Tiffany & Co. has introduced many acclaimed collections since Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young founded the brand in 1837. But few have left as strong an impression on the brand as Elsa Peretti. The jewelry produced under her vision broke convention and appealed to a broader, modern audience. Today, her pieces are still among Tiffany’s most popular.
This spotlight on Elsa Peretti explains how her collection came to be, why demand is as high as ever, and what differentiates her designs from other Tiffany jewelry.
Who Was Elsa Peretti? From Fashion Model to Jewelry Designer
Peretti was born in Florence on May 1, 1940. Her mother, Maria Pighini, had always fueled her fascination for the arts, and growing up in Italy’s artistic atmosphere helped develop her aesthetic sensibilities. But Peretti didn’t envision a career in jewelry design, at least not right away.
Fiercely independent and driven, she moved to Barcelona in the 1960s to pursue modelling. Her time in Spain introduced her to the abstract art styles popular in Europe at the time. In particular, the work of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí and surrealist artist Salvador Dalí inspired her, and these influences are unmistakable in the sculptural designs that later defined her jewelry.
It wasn’t until 1969, a year after moving to New York for modeling, that Peretti began dabbling with jewelry design. Despite being new to the craft, her one-of-a-kind designs quickly gained recognition. In 1971, fashion designer Giorgio di Sant’Angelo showcased her jewelry in his runway show. The exposure introduced Peretti to the public as a force to be reckoned with in the jewelry industry. Her pieces, described as simple yet fluid, sensual, and organic, diverged from the elaborate styles dominating the era.
Peretti joined Tiffany & Co. in 1974, after fashion designer Halston, a close friend, introduced her to the company’s then-chairman, Walter Hoving. The rest was history. Today, she’s one of the few designers at Tiffany honored with namesake collections. She retained creative control throughout her tenure, designed hundreds of pieces across multiple categories, and is “one of the most successful women in the jewelry field,” declares Vogue magazine.
Signature Elsa Perretti Jewelry Pieces
One of the most striking elements of the Elsa Peretti line is her use of ”unconventional” materials for luxury jewelry. Tiffany had mainly worked with gold, platinum, and diamonds. Peretti brought sterling silver to the forefront, alongside other materials like lacquer, jade, and rattan. Most of her designs feature natural curves, with each piece looking as if she molded them by hand.
The following designs remain in production and continue to receive consistent buyer demand in the primary and secondary markets:
1. Bone Cuff
The Bone Cuff launched in the 1970s and became one of the most recognizable designs under Peretti’s name. Unlike anything Tiffany had ever released, the stunning piece curves around the wrist with a pronounced dip along one side to match the forearm’s natural contour. Peretti produced mirror-image versions for the left and right arm to ensure an anatomical fit.
Tiffany introduced the piece in sterling silver before expanding into yellow gold and rose gold editions. Multiple sizes are available to accommodate different wrists, though the contour is the same across all models.
Vintage Bone Cuffs with early hallmarks and original packaging are highly sought by collectors. In retail, Tiffany continues to produce the design without changes to its proportions or materials.
2. Open Heart
Peretti’s inspiration for the iconic Open Heart design was a void in a Henry Moore sculpture. She fixated on that deliberate empty space and translated it into a symmetrical heart with an open center. Today, this fluid, open-ended heart shape remains one of Tiffany’s most beloved motifs.
Tiffany & Co. produces the Open Heart in the form of pendants, bracelets, rings, and earrings in sterling silver, platinum, or gold, with or without diamonds. Multiple sizes exist, ranging from delicate pendants suited for daily wear to larger statement pieces. Seasonal releases sometimes introduce minor variations in scale or chain type, but the overall design has not changed since its debut.
3. Bean
The Bean is another demonstration of Peretti’s unmatched superiority in designing jewelry with sensuous contours. Simple yet sophisticated, this rounded pod with a polished surface attaches to a metal chain or silk cord through small openings on each side.
The Bean varies in size and comes with or without diamonds. Smaller versions are perfect for daily wear, while larger statement pieces are definite head-turners. Resale value varies by production year, materials used, finish, and whether the original packaging is included.
4. Diamonds by the Yard
Elsa Peretti introduced Diamonds by the Yard in 1974. The design features bezel-set diamonds spaced along fine metal chains. Each piece is dainty yet luxurious, allowing anyone to effortlessly wear diamonds all day and every day.
The collection includes necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. Necklaces are among the most popular, with each piece’s number of diamonds ranging from a few stones to over a hundred spaced across the chain.
Over the years, the line has expanded to include different lengths, subtle design upgrades, and mixed-metal combinations. Vintage versions with higher total carat weights, platinum settings, or production hallmarks from the 1970s and 1980s are highly coveted among collectors.
5. Mesh
Elsa Peretti’s Mesh collection for Tiffany & Co. brought flexible, textile-like metal to fine jewelry. The entire collection is one-of-a-kind, bold, modern, yet unfussy. Woven from fine‑gauge chains, the mesh drapes and conforms to the body with an ergonomic grace, whether it’s in a scarf‑style sterling silver necklace or a mesh-fringe pair of 18K gold earrings.
The technique is deceptively simple, but only someone like Perreti could pull off something so unconventional. Explained simply, she transformed metal into a “fabric” of interlinked chains. Each piece looks fluid under light, glimmering evenly across a mesh-like surface while still bearing the toughness people would expect from a precious metal.
To reproduce, Tiffany’s skilled artisans use specialized machinery to weave fine-gauge chains into a continuous mesh. Limited runs in rarer metals or select bracelet widths, scarf lengths, and necklace lengths are less common in the secondary market, which increases their desirability among avid collectors.
Licensing, Ownership, and Legacy
Elsa Peretti held the rights to her designs throughout her career. Her partnership with Tiffany proceeded under licensing agreements, which both parties renewed periodically. In her later years, she ensured those rights would transfer to the Nando Peretti Foundation, which she formed in 2000 and renamed the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation in 2015. This charitable organization manages her estate’s intellectual property and receives royalties from Tiffany & Co. under a 20-year agreement signed in 2013. Following her death on March 18, 2021, Tiffany continued to produce and sell her designs under the terms of this agreement, directing royalties to support the foundation’s philanthropic work.
Elsa Peretti Jewelry Buyers in Scottsdale, AZ
Here at Biltmore Loan and Jewelry, we appraise and buy Tiffany & Co. pieces, including designs from the Elsa Peretti line. We evaluate each item based on current market demand, condition, and authenticity to ensure a competitive offer. Visit our Scottsdale office to achieve the best possible return for your jewelry.