It was in a historic Beverly Hills Mansion this past spring that the latest Tiffany & Co. Blue Book collection, Tiffany Céleste, was first presented to the public in all its sparkling brilliance. It’s one thing to see images of high jewellery online and in the pages of magazines, but to experience these pieces up close and be able to hold and touch them—and sometimes even try them on—is completely different and only makes one appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship all the more. This particular collection was inspired by the brand’s late legendary designer Jean Schlumberger and his fascination with the celestial universe and wonderfully designed by Nathalie Verdeille, Tiffany’s chief artistic officer, and her talented team.

Verdeille took a deep dive into the brand’s rich archives to adapt Schlumberger’s jewelled interpretations of the sun, moon, stars, distant galaxies and fantasy worlds, uniting the familiar with the whimsical while paying homage to his surreal and fantastical silhouettes and the Tiffany codes. “With Out of the Blue, we went into the depths of the sea and looked at aquatic life as seen through the eyes of Schlumberger,” she says of the first Blue Book collection she designed for the brand. “Now, we’ve gone in the opposite direction: into the sky with the stars. And [we’ve explored] not only what’s lunar or solar but also [things] on a mythological level, a spiritual level. It was really a voyage into space and all its dimensions.”

The collection launches in three phases, starting with this one, which will be followed by the next two in the fall. The first phase is divided into six distinct chapters: Wings, Ray of Light, Iconic Star, Constellation, Apollo and Arrow. The Wings theme symbolizes flight and fantasy; Ray of Light takes inspiration from archival Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany brooches that emulate the sun’s rays; Iconic Star is influenced by sketches in which Schlumberger explored the star silhouette as a symbol of the universe; and the Constellation chapter encompasses motifs that are defined by elements reminiscent of star patterns. The Apollo chapter reimagines the Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Apollo brooch while showcasing quintessential Tiffany & Co. yellow and white diamonds, and Arrow is inspired by elements of the Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Trophée de Vaillance brooch, which was crafted in 1941.

Pieces of the Apollo collection.

“Schlumberger was inspired most notably by the surrealist movement when he created these different themes,” explains Verdeille as she goes over the highlights of the collection. She points out specific features of the pieces, such as the use of yellow gold (a signature of Schlumberger’s), variations in symmetry that give them unexpected elements of interest and imbalance and their overall lightness, fluidity and movement. “Everything was considered with this collection—all the details, the gemstones, the materials used,” she says. “It’s incredibly well thought out.”

One challenge faced in creating this collection, says Verdeille, was the use of platinum; it’s much more dense in terms of weight compared to yellow gold, which made constructing pieces using both metals very complex. “It’s all such intricate work, but on the level of just working with these metals, [what we’ve done] is really innovative,” says Verdeille, who also included some modifiable pieces, such as a necklace that seamlessly turns into a tiara.

Verdeille also carefully considers how the pieces will look when worn: A necklace needs to sit just so around the neck and on the collarbones, earrings should accentuate the ear and rings are designed to float on the hand, always with a feeling of lightness and movement. “There’s an aspect of magic, [and it’s] married with technique,” she says with a smile. “I dream about jewellery.”

If the first phase of this collection is any indication of what’s to come, we can expect a fantastical jewellery reverie brought to life.

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