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The Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring Is Steeped in American Royalty
The brainchild of Tiffany & Co. jewelry designer Jean Schlumberger, the iconic diamond Sixteen Stone ring has evolved into a brand-new solitaire silhouette.
Natalie Portman wears the Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring in its new solitaire setting. (Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.)
Long before ring stacking became a trend, the Tiffany Sixteen Stone ring was already a jewelry-box essential among America’s most stylish women. Designed by Jean Schlumberger in 1959, the distinctive diamond-and-gold band became associated with icons like Bunny Mellon and has even been linked to Jacqueline Kennedy’s mysterious “swimming ring.”
Now, Tiffany & Co. is reimagining the beloved design for a new generation. The House has introduced the Sixteen Stone solitaire diamond ring, merging Schlumberger’s signature cross-stitch motif with the timeless appeal of a classic solitaire to create an elegant new expression of one of its most enduring icons.
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- Hannah Militano covers diamond jewelry trends, the fashion industry, pop culture, and celebrity news.
- She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
- As a journalist, her work has been featured in publications such as Editorialist, Carine Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book, L’Officiel USA, Grazia USA, Coveteur, and more.
The Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring Gets a Solitaire Makeover
Tiffany & Co. has just introduced an updated reimagining of the Sixteen Stone ring with a bold, modern perspective. The new design blends two of Tiffany’s milestone creations, merging the Sixteen Stone ring with a classic solitaire.
The stunning new center diamond is available in 2 to 2.99 carat sizes, set within the motif’s famed basket of X-shaped prongs. Six hand-applied 18-karat yellow gold X patterns appear to braid or “stitch” together natural diamonds around the platinum eternity band. Technically demanding, the innovative combination of platinum and 18-karat yellow gold emphasizes the House’s mastery of material and form.
Maintaining the original integrity and proportions of the long-beloved Tiffany Sixteen Stone ring, the updated iteration has been designed with versatility in mind. By allowing the diamond to hover above the band, the setting lifts the round brilliant-cut stone into the light, maximizing its brilliance.
The diamond solitaire isn’t the only new offering. The launch has also introduced Sixteen Stone all-metal rings for the very first time, alongside five new styles within the wider Sixteen Stone world. Together, these new jewels expand Tiffany’s Love & Celebration category in more than one direction, from high jewelry to elegant, everyday styles for any occasion. The full collection features rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings that vary in stone count while staying true to the collection’s iconic motif.
How Tiffany & Co. Revolutionized the Solitaire Ring
The diamond solitaire is the most popular engagement ring setting of all time. While appearing modern in its simplicity, the solitaire ring is a time-honored classic, dating back more than a century, and Tiffany & Co. played a significant role in its evolution.
A solitaire ring setting features a single center diamond taking center stage. The term “solitaire” comes from the Latin word “solitarius,” meaning “alone” or “solitary,” emphasizing the single, prominent stone. It’s all about showcasing the beauty and brilliance of one exceptional natural diamond.
In 1886, Charles Lewis Tiffany introduced the Tiffany Setting, redefining the standard of engagement rings as we know it today. Its iconic and innovative silhouette elevates the diamond above the band with a six-prong setting that is essentially hidden. Allowing for the diamond to hover above the band for an elegant floating effect lifts the round brilliant cut diamond into the light for the most incredible shine imaginable.
Expertly engineered by Tiffany’s 4,000 in-house master artisans, the Tiffany Setting has reinvented the classic solitaire ring, featuring a triple excellent cut diamond – the highest grade in the industry.
At the end of the 19th century, heavily embellished rings with ornate designs and gemstones set low against the band were considered en vogue. Mr. Tiffany’s revolutionary vision highlighted the diamond first, and the setting second, for a sleek and impactful design. Going on to offer the ring in various stone sizes and prices, Tiffany’s became the go-to retailer for engagement rings, selling the style at the New York boutique and through mail-order catalogs, complete with sizing guides for maximum impact.
The Origins of the Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring
The Tiffany Sixteen Stone ring was designed by the House’s first named jewelry designer, Jean Schlumberger, one of the most celebrated and gifted artists of the 20th century. Schlumberger was born in 1907 to a family of textile manufacturers in Alsace, France. Demonstrating a keen talent for drawing from a young age, the revolutionary designer found inspiration in garments and woven fabrics. In his early 20s, Schlumberger moved to Paris to hone his artistic craft.
By 1956, Tiffany chairman Walter Hoving recognized Schlumberger’s extraordinary talent and invited him to join the House as Vice President. He became renowned for transforming textile-inspired forms into sculptural, bejeweled works of art, implementing his signature use of woven gold, which remains a defining element of the House’s design language to this day.
In 1959, Schlumberger created the Tiffany Sixteen Stone ring as a wedding band, implementing that foundational inspiration from his family roots and transforming precious metals into intricately woven ropes, tassels, ribbons, and cross-stitches. The Tiffany Sixteen Stone ring’s signature X motif is even specifically inspired by a sewing cross-stitch, creating the illusion of round brilliant-cut diamonds strung together by precious metal threads.
From Jackie to Bunny: How American Royalty Showed Love for the Tiffany Sixteen Stone Ring
Jean Schlumberger’s ultra-creative Tiffany & Co. jewels quickly became de rigueur for the most fashionable women in the world, embraced by socialites, tastemakers, actresses, and even First Ladies. His muses included some of the foremost style icons of the time, with high-society women like Bunny Mellon, Babe Paley, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor championing his exuberant work to express their individuality.
As one of Schlumberger’s closest friends and collaborators, Mellon adored her Tiffany Sixteen Stone rings so dearly that she had them painted into her potting shed at her Oak Spring estate in Upperville, Virginia.
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was also known to wear a ring she reportedly referred to as her “swimming ring” or “pool ring.” While not much is known about the ring, it served as inspiration for the diamond and sapphire eternity band her son, John F. Kennedy Jr., proposed to Carolyn Bessette with. Much is debated when it comes to Jackie’s “swimming ring”—whether it included emeralds or sapphires—and where it came from.
Some believe President Kennedy commissioned the jewel from Van Cleef & Arpels as a 10th anniversary gift, a perfect match to her diamond and emerald Toi et Moi Van Cleef engagement ring. Others think the “swimming ring” was a Sixteen Stone ring design by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co. It would have been at home in her jewelry box among the rest of her Schlumberger creations, like her Crosillon bangles and her Two Fruits brooch.
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