Over the past 50 years, the Return to Tiffany® collection has been an indelible and instantly recognizable symbol of the house of Tiffany. The origins of the Return to Tiffany® collection can be traced back to 1966, when Tiffany first began selling key tags featuring the now-famous “Please Return to Tiffany & Co. New York” phrase. The key tags were assigned a unique registration number, ensuring that if the owner and their keys were separated, they would be reunited at the legendary Tiffany Fifth Avenue flagship store. For nearly half a century, the Return to Tiffany® collection left its mark on the world as an icon that represents the luxury house’s New York City heritage and its legacy of craftsmanship—a core pillar of Tiffany & Co. since 1837.
A 1966 Tiffany advertisement showcased a heart-shaped Return to Tiffany® tag in 14k yellow gold, priced at $11 and hailed as the perfect Valentine’s Day present. A year later, in 1967, Tiffany debuted an oval Return to Tiffany® tag, also in 14k yellow gold, for $9. By 1969, Tiffany advertised a heart-shaped tag—still featuring the registered code number—on a keychain priced at $48, reminiscent of the modern chain bracelets featuring the key tag that Tiffany later introduced in the 1990s.
Over time, new takes on the familiar motif captivated the world with each new iteration. In 1980, Tiffany debuted the first jewelry design incorporating a Return to Tiffany® tag, a 14k yellow gold heart-shaped pendant on a box chain necklace. During the 1980s, Tiffany continued to offer the Return to Tiffany® tag on a screwball key ring.
In 1997, Tiffany diversified its Return to Tiffany® jewelry collection, introducing a sterling silver choker with an oval Return to Tiffany® tag. Noticeably absent from this iteration of the design is the registry number. The tag instead featured an engraved “925,” referencing the standard for silver that Tiffany established and was eventually adopted by the United States. The registry numbers reappeared briefly on tags in the Holiday 2000 Selections Catalog.
By the early 2000s, Return to Tiffany® tags achieved iconic status. The collection has expanded in what is now a diverse assortment of rings, pendants, cuffs and earrings—each with their own personality—all engraved with the iconic insignia.
Return to Tiffany® will always be a reminder of Tiffany’s unparalleled craftsmanship, its New York City heritage and the brand’s eternally cool spirit that has defined it since 1837.
TIFFANY, TIFFANY & CO., T&CO. and RETURN TO TIFFANY, amongst other names and symbols, are trademarks of Tiffany and Company and its affiliates. © 2021 Tiffany and Company. All Rights Reserved.
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