Inside Tiffany & Co.’s Beautifully Renovated Vancouver Flagship Store

Modern elegance, a sophisticated palette and natural light allow Tiffany’s diamonds to sparkle even brighter in their updated home

The corner of Burrard and Alberni Streets in Vancouver is looking a lot more glamorous now that Tiffany & Co. has revealed a brilliant new facade. The newly designed Vancouver flagship has nearly tripled in size (from 3,322 square feet to 9,762 square feet) and includes the addition of a second-floor showroom. The opening also commemorates the luxury brand’s 10th anniversary in Vancouver, reinforcing its commitment to bringing the ultimate Tiffany experience to residents and visitors of this city.

The exterior is an architectural testament to understated elegance, a nod to Art Moderne with elements inspired from the Fifth Avenue flagship in New York. Before entering, look up and you’ll be greeted by a nine-foot-tall statue of the Greek God Atlas, holding a clock on his shoulders, similar to the one in front of the New York flagship, which for decades was the time by which city commuters set their watches.

Surrounding Atlas is a corner transformed: two-storey granite facade reminiscent of American Deco skyscrapers, Tiffany Blue awnings and accent bands, as well as some striking halo-lit signage. All these adorn a completely reshaped curved building exterior that welcomes all through its double doors.

Read on to see what’s in store and why you should visit…

1. Take a look inside

The modern elegance continues inside as guests are greeted with a soft, sophisticated palette featuring natural elements, accessorized with plush peacock blue accents. The centre of the store’s first floor now features the fine jewellery salon, a spacious environment showcasing some of Tiffany’s most precious items, including their Blue Book collection, which was on display during the opening weekend to help mark the occasion of the grand reopening.

2. Check out Tiffany’s Art of the Wild collection

The 2017 Blue Book collection, The Art of the Wild, was in Vancouver for its first stop after its debut in New York City the week prior. This stunning collection is composed of six themes: Whispers of the Rain Forest; Miracle Berry; The Falls; Leaves of the Sun; Feathered Cloak; and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. The designers were all immersed in tropical locations for inspiration and the result is a beautiful collection full of movement and energy.

As an example, Melvyn Kirtley, chief gemologist and vice president of high jewelry for Tiffany & Co., points out the incredibly intricate engineering that went into the design of his favourite piece, a cascading showpiece meant to replicate a waterfall (pictured above). With over 3,000 diamonds, it’s easy to overlook the technical mastery behind the sparkle, but it’s the articulation of every joint that allows this piece to move as it if were liquid, showing off the diamonds at their very best.

“We continuously push the boundaries of craftsmanship and innovation in every way, ” says Kirtley. “Every single year we’re looking for different ways to produce pieces that are so technically complicated, they seem almost impossible, but this is where we make the impossible happen.”

3. Visit Tiffany Vancouver’s bridal salon

To the right of the entrance is the new bridal salon, a much larger space for accommodating groups. For anyone familiar with Mr. Tiffany’s magnolia-patterned stained-glass screens (now in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art), the feature wall here consists of églomisé glass panels depicting the same magnolia pattern. Opposite this room at the other end of the store is the private sales salon, featuring four private rooms that were designed to evoke the feeling of New York City’s Upper East Side residences.

4. Take in the natural light

Probably the most striking aspect of this newly renovated store is the intangible: the magnificent amount of natural light pouring in through the double-height windows.

“The best way to view jewellery is with natural light,” advises Wendy Eagan, group VP for Tiffany & Co. Canada. From the second floor, the store and views are even more impressive, providing panoramas of the inner foyer and outside streets below. Here, customers will find the fashion salon, showcasing many signature Tiffany & Co. pieces as well as a grand display of watches and a salon for homewares and giftwares.

Tiffany & Co., 723 Burrard Street, Vancouver