Tiffany’s Victoria design

[mcmc]

Hi, I’m curious to know if anyone has insights on whether Tiffany’s Victoria design (4 marquise floral style) existed before Tiffany registered it in 1998?

I’m one of those who believe artistic creation should be respected. Some may argue that big brands charge premium because of their brand name and marketing cost, and it’d be a lot more cost effective to have the same design custom-made by jewelers, with the same material. In my view, the premium also includes royalty fee to the original design, which belonged to the brand; getting it custom-made, even without a brand’s logo, would be like getting a piece of fake item.

I’ve recently bought a Victoria necklace from Tiffany. Have saved up a while for it, as I think the design is Tiffany-unique, and so prefer to get it from the brand.

My friend, who’s a jewellery designer, says he’s appreciative that I pay respect to artistic creations. However, he commented that different brands actually copy from each other, and there’s no way to know if Tiffany actually came up with this simple design, or if it popularized it after the design registration.

From where I am located, a lot of local jewelers have this design for sale. I also see Sotheby selling a pair of earrings very similar to Tiffany’s (the proportion of Sotheby’s marquise diamonds is different from Tiffany’s).

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/_pa...OjkZ3ElXN70hmqzxCyssZNXVvfoFTeBoaAiWEEALw_wcB

So, out of curiosity, I’d like to know if anyone has insights on this? Thank you.

 

[AntiqueShopper]

Tiffany definitely popularized the design and trade marked it. Can we ever truly know if some small jeweler out there had a similar design to Tiffany’s before they trade marked it? Was there a historical piece that had a similar floral design? I think buying from Tiffany’s is the best way to get the design that you want with the paying homage to the original designer.

 

[mcmc]

Tiffany definitely popularized the design and trade marked it. Can we ever truly know if some small jeweler out there had a similar design to Tiffany’s before they trade marked it? Was there a historical piece that had a similar floral design? I think buying from Tiffany’s is the best way to get the design that you want with the paying homage to the original designer.

thanks for your reply and insight, AntiqueShopper.

i posted this topic in another jewellery forum, and one of their members shared a vintage non-Tiffany designed ring, which was manufactured in the 80s.

Late Deco 1.90ct Sapphire and Diamond Cluster Ring, c.1940s For Sale at 1stDibs

For Sale on 1stDibs - An impressive 1.90 carat sapphire sits enveloped in a cluster of round brilliant diamonds in this Late Deco cluster ring. The oval cut sapphire has a beautiful

www.1stdibs.com

another member also commented that her granddad had a pair of cufflinks that looked like the Victoria studs from way back in the 70s or 80s.

so, this design certainly was around before Tiffany trademarked it.

 

[sosauce]

I believe the four marquise design has been around for a while now at Tiffany. I remember seeing a very vintage Tiffany poster or advertisement that had a very elaborate necklace featuring the repeated motifs. I believe the current Victoria design is “inspired” by jewelry that Tiffany created during the Victorian era. Today, we might call it a flower, but the design is supposed to be a star. You know, like those vintage four pointed stars.

The time period makes sense. Louis Vuitton’s monogram pattern also has a four-petaled flower that came out during that time. The design of the four marquise diamonds is pretty famous with Tiffany now, but it’s not as though Tiffany is the only one to have ever used that design. I think it’s similar to how the quatrefoil design is synonymous with VCA Alhambra today, even though it’s also a design that has been around for centuries. Tiffany is just the company that popularized the four marquise design in jewelry.