The American jeweller Tiffany & Co. has a remarkable history with gemstones. It’s got a heritage of top of the line diamonds, underscored by its house treasure, the 128.54-carat yellow Tiffany diamond. And besides diamonds and the big three—sapphires, emeralds and rubies—the maison was actually a pioneering promoter of several ‘modern’ gemstones. As in, gemstones that were discovered and named later, and which the jeweller helped to popularise by featuring it in its collections.
One of these, which Tiffany dubs its “legacy” gemstones, is kunzite. It’s named after George Frederick Kunz, the American gemologist who is considered one of the greatest in his field. Aged just 23, he joined Tiffany & Co. as its first ever chief gemologist, and stayed with the firm until his death in 1932. In that time, Kunz worked on cutting the Tiffany yellow diamond, and proposed the name of the gemstone morganite to honour friend, customer and known gemstone connoisseur J.P. Morgan.
But the gemstone that George Kunz is most remembered for is kunzite, a new mineral that he identified and which was named after him. Kunzite has a unique appearance, with the best examples having vivid colour in shades of lilac to violet. The gemstone can occur in large specimens with big stones, and tend to be quite eye-clean so that its intense colour can really shine.
The point of this gemstone’s importance to Tiffany & Co. was underscored recently when the house announced its acquisition of an incredible 7,500 carat uncut kunzite that was unearthed over 25 years ago in Mozambique. “This crystal’s exceptional size, clarity and colour are rare testaments to Mother Nature’s artistry,” said Victoria Wirth Reynolds, Tiffany & Co.’s chief gemologist and vice president of high jewellery diamond and gemstone acquisition.
“This kunzite of over 7,500 carats,” she added in a press statement, “marks a significant moment in Tiffany’s legacy of exceptional gemstones.” As for what the jeweller intends to do with this remarkable stone, the answer lies in one of its hero designs that also happens to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year: the Bird on a Rock by Jean Schlumberger.
Schlumberger’s iconic design of a cockatiel perching on a gemstone has enjoyed a renaissance of late with Tiffany, which has made it a centrepiece of its branding and imagery. It’s a genius piece of creativity that expresses all at once the strengths of Tiffany. High jewellery craftsmanship to create a highly detailed diamond-set cockatoo, as well as the simplicity of perching it atop exceptional gemstones so they get, almost nonchalantly, the spotlight.
To commemorate 60 years since the first Bird on a Rock brooch was introduced, Tiffany & Co. intends to create 10 bespoke high jewellery brooches set with kunzites cut from this extraordinary rough. Each faceted and polished gemstone will, of course, vary in cut and carat weight so no two are the same. And because these are being crafted in such a limited number, top clients have the opportunity of working with Reynolds on the specifications of the design of their Birds on a Rock. Now there’s something to set gem fiends and collectors aflutter.
