Tiffany’s Bird takes flight in Manila
The Tiffany & Co. boutique at Greenbelt 3 transformed into an aviary of glamour as it played host to the launch of Bird on a Rock by Tiffany, the House’s latest high and fine jewelry collection. One of only a select number of boutiques worldwide chosen for this unveiling, the Greenbelt space pulsed with anticipation as celebrities, jewelry lovers, and Tiffany’s most loyal clients perched within its walls to witness the rebirth of an icon.
Seen glammed up and wearing dazzling designs by Tiffany & Co. were Friend of the House Anne Curtis, Kylie Versoza, Sarah Lahbati, Michelle Dee, Catriona Grey, Janeena Chan, Rhian Ramos, and BJ Pascual.
A legacy in flight
The Bird on a Rock is no ordinary motif. First conceived in 1965 by Jean Schlumberger, one of the 20th century’s most imaginative and daring jewelry designers, it was originally crafted as a whimsical brooch, featuring a diamond-eyed bird perched jauntily on an oversized gemstone.
Schlumberger, known for his fantastical interpretations of nature, became a star within Tiffany’s constellation of talents. His pieces were beloved by style icons such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis (who famously amassed so many of his bracelets), socialite Babe Paley, Gloria Vanderbilt, The Duchess of Windsor, and the jet set who favored jewelry as plumage.
A new flock takes shape
Now, under the vision of Nathalie Verdeille, Tiffany’s chief artistic officer of Jewelry and High Jewelry, the Bird on a Rock spreads its wings into an entire collection. Verdeille and her team looked to the natural world as Schlumberger once did, studying the delicate tension of feathers, the poised tilt of wings, and the way a bird seems ready to take flight at any moment.
“For the high jewelry Bird on a Rock designs, we studied birds as Jean Schlumberger did, carefully observing their stances, their feathers, the structures of their wings to create dynamic forms that seem to flutter and perch upon the wearer,” Verdeille explained.
In the fine jewelry collection, the focus shifts to abstraction. “We looked at this bird from another perspective, distilling it down to its essence — the wing — and stylizing the motif into elegant, abstract patterns,” said Verdeille.
High jewelry that soars
The collection’s two high jewelry suites are showstoppers. One celebrates tanzanite, a gemstone Tiffany introduced to the world in 1968, with a breathtaking necklace, bracelet, and earrings. Another suite centers on turquoise, a gemstone beloved by Schlumberger and Tiffany alike. The turquoise necklace features a diamond bird clutching strands of cabochon turquoise, crowned by a dramatic turquoise drop. Rubies glint as eyes, and intricate settings echo the iridescence of feathers.
Craftsmanship is key: Flame settings, rail settings, and feathered texturing give each wing its floating lightness. Some necklaces carry more than 600 diamonds, articulated so they move with the wearer, catching the light like a bird’s plumage mid-flight.
Fine jewelry with lift
The fine jewelry collection, Bird on a Rock by Tiffany, reimagines the motif with sculptural, stackable forms. Convertible earrings offer four looks — drop or stud, delicate or bold. Diamonds appear suspended midair, echoing the asymmetry and individuality of nature. Each piece reminds its wearer that love, like flight, is boundless.
A lasting flight
For Tiffany, birds have long been a source of inspiration, symbols of freedom, grace, and transformation. But it is Schlumberger’s Bird on a Rock that endures as the most iconic, an emblem of whimsy, optimism, and the courage to soar. With its Manila launch, Tiffany’s flock has landed, and the Bird on a Rock perches anew — reminding us all that the sky is, indeed, the limit.
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The Bird on a Rock Fine Jewelry Collection is available at the Tiffany & Co. flagship boutique located at Greenbelt 3.
