Tiffany & Company (NYSE: TIF)
(known colloquially as
Tiffany or
Tiffany's) is an American
multinational luxury jewelry
and specialty retailer, having headquarters in New York City, United States. Tiffany sells
jewelry, sterling silver, china, crystal, stationery, fragrances, personal
accessories, as well as some leather goods.
Many of these goods are sold at Tiffany stores, as well as through direct-mail
and corporate merchandising. Tiffany is renowned for its luxury goods and is
particularly known for its diamond jewelry. Tiffany markets itself as an arbiter of
taste and style.
Founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young
in New York City in 1837 as a "stationery and fancy goods emporium", the store
initially sold a wide variety of stationery items, and operated as "Tiffany,
Young and Ellis" in Lower Manhattan. The name was shortened to
Tiffany & Company in 1853 when Charles Tiffany took control and established the
firm's emphasis on jewelry. Tiffany & Company has since opened stores in major cities all over the world.
Unlike other stores at the time in the 1830s, Tiffany clearly marked the prices
on its goods to forestall any haggling over prices. In addition, against the
social norm at the time, Tiffany only accepted cash payments, and did not accept
payments on credit.
The first Tiffany's mail order catalog, known as the "Blue Book," was
published in 1845 in the United States (U.S.);
and publishing of the catalog continues in the 21st century. In 1862, Tiffany &
Company supplied the Model 1840 Cavalry Saber), flags and
surgical implements. In 1867, Tiffany & Co. was the first US firm to win an
award for the excellence in silverware at the
Exposition Universelle in
Paris.
Read the full history of Tiffany at Wikipedia
by clicking here.