Tiffany & Co. unveils Bird on a Pearl inspired by Jean Schlumberger creation

Tiffany & Co. unveils Bird on a Pearl, an exclusive high jewelry capsule collection that reimagines the iconic Bird on a Rock brooch with the world’s rarest pearls. First created by Jean Schlumberger in 1965, the designer’s signature bird, perched on a gemstone, evolves into a suite of exquisite creations set with remarkable natural saltwater pearls. Sourced in the Gulf region and acquired from Mr. Hussein Al Fardan’s private collection, these pearls are prized for their size, shape and unrivaled luster. Tiffany & Co. will debut the suite at an exclusive event in Doha, Qatar this month.

A masterpiece within the collection is a three-strand necklace of graduated natural saltwater light cream pearls of over 371 total carats. Remarkable baroque, button and near-round pearls give new life to the iconic brooch, while a pendant, earrings and rings—set with rare natural saltwater dark gray, gray, light cream, light pinkish-brown and white pearls—are defined by subtle nods to Jean Schlumberger’s aesthetic. 

Mr. Hussein Al Fardan’s expertise on natural pearls from the Gulf region spans centuries. Natural pearls from the Gulf are recognized as the most exquisite pearls in the world. Creating a necklace of natural pearls from this region—uniform in size, shape and luster—can take over 20 years. Mr. Hussein Al Fardan’s private collection of natural pearls is the largest from the Gulf region. Mr. Hussein Al Fardan opened his doors to Tiffany & Co. to curate the pearls for this exclusive collection—a rare opportunity among high jewelry houses—even offering the jeweler some of his favorite pearls. 

Tiffany & Co. also unveiled a new design for the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond. Created by Nathalie Verdeille, Chief Artistic Officer, Jewelry & High Jewelry, the famed diamond will be reset into a new masterpiece, to celebrate the grand reopening of the Tiffany & Co. Fifth Avenue flagship store, now named “The Landmark”, April 28. The design draws inspiration from the iconic Bird on a Rock brooch, one of the Tiffany Diamond’s previous settings. First introduced in 1965 by Tiffany & Co. designer Jean Schlumberger, Bird on a Rock evolves into a breathtaking high jewelry creation that showcases the Tiffany Diamond as both a brooch and a pendant.

The brooch is designed with five diamond-encrusted birds that encircle the Tiffany Diamond, a sophisticated reimagining of the iconic Bird on a Rock brooch. Capturing the motion of flight, no two birds are the same and each are marked by subtle differences. The masterful, transformable design required 1,384 hours to create, 407 hours to set and 190 hours to polish, exhibiting detailed craftsmanship. With 2000 hours of development, this pinnacle piece both honors and evolves Jean Schlumberger’s vision for the Bird on a Rock brooch while highlighting the unrivaled legacy of the Tiffany Diamond.

“Thirty years ago, we set the diamond in the Bird on a Rock for the Jean Schlumberger Paris retrospective. Today, the Tiffany Diamond and the Bird on a Rock meet again for a new love story full of liberty and joie de vivre,” said Nathalie Verdeille, Chief Artistic Officer, Jewelry and High Jewelry, Tiffany & Co.