Tiffany & Co. presented an exhibition at Shanghai Aroma Garden last week to introduce Blue Book 2026: Hidden Garden. Designed by Nathalie Verdeille, the house's senior vice-president and chief artistic officer, in collaboration with the Tiffany Design Studio, the collection reinterprets the designs of Jean Schlumberger, exploring nature's most enchanting hidden worlds through exceptional gemstones and refined savoir-faire.
Inspired by the Oak Spring Garden of Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a close friend and patron of Schlumberger, the collection's masterpieces are displayed in a luminous garden-themed setting. The exhibition journey begins with archival jewelry pieces by Schlumberger that Mellon gifted to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Among the highlights is one of the earliest Bird on a Rock brooches, featuring a bird adorned with yellow and white diamonds perched atop a cabochon lapis lazuli.
The exhibition then moves into contemporary creations, bringing together selected pieces from the spring, summer and fall expressions of Blue Book 2026: Hidden Garden. Paying tribute to Schlumberger's 1961 creation, the Monarch necklace sets unenhanced sapphires amid intricate vines and leaves. The Twin Bud necklace captures the vitality of cascading buds through pear-shaped and oval cabochon emeralds set along intertwining platinum vines. Drawing inspiration from woven textures of natural fibers, the Raffia necklace pairs sugarloaf tanzanites with vibrant rubies in interlaced strands of platinum and 18-karat gold. The Palm chapter's enamel creations evoke the lush beauty of a garden through vivid colors and palm fronds studded with diamonds.
The exhibition also showcases a selection of high jewelry, including Bird on a Rock, Bird on a Pearl, Rainbow Bird on a Rock, alongside classic designs by Schlumberger. Together, these creations celebrate the legendary designer's enduring imagination and the house's exceptional high jewelry artistry.
Beyond jewelry, a dedicated space explores Tiffany & Co.'s watchmaking heritage. Archival timepieces offer a glimpse into the house's rich history, while contemporary designs, including Bird on a Rock watch, Enamel Watch by Tiffany and Eternity by Tiffany, highlight its distinctive blend of horological expertise and jewelry craftsmanship.
