The Name Tiffany In Graffiti

When thinking about the colorful gemstones and flashy forms that so frequently characterized 1980s jewelry, it is impossible not to conjure images of the expressive confections that Paloma Picasso created for legendary American luxury house Tiffany & Co. For iconic work such as the Loving Heart ring and the Love & Kisses brooch, Picasso mined what she admired about urban street art in New York City’s grungy subways and brought it to fine jewelry-making on a global stage.

The daughter of artists Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gilot, Paloma was destined for creative success. She was determined to succeed on her own, however, and didn’t rely on her parents' renown. Picasso graduated from the Université de Paris in Nanterre, where she studied jewelry design and costuming. She spent a short period in the late 1960s as a fashion designer and a jewelry stylist for a Parisian theater company, an experience that essentially ignited Picasso’s career. Critics took notice, and her friend and French fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent commissioned her to make costume jewelry for his runway collections.

Picasso designed a collection of necklaces and bracelets for the Greek jewelry firm Zolotas in the early 1970s, and her success with Saint-Laurent led to an important connection between Picasso and Tiffany & Co. design director John Loring. Picasso jumped at Loring’s request to present a table setting at a 1979 Tiffany & Co. exhibition, and within a single year, Loring commissioned her to design jewelry for the brand. Her first proper collection, Paloma's Graffiti, is her best-known work for the company.

Paloma had joined the illustrious ranks of Elsa Peretti and Angela Cummings — both revered jewelry designers who’d signed contracts with Tiffany just before her. Her Graffiti collection, which initially comprised a range of both slender and bubble-letter-like scribbles, X’s, O’s and other figures in 18-karat gold and palladium, was an extraordinary debut for her. Finding inspiration in Keith Haring’s Pop art as well as the street art that covered Manhattan subway cars of the era, Picasso introduced a graphic quality to her inaugural Tiffany line.

“In the ‘70s, people were starting to tag subways and walls, which had everyone outraged,” Picasso explained of the concepts behind her vibrant rings, earrings and necklaces. “I wanted to look at graffiti differently and try to make something positive out of it.”

Picasso would later draw on nature for her sterling silver-and-pearl Olive Leaf accessories at Tiffany and frequently created gold necklaces and bracelets that were set with a striking mix of colorful semi-precious stones.

Throughout her career, Picasso has garnered acclaim from many institutions such as the Fashion Group International and was presented with an award in 1988 by the Hispanic Designers Council. She has been recognized the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and her work is held in the collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Field Museum in Chicago.

Find vintage Paloma Picasso Tiffany & Co. brooches, bracelets and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Earrings are a timeless accessory. Women have been wearing studs and hoops in civilizations as far back as Ancient Egypt. Diamond drop earrings, pearl versions and other antique drop earrings have a long history as well.

While hoops will always be beautiful, drop earrings hold their own as dazzling accessories, and jewelry designers have explored different variations on this style of earring over time.

Although the term is often misapplied, true drop earrings are characterized by a long lean line ending in a pear-shaped stone that drops just below the earlobe. These accessories were popular in the Art Deco era, which encompassed the 1920s and ’30s and ushered in a very distinct look in jewelry design.

There were many influences on Art Deco jewelry; among them, the excavation of the tomb of King Tut in 1922. “Egyptomania” left an indelible mark on all of the major jewelry houses, from Cartier to Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and Georges Fouquet. Today, the popularity of long Art Deco drop earrings can be attributed to the influence of Coco Chanel. These earrings are frequently characterized by simple shapes, clean lines and an integration of colorful stones such as blue sapphires, emeralds and rubies to accent the pieces’ diamonds. Indeed, during the 20th century, as technology for diamond cutting improved, diamond drop earrings and other diamond jewelry came into wide popularity. Formal examples of diamond drop earrings pair perfectly with a cocktail dress or fancy pantsuit, while gem-set and gold drop earrings make great daytime accessories.

While there are at least several types of earrings you could be wearing right now, drop earrings work well for anyone who favors a minimalist look. Whatever the occasion, find a wide range of antique, diamond and pearl drop earrings on 1stDibs.