When one thinks of timeless jewelry, the name Tiffany & Co. immediately comes to mind. The luxury house’s beloved Heart Tag Necklace is an emblem of both its enduring legacy and modern reinvention.
Function Meets Design
Tiffany has been a purveyor of fine jewelry with a feminine flair since its inception in 1837, and has long been known for its unwavering commitment to craftsmanship and loyalty to heritage.
One of the brand’s most highly coveted pieces, the Heart Tag Necklace, was released in its first iteration in 1980 as a box chain necklace with a 14k yellow gold heart-shaped pendant. Its inspiration, however, dates back to 1966, when Tiffany introduced key tags inscribed with the phrase “Please Return to Tiffany & Co. New York.”
What is now considered a trademark design feature was then a practical instruction. Each key tag was given a unique registration number, so if a tag was ever lost, it could be brought to the Tiffany Fifth Avenue flagship in New York and easily returned to its rightful owner.
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In 1966, the first heart-shaped tag, advertised in print as the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, was set in 14k yellow gold and cost $11. Three years later in 1969, Tiffany released the heart-shaped tag on a keychain for a total of $48, later switching over to a screwball key ring.
The screwball version is available today for $250. The luxury label’s practice of assigning tags registration numbers ended for the most part in 1997, when they replaced the unique identification marker with the three-digit number “927” engraved on the front. This refers to the percentage grade of the American Sterling Silver Standard, set by none other than Tiffany & Co. itself. True sterling is, by nature, fairly malleable, so it’s mixed with other metals to make the jewelry durable enough for wear.
The Evolution of a Hero
Since it debuted in 1980, the Heart Tag Necklace has evolved to include an array of chain and pendant designs; options with a round diamond inset on the heart; Tiffany blue, pink, and red heart charms, and, for some of the pieces, different metal options — sterling silver, rose gold, and yellow gold.
Tiffany’s best-selling Return to TIffany Heart Tag Toggle Bracelet and Heart Tag Toggle Necklace have risen in price in recent years due to the increase in cost of silver material, and now retail at $575 and $800, respectively.
How to Spot a Knockoff
As with every luxury brand, replicas are everywhere. At a glance, they might look authentic, but upon a closer examination, you can tell where the details or construction don’t measure up. The Tiffany sterling pieces typically feel heavier than the knockoffs, which are often only plated in silver. Real sterling also oxidizes over time, developing a discolored surface. This is to be expected and can be polished with a cloth, taken to a specialist, or brought to any Tiffany store for a complimentary cleaning. If you can see color underneath the discoloration, however, this is a clear indication that the piece is a fake.
Another telling sign is the quality of the chain. If the links are simply pressed shut and have a gap, it’s definitely a knockoff. Tiffany’s chains are always soldered together with no rough edges. They also have a tag next to the clasp, engraved with the Tiffany & Co. logo. Even their signature packaging is ripe for ripoffs, but the robin’s-egg blue that is quintessentially Tiffany is trademarked and notably difficult to duplicate, only adding to its desirability.
A Cultural Icon
By the early 2000s, the Return to Tiffany collection had not only gained a cult following, but it also had become a major status symbol. The Heart Tag Necklace, along with its bracelet and ring counterparts, were permanent fixtures on celebrities like Paris Hilton and Hilary Duff; defined the looks of popular early-aughts characters, like Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde,” and topped many teen’s wishlist.
They fit in with the unofficial uniform of the time — a Juicy Couture velour or terry tracksuit and rolled-over Ugg boots — but still represented an aspirational type of luxury that wasn’t attainable for everyone. If you had one, you wore it proudly.
Fast-forward 20 years, and Tiffany is primed once again for widespread popularity among young people, this time with a slightly edgier appeal. With the sale of the company to LVMH in 2020, the appointment of Anthony Ledru as Tiffany’s CEO in 2021 , and the strong resurgence of Y2K style in recent months from the runway to the street, Tiffany is more relevant than ever.
The Heart Tag Necklace, in its classic design and newer iterations, has been spotted on the likes of Ariana Grande and featured in the hit HBO drama “Euphoria.”
Tiffany’s approach to modernizing the brand includes tapping leading influencers to be brand ambassadors and the face of global campaigns, like Beyoncé and Jay Z, Hailey Bieber, Blackpink’s Rosé, Tracee Ellis Ross, Eileen Gu and Anya Taylor-Joy, and working with labels that are at the forefront of the fashion world.
Following the lead of brands like Louis Vuitton and Rimowa, Tiffany teamed up with arbiter of cool Supreme to create a six-piece collection that centered around the phrase “Please Return to Supreme New York,” a spin on its classic Return to Tiffany collection. Unsurprisingly, it sold out quickly. It marked Tiffany’s first collaboration with a streetwear brand and laid the groundwork for future projects that pay homage to the house’s rich history while catering to a younger clientele, like its upcoming collaboration with Pharrell Williams.
An exhibition on Tiffany’s heritage and influence, titled Vision & Virtuosity, is set to open at the Saatchi Gallery in London this summer, to celebrate the brand’s 150th anniversary in the capital. Over 400 objects from Tiffany’s archives will be on display, tracing its legacy over 185 years and showcasing its breadth of design. The Return to Tiffany collection will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in the exhibition, just as it has in popular culture, from its romantic beginnings in the ‘60s to its recent fashion revival.