The Adventurine Posts Famous Love Letters Are In The Tiffany Windows

Detail of the Tiffany Window with a Schlumberger jewel, Marilyn Monroe's lipstick blot and letter that says "I think love is the most important thing that can happen to you." Photo courtesy

Jewelry News

Famous Love Letters Are In The Tiffany Windows

Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn among others wrote the notes

by Marion Fasel

February 13, 2024—To paraphrase Hugh Grant’s opening monologue in Love Actually: general opinion about the state of the world can be quite gloomy. Cynics and haters are so loud, love often seems to go unnoticed or be nonexistent in the news cycle.

It’s why so many, even the Super Bowl sports commentators, were giddily talking about the public display of “real love” all could see on the field between a pop star and a football player. As Grant points out in the movie, however, a couple’s love is not the only kind of love there is.

Architect and designer Peter Marino, who led the renovation of The Landmark, wrote in his note in the windows “To love is to be on fire.” The love letter is adjacent to a Tiffany HardWear Gold Graduated Necklace. Photo courtesy

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, the windows at the Tiffany & Co. Landmark in New York City are showing various expressions of love and descriptions of the feeling in letters from luminaries including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Paloma Picasso and Peter Marino.

Christopher Young, VP Creative Director, Creative Visual Merchandising and The Tiffany Archives, who conceived the windows worked with various institutions including the Marilyn Monroe Archives and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not in order to bring together the positive messages from people with a link to Tiffany.

Find out more below.

In a window display at The Tiffany Landmark a jewel by Jean Schlumberger, Marilyn Monroe’s lipstick blot and letter that says “I think love is the most important thing that can happen to you.” Photo courtesy

“This installation highlights our connection with Marilyn Monroe who was photographed by Sam Shaw outside our iconic, vault-like front door and who Truman Capote heavily lobbied to cast in the role of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” explains Christopher. “She also sang about Tiffany in “Diamonds are Girl’s Best Friend.”

The poignant note from Marilyn on her stationary says, “I think love is the most important thing that can happen to you.”

The love note is flanked by her signature lipstick blot from 1961 and a Schlumberger Bird on a Rock diamond, pink sapphire, morganite, gold and platinum necklace featuring a morganite weighing over 35-carats at the center. It’s the same jewel Selena Gomez wore at the Emmys a few weeks ago.

In a window display at the Tiffany Landmark, a letter Audrey Hepburn wrote to the composer of “Moon River,” Henry Mancini, alongside a Tiffany Setting Engagement Ring in platinum. Photo courtesy

“The first time Audrey Hepburn saw Breakfast at Tiffany’s set with music, she was so in love with the result that she was inspired to write this letter to the film’s composer, Henry Mancini, expressing her gratitude for their creative collaboration,” explains Christopher.

“In the letter, Audrey, who Mancini taught to strum the guitar as she sang the film’s theme song, “Moon River,” describes what Mancini was able to accomplish musically, that could not be expressed in any other way.”

In a window display at the Tiffany Landmark, Audrey’s letter is positioned alongside a Tiffany Setting Engagement Ring.

In a window display at the Tiffany Landmark, a letter Tiffany designer Jean Schlumberger wrote his friend and client Bunny Mellon positioned alongside a Schlumberger jewel. Photo courtesy

Bunny Mellon wasn’t only a client of Tiffany designer Jean Schlumberger, the twosome were very close friends who spent time together and talked on the phone frequently. They bonded over a shared passion for botany. Bunny was responsible for Jackie Kennedy’s famous Rose Garden at the White House. And Schlumberger transformed his love of nature into countless jewels.

It’s wonderful to see this sweet simple illustrated note Jean Schlumberger wrote Bunny Mellon in the windows at the Tiffany Landmark alongside a Schlumberger necklace that says simply, “Good morning my darling – So much love Johnny”

The signature was the nickname American clients gave the French designer and he clearly adopted it on personal notes.

In a window display at the Tiffany Landmark, a letter Tiffany designer Paloma Picasso wrote alongside two Picasso Narrow Hexagon Gem-set Cuffs. Photo courtesy

Beyond her loving words, “I will never stop loving love,” the sweetest part about Paloma Picasso’s note, which is placed in the Tiffany window alongside two Picasso Narrow Hexagon Gem-set Cuffs, is how she signed it with three Xes or kisses.

The Xes were new to Paloma when she first saw them during the 1980s. She was instantly enchanted with the modern symbol for love and made it a signature motif in her jewelry.

Related Stories:

A Look Back at The Artistry of Paloma Picasso

Bunny Mellon’s Schlumberger Goes On Display

All The Tiffany Audrey Wore in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’