Symbols of perfection, pearls are the most classic of gems, bringing an air of elegance and sophistication to the women who wear them. No name in fine jewelry says “classic” more than Tiffany & Co., and in Tiffany Pearls, the venerable institution’s longtime design director traces the dazzling history of pearl jewelry at Tiffany, from the mid-19th century to the present, including fascinating accounts of many of the world’s most famous pearls since the Renaissance.

Tiffany Pearls is lavishly illustrated with archival photographs, portraits of illustrious pearl lovers through the centuries (including Queen Elizabeth I; Catherine de Medici; Mary, Queen of Scots; and Mary Todd Lincoln), sketches and drawings of Tiffany’s signature designs, and photographs of their spectacular antique and contemporary pearl pieces. In addition, celebrities from Audrey Hepburn to Elizabeth Taylor, Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, and Sarah Jessica Parker are pictured decked out in lavish Tiffany pearls.

John Loring has been the design director of Tiffany & Co. since 1979. Prior to joining Tiffany, he served as the New York bureau chief of Architectural Digest. The author of numerous books on Tiffany style and entertaining, Loring lives in New York City.