Elsa Peretti, master craftsman behind Tiffany & Co.’s iconic bone cuff

Halston later asked Peretti to design the bottle for his eponymous fragrance. The curvaceous bottle she created became its signature and went on to become the second best-selling perfume in history, after CHANEL No. 5.

Meanwhile, her jewellery career continued to flourish. In 1972, Bloomingdale’s opened a store dedicated to Peretti’s designs. Two years later, she signed with Tiffany & Co., creating a line of silver jewellery for a younger clientele. The collection bore Peretti’s distinctive voice, from heart-shaped necklaces that seemed to float in midair to bold, contemporary bracelets. Her designs quickly earned a devoted following.

By the mid- to late 1970s, Elsa Peretti was a regular on New York’s social scene. She and Halston frequented Studio 54, until their partnership ended. Peretti withdrew to the small village of Sant Martí Vell in Catalonia, Spain, where she bought and restored an old house. She spent much of her time in the village from the 1980s onward.

Beyond restoring her home, Peretti contributed to preserving many of the village’s historic structures, which include traces of a second-century Roman settlement and a twelfth-century temple. She also devoted resources to archiving photographs and documents, quietly nurturing the cultural heritage of the community she calls home.

Elsa Peretti has created more than 30 jewellery collections for Tiffany & Co., including signature lines such as Bean, Open Heart, Mesh, Bone, and Zodiac. She works with a wide array of materials, from sterling silver, 18K gold, and turquoise to lacquer and rattan. Her travels across Japan, China, and Europe have profoundly shaped her design language. Geometric motifs form her vocabulary, while a sculptural sensibility underpins every creation.

Despite her modern outlook, Elsa Peretti’s designs remain rooted in traditional jewellery making. She approaches the natural world as both researcher and artist. For Peretti, every motif carries meaning: the heart conveys emotion, the starfish movement, and tears are not sorrow but distilled joy.

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Among her celebrated creations, the Diamonds by the Yard collection features necklaces set with gemstones in bezel settings. Yet it is the Bone Cuff collection that truly defines her legacy, with soft curves and materials that harmonise with the wearer’s body.

Introduced in 1970, the Bone Cuff has endured through the decades. Through this piece, Peretti narrates the story of her life, drawing on her years in Rome. Childhood visits to the 17th-century Capuchin Catacombs and the memory of Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Milà in Barcelona left lasting impressions that continue to inform her designs.

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Elsa Peretti’s collaboration with Tiffany & Co. On this occasion, Tiffany revisits her iconic Bone Cuff collection, including the Bone and Split rings, celebrating natural beauty. Her European roots, upbringing in Italy, and studies in Rome inform the gentle contours that characterise her designs, each reflecting the landscapes, architecture, and art she has encountered.

The Bone Cuff embodies a union of emotion and technique, evoking the modern woman with an independent spirit. In creating it, Peretti sought comfort and confidence: the ring hugs each finger, while the bracelet seems to merge with the body’s bone structure. She once said, “I always focus on the operating mechanism and the feeling that the product brings. Each piece of jewellery must be both beautiful to attract and comfortable to wear.”

The Split and Bone rings continue this vision. Crafted in 18K gold and sterling silver, the pieces are bold yet refined. The Split and Bone Cuffs come in rose gold, white gold, and black over bronze, retaining the lightness and ease that define Elsa’s signature.

Incorporating gemstones adds personality and versatility. Tiger eye, with its natural brown-yellow veins, evokes a connection to earth and sky, appealing to those who cherish natural beauty. Turquoise, in vivid blue, provides a fresh highlight and offers protection from negative energy.

Iron tiger stone, with its striking red, yellow, and black hues, makes a daring statement. Snowflake obsidian, with a black base and white streaks, conveys calm and depth. Jadeite, in black, blue, and white variations, offers options for every taste, from classic black jade to gentle green jade or the purity of white jade.

This diverse gemstone selection allows for personalisation, making each Bone Cuff a unique addition to a woman’s collection. Whether drawn to the expressive energy of tiger’s eye or the subtle depth of jadeite, the Bone Cuff remains faithful to Peretti’s aesthetic: minimalist, bold, and celebratory of individuality.

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