Elsa Peretti at Tiffany: value, history, and authenticity — an independent guide

Het ontstaan

Elsa Peretti, born in Florence, began her jewellery career in the late 1960s in Barcelona and New York, initially in collaboration with Halston. In 1974, she began designing for Tiffany & Co. — a collaboration that would last until her passing in 2021 and which, at the time, shifted the house from strongly classic American to internationally contemporary.

Her design vocabulary is immediately recognisable and at the same time minimal: organic forms, surfaces that invite touch, no ornament that isn't functional. The Open Heart pendant — an asymmetrical open heart — became one of the best-selling pieces of jewellery in the modern American market from the late 1970s onwards. The Bone Cuff — a polished silver cuff that follows the shape of the wrist bone — is a direct sculpture on the arm and was originally designed for Halston, later further developed at Tiffany.

For style context: the designs align with a broader 1970s and 1980s design movement towards organic, functional jewellery — see also our style guide on the 1970s and 1980s, where Peretti is named as a key figure.

Uitvoeringen door de jaren

The Open Heart comes in many sizes, from tiny pendants of a few millimetres to substantial brooches. Materials range from sterling silver (by far the most common variant) to yellow, white, and rose gold, and platinum. Smaller silver Open Hearts are widely available and are at the lower end of the range; large gold versions and platinum versions are scarcer and at the higher end.

The Bone Cuff comes in different sizes for the left and right arm — the shape is asymmetrical and anatomically follows the wrist bones. Silver versions are standard; gold Bone Cuffs are substantially scarcer. Older work from the first production years has a slightly different finish and weight than more modern series.

Diamonds by the Yard — loose diamonds on a delicate chain — has a range in the number and sizes of the diamonds. Bean, Sevillana, and other core designs each come in various sizes and materials. What characterises the entire line: the designs are not dated by form alone. An Open Heart from 1978 and one from 2015 look identical from a distance; dating requires detailed inspection.

Echt of namaak?

Peretti's work is copied, particularly the Open Heart and Bone Cuff. Copies range from recognisably amateurish work in silver-plated base metal to professional imitations in genuine sterling silver. Patterns that should raise suspicion: weight that systematically deviates from what is customary for the size, a surface texture that does not have the same 'softness' as original work, and a brand inscription that differs from what is expected at a pattern level.

The escalation route: papers and box first, then physical appraisal by an appraiser with specific experience in Peretti's work. For more expensive gold and platinum versions, archival research through the house is possible. Peretti's own signature plus the house's brand inscription are part of the determination; the exact formats and positions are the knowledge domain of specialists and we do not describe them here as a checklist.

Verkopen of laten beoordelen

Keep the box, card, purchase receipt, and previously issued appraisals together. For sterling silver Peretti pieces, completeness is less decisive than for gold versions, but in all cases, a completely offered piece is more marketable. Our free photo advice is a starting point; follow the photography guide for appraisal.

Stuur beelden en een korte beschrijving; een specialist bekijkt binnen twee werkdagen wat je in handen hebt en adviseert over de juiste vervolgroute. Wij bemiddelen niet en zijn geen taxateur.