B.W. COOK -- The Look

The Look travels this week into the inner sanctum of America’s most

famous jewelry store, Tiffany & Co. The store at South Coast Plaza is one

of the most successful in the world, led by Jo Ellen Qualls.

In a private office on a mezzanine level, through a security door,

more than a million dollars in precious materials were spread out on a

conference table. A security officer, dressed in business suit and tie,

looking more like the Secret Service with a wire in his ear, kept a

watchful eye on the goods.

When Tiffany executive sales personnel decided to change one of the

items to be photographed, a full count was made of all the jewelry before

the one item was removed and replaced. All very James Bond.

Actually, secrecy and the resulting intrigue has always been a

romantic element of the jewelry business. There are stories of fabulous

precious stones, metals and the jewelry made from them that have toppled

nations and changed the world’s course.

In Costa Mesa, Tiffany & Co. has no desire to topple the nation, but

rather to sell the nation all of its incredible jewelry and merchandise.

Our model is the statuesque Debra Greco, an actress originally from

New York, where she began her career as a dancer on Broadway. Greco

appeared in a production of “42nd Street”and she was one of the Rockettes

working both in New York and Los Angeles.

She is a wife and the mother of a young son. Modeling has replaced her

dance career, and she confesses that she is really partial to platinum.

CUTLINES

1. Debra goes wild wearing this classic double strand of 9.5 to 10 mm

cultured pearls necklace featuring a magnificent tanzanite weighing 39.09

carats surrounded by 20 diamonds weighing 4.96 carats, all set in

platinum ($105,000).

Her earrings are also cultured South Sea pearls with diamonds set in

platinum ($12,700), and on her arm is a bracelet consisting of one strand

of cultured pearls ($4,850).

2. Debra shows off a platinum necklace in the Tiffany “bow” design set

with 414 round brilliant diamonds weighing 9.43 carats ($42,750). The

ring, also in platinum, features a fancy purple-pink round diamond with

two pear-shaped diamonds ($300,000). On Debra’s arm, a platinum “bow”

bracelet set with 184 round diamonds ($20,500).

3. This necklace is called the “V-Line,” set with 121 round diamonds in platinum. The diamonds weigh 15.84 carats ($69,500). Debra has on a

Tiffany bracelet with 35 round diamonds and four marquise-cut diamonds

($45,000). The earrings are classic platinum, four prong, round diamond

studs weighing 2.13 carats ($24,500). And how about a fancy yellow

diamond weighing 4.19 carats set with two pear-shaped diamonds, all with

outstanding color, clarity and cut for $170,000?

4. This suite of jewelry comes from the legendary Paloma Picasso, who

has been designing for Tiffany for many years. Debra wears a grand gold

necklace, 18k and done in large hammer links ($16,000). The earrings are

also 18k from Picasso with gold cushion cut citrine stones ($24,500). The

citrine and gold ring sells for $2,500.

5. Debra wears a platinum bezel link contemporary necklace set with

diamonds ($7,600). The matching bracelet sells for $3,500 and the

earrings, from designer Elsa Pereti, sell for $4,350.

6. This white gold necklace from the Tiffany “Streamerica” line is set

with 30 round diamonds ($8,500). Debra wears a bangle bracelet also from

“Streamerica” set with 24 round diamonds ($2,800). The earrings are

$1,500 and the ring $1,300.