The Sixteen Stone collection was originally created by Tiffany & Co.’s legendary designer Jean Schlumberger in 1959. Its signature motif—yellow gold cross-stitches anchoring a row of diamonds—was inspired by his background as the scion of a prominent family of textile manufacturers in Alsace, France. The Sixteen Stone collection is an expression of love’s nurturing force, with the cross-stitch symbolizing that which is held precious.
A self-taught artist and designer, Schlumberger is celebrated for his exuberant style and inventive interpretations of tassels, ribbons, ropes and stitches inspired by textiles, as well as his iconic animal and botanical subjects. Notable for the imaginative use of 18k yellow gold to create intriguing textures and a rich background for colored stones and enamel, many of Schlumberger’s designs came to define the mid-century aesthetic.
The dial is made in two sections: a fixed central disc in Mother-of-pearl and an outer ring that features the Sixteen Stone collection’s signature cross-stitch motif in 18k yellow gold with 24 round brilliant diamonds of 1 total carat. Spinning freely with every gesture of the wearer’s wrist, the rotating ring creates the sense of movement that characterized so many of Jean Schlumberger’s designs.
The making of the rotating ring—a complex process requiring a total of 25 hours of work for the casting and mounting of the gold crosses and the setting of the diamonds—is testament to the skill of Tiffany & Co.’s goldsmiths and jewelry craftspeople. Casting the gold cross-stitch motifs requires a deep understanding of materials and techniques to achieve the desired result. It begins with the making of a mold for each piece; shaped according to the design, the dimensions of the mold must be accurate within fractions of a millimeter. The molten gold is poured into the mold and left to cool. When completely solidified, the piece is removed from the mold and painstakingly hand polished before being mounted onto the rotating ring, amid the diamonds.
Showcasing Tiffany & Co.’s legendary expertise in diamond setting, the watch case is snow-set with 413 round brilliant diamonds of 3.8 total carats.
Engraved with a sunburst pattern that takes inspiration from the Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. Floral Arrows brooch, the case-back is highlighted by a sprinkling of diamonds. The Tiffany Blue® alligator strap is fastened with a white gold T buckle set with 43 round brilliant diamonds.
There will be limited production of the Sixteen Stone watch by Tiffany each year.
