Manhattan’s New Crown Jewel: An Inside Look At Tiffany & Co.’s Iconic Fifth Avenue Landmark

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

Over the last several months, the excitement around the renovation of Tiffany & Co.’s Landmark at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue has been building with whispers of the reopening. Today, the highly anticipated wait is finally over as Tiffany & Co. has announced that the doors will officially reopen again this month. Standing as one of Manhattan’s most legendary landmarks since 1940, The Landmark transcends beyond a boutique, making the reopening even more monumental. In fact, the new Landmark marks the luxury retail institution’s first holistic renovation of the store since it opened its doors more than eight decades ago. 

“The reopening of the iconic Fifth Avenue Landmark is a major milestone for our House. Symbolic of a new era for Tiffany & Co., the Landmark is much more than a jewelry store— it is a cultural hub with an exquisite showcase of architecture and superior hospitality, as well as cutting-edge art and design. It sets a new bar for luxury retail on a global scale,” notes Anthony Ledru, Tiffany & Co. President and Chief Executive Officer.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

The Landmark building is teeming with a rich history as the building was originally constructed in 1905 as the home of the Associated Press. At the time, it was considered one of the world’s most advanced and technologically sophisticated buildings. Then, in 1940, Tiffany & Co. purchased the building and began an extensive renovation process. The renovation was overseen by John F. Staub, a prominent architect known for his work on luxury homes and estates. Staub worked closely with the Tiffany family to create a store that was both elegant and functional while also preserving the building’s historic features. Since its opening, The Landmark has served as a testament to the enduring legacy of Tiffany & Co. and its commitment to excellence, quality, and luxury.

For the redesign, the new flagship fuses the past with the future to ultimately recreate The Landmark in a modern landscape. While the new Landmark reintroduces the world to new Tiffany & Co. custom artwork, bespoke jewels, and immersive displays that illustrate the new Landmark, it also honors the building’s iconic codes, like the beloved façade with its Atlas statue and clock above the revolving doors, which was refurbished in homage to its original design. However, inside is a whole new — wonderful — world. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. tapped renowned architect Peter Marino for the interior architecture and OMA New York, led by the renowned Shohei Shigematsu, to spearhead the renovation of the building’s core and circulation infrastructure as well as the addition of the new three-story volume above the existing building. The OMA/Shohei Shigematsu-led rooftop addition, replacing the office space added in 1980, features two distinct yet connected forms that make up the unified volume. 

Upon entering, guests are instantly immersed in Tiffany & Co.’s sparkling new world. The first floor is adorned with jewelry cases illuminated by the skylight, iconic New York City scenery through video walls that project sweeping views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline when turned on and serve as mirrors when turned off, and a new Tiffany & Co. clock, inspired by the original Atlas statue and clock, also sits on the ground level. Throughout the Landmark’s ten floors, guests will discover nearly 40 highly curated, never-before-seen commissioned pieces featuring works by renowned artists, including Damien Hirst, Julian Schnabel, Rashid Johnson, Anna Weyant, and Daniel Arsham. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

The focal point of the boutique is undeniably the sculptural spiral staircase with undulating transparent balustrades adorned with rock crystal, inspired by the designs of Elsa Peretti. Another must-visit floor is the Blue Box Cafe™ by New York’s Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, offering the incredibly unique Tiffany & Co. dining experience (now feautring a private dining area). In addition, floors eight and nine are set to be dedicated museum and exhibition spaces that will become home to a rotation of compelling concepts and unique storytelling moments for the brand. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

The reopening of The Landmark is a major moment for Tiffany & Co.’s relationship with New York, transcending beyond the flagship into a profound global effect. And while the building is certainly rich in history, this moment also marks a lot of firsts for the brand: it will now be the home to the largest collection of Tiffany High Jewelry in the world, with perhaps the biggest wonder of them all— a new design for the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond, and it also reopened with a significant investment in leading environmental, health and wellbeing initiatives and was built to operate sustainably for years to come.