The ongoing conversation surrounding gender norms and identity has just seen a powerful contributor enter the chat: Tiffany & Co. The American jeweller recently unveiled Tiffany Lock, an all-gender collection that makes a bold statement, starting with its tagline, “No rules. All welcome.”
As is evident from its name, the collection reimagines the form and structure of the padlock, elevating a humble, everyday object to a symbol of inclusivity and the bonds forged between people. The messaging shines through loud and clear in its advertising campaign, which shows the Tiffany Lock bangles looking equally good on Dutch model Imaan Hammam, who is of Egyptian and Moroccan descent, as they do on American skateboarder, Tyshawn Jones.
And of course Tiffany & Co. ambassadors Blackpink’s Rosé as well as Eileen Gu wear them with perfect aplomb. This is versatile jewellery made for everyone, that celebrates our similarities and the ties that bind us.
While the collection is new to the house, its namesake motif certainly isn’t. The padlock has always been a part of Tiffany & Co’s design vernacular. Before the 1950s, functional locks were a part of the jeweller’s regular product offering. Post mid-century, the brand increasingly explored the aesthetic potential of this motif, using it as a design element in key rings, money clips, brooches, and necklaces.
The padlock and its various forms gradually evolved to become the scaffolds that built whole collections; recall the iconic heart tag and its toggle in Return to Tiffany, as well as the elongated gauge links in Tiffany HardWear, the chainlink-inspired motifs in Tiffany Knot… And although the lock’s physical form doesn’t make an appearance in Tiffany Keys, its presence is certainly alluded to.
But Tiffany Lock takes the reference up a notch to incorporate not just the form of a padlock, but also the way it functions. An innovative mechanism in the clasp allows it to swivel and close with a satisfying click, the same way a shackle on a lock would. Similar mechanisms can sometimes be found in hoop earrings, but the fact that it has been achieved here without any visible screws or joints represents quite a breakthrough in contemporary jewellery design.
The result is a sleek, minimalist profile—exactly what you’d want in a versatile piece created to suit everyone.
The collection is starting small with an all-gender bracelet in just four iterations: 18K rose gold, 18K yellow gold, rose gold with the clasp in white gold set with pavé diamonds, and yellow gold with the same diamond-set clasp.
Worn alone, the all-metal versions work well as a subtle accessory peeking out under the cuff of a blazer for the office, or as an understated finishing touch to a casual t-shirt and jeans get-up.
Versions with the diamond-set clasp add the perfect amount of bling to a black-tie or cocktail outfit. Wear them alone if you are going for elegance, and stacked to make a statement. The latter was what Gal Gadot did for the collection’s launch party in Los Angeles last October. She turned up wearing a grand total of 12 Tiffany Lock bracelets, six on each arm. It was certainly a nod to Wonder Woman’s Bracelets of Submission, and a demonstration of how the slim, minimal profile of the bracelets makes stacking a breeze.
The collection will be available in Singapore from January 2023. More designs will follow progressively, including a limited-edition interpretation by American contemporary artist Daniel Arsham. This piece will be crafted in 18k white gold hand-set with more than four carats of pavé diamonds on the main body of the bangle plus over one carat of pave tsavorites on the clasp.
