated like the holy grails they are—so rare and precious that we should feel fortunate to even catch a glimpse of them. They shouldn’t be something we’re ‘gifted’ annually without asking for it.
By continually reinterpreting Schlumberger’s designs, Tiffany risks reducing his art to a commodity. I get that this is a marketing strategy—a way to celebrate Schlumberger’s legacy while appealing to contemporary tastes. But when it’s done repeatedly, it undermines the very essence of preserving a worthwhile legacy. The exclusivity and rarity of his original pieces are eroded when they’re endlessly reissued, and what was once extraordinary becomes ordinary.
Jewelry As A Mirror of An Era
One of the most remarkable things about jewelry is its ability to serve as a reflection of the era in which it was created. These sparkling treasures are more than just adornments—they are time capsules, capturing the trends, tastes, and moods of bygone eras. From the intricate designs of the Georgian period to the bold, geometric styles of the Retro era, each piece tells a story about the people who lived, loved, and created before us.
So, what does this have to do with Tiffany and its relentless reissuing of Schlumberger’s works? If Tiffany keeps looking backward, how will future generations understand the jewelry landscape of today? If the brand continues to update designs from the 1950s to the 1970s, what stories will it leave for those who come after us, eager to learn about the tastes and trends of our time?
The solution is clear: Tiffany must create incredible high jewelry pieces that speak to the world we live in today. I’m not suggesting that the Maison should ignore Schlumberger altogether—his legacy is too significant to be forgotten. But offering us reinterpretations of his work year after year does a disservice to both his legacy and the present moment. We don’t just want new things inspired by Schlumberger; we want new things that reflect the creativity and vision of Tiffany’s in-house talents today.
It’s time for Tiffany to realize that Schlumberger, as brilliant as he was, has served his time and passed the baton. The next generation of designers is waiting on the sidelines, ready to jump in and help Tiffany write its present-day story. The question is: will the brand let them?
Conclusion
As we step into a new jewelry year, I hope Tiffany heeds this advice and gives Jean Schlumberger the rest he deserves. He is an icon, a visionary whose work should be revered—not reissued with every cycle of the Earth around the sun. Let his legacy inspire, but not overshadow, the creativity of today. After all, the future of jewelry belongs to those who dare to imagine it.
Featured image: Tiffany & co.
Amanda Akalonu is dedicated to weaving together the worlds of jewelry, watches, and objects through a lens of literary storytelling.
