Gentry
"Peninsula FYI"
May, 2003 |
Breakfast at Tiffany's & More
Christine VanDeVelde muses upon the bejeweled world of one of America’s
favorite institutions
Why can't life be more like Tiffany & Co.? As Holly Golightly says in
the iconic film adaptation of Truman Capote's novella Breakfast at
Tiffany's, "Nothing very bad could happen to you there."
You won't be bored, you won't be snubbed, you won't be gossiped about
after you leave, you will be able to get what you came for and you'll have
a wonderful time.
At Tiffany & Co., you will never have to listen to the endless details of
someone's ski trip to Sun Valley or their tiresome re-decorating plans,
because Tiffany & Co. is a great story all by itself. Their history is
full of tales of enameled orchids and bejeweled sea creatures, trade wars
and yellow beryls, immense Indian diamonds and fleeing French aristocrats
and a particularly good one about Queen Isabella II and the palace chef.
We should only be so lucky with our tablemates at the next dinner party we
attend.
At Tiffany & Co., the person you are speaking to will not be looking over
your shoulder to see if there is someone coming who might be of more use
to them. You are the focus at Tiffany & Co., because at Tiffany & Co.
manners are important. They know how to behave. Even though they can tell
quite good stories of shenanigans in the Spanish court, keep in mind that
these occurred more than 100 years ago. Tiffany & Co. is very discreet,
unlike some others we know socially.
At Tiffany & Co., you will find a commitment to excellence. In a world
where it seems like everyone is devoted to doing just enough to get by,
Tiffany & Co. still has standards. Less than 2% of the world's diamond
supply meets their stringent criteria and those diamonds are cut to
maximize brilliance, not size. And, at Tiffany & Co., you will find a
standard of service not usually found in today's retail world where stores
don't stock enough mascara and stockings, and fail to honor return
policies. At Tiffany & Co., you may return your jewelry for cleaning at
any time, your diamonds will be serviced for their lifetime and you may
upgrade your gems anytime you choose. (Remember what they say: as you age,
your house and diamonds get smaller.)
At Tiffany & Co., you will find exquisite craftsmanship, and classic
design. They literally invented the classic six-prong setting for
diamonds. And have you ever seen any woman of any age who doesn't look
good wearing the Tiffany heart tag bracelet? From the stainless steel
entrances to their signature trademarked blue boxes, Tiffany & Co. has
great style. It is modern and American and it can be yours, too.
Lastly, at Tiffany & Co., there is no pretense. It does not try to put you
in your place like the woman who complains over cocktails that her jet is
being serviced, so she has to fly – horrors! -- commercial. Tiffany & Co.
is modest and possessed of a long tradition of a democratic vision of
luxury. From its start, the founders insisted, says Tiffany Design
Director John Loring, "that there be items for 50 cents and there be the
most important gemstones in America." It knows what it is and so does
everyone who works for it.
In Breakfast at Tiffany's, Holly Golightly yearns for a place where
"me and things go together." She's not sure where that is, but she knows
what it's like. "It's like Tiffany's," she says. Holly and I are still
looking. In the meantime, we visit Tiffany & Co. |
