The distinguished jewelry company unveils new designs for 2010.

The yuletide season is upon us, as bell-ringers in Santa suits station themselves on street corners, festive jingles saturate the radio waves and local businesses offer up their annual holiday deals. A worldwide leader in diamond and fine jewelry sales, Tiffany & Co. is no exception. Ellen Rollins, Tiffany’s Group Director of the Pacific North Market, graciously treated me to a storewide tour and showcased some of the newest selections, as well as some classic favorites, all of which are currently available at the company’s locations.

The collection that is currently generating the most buzz is the Tiffany Yellow Diamond Series, which was unveiled in October 2010. Rollins says the pieces in the collection are distinguished by their gorgeous appearance. “Their color absorbs the light in a remarkable way,” says Rollins, “and the result is a very stunning, very unique-looking diamond.” Acquired from Tiffany & Co.’s company-owned Ellendale Mine in Western Australia, the diamonds are also notable for their rarity; only 1 stone out of 10,000 matches their color and quality. Tiffany offers an array of necklaces, pendants, necklaces and rings fitted with these precious natural marvels.

The centerpiece of the Yellow Diamond Series is the Tiffany Bezet, a beautifully contoured ring modeled after the traditional bezel design. The hand-set arrangement of yellow diamonds in 18 karat gold is available in pear, heart, oval and cushion shapes. “It is bold, modern and clean,” Rollins says, adding, “it is everything a Tiffany customer has been asking for.” The Tiffany Bezet is just the latest in the company’s long, universally praised line of engagement rings; the Tiffany Setting is distinguished by a unique six-prong design intended to showcase the diamond’s circumference.

Other 2010 additions to Tiffany’s esteemed engagement ring line include: Tiffany Embrace, a round, brilliant-cut stone accompanied by a bezel of smaller diamonds; and a setting for the Lucida diamond that features streamlined curves to accentuate the solitaire.

The Tiffany Locks collection of 18-karat sterling silver yellow and rose gold pendants and charms will be available in January 2011. However, as Rollins points out, the design is anything but new. “We go back to the archives all the time for inspiration,” she says, noting that the original ‘lock jewelry’ sketches date back to the 19th century. “We’re very proud of the designs and the designers that we’ve had all along.” Fittingly enough, the lock designs are companion pieces to the Tiffany Keys Collection, which Rollins describes as an “incredibly well-sought after collection.” Two new designs – Blossom and Twist Rope – are included in this year’s Keys set.

Some of Tiffany’s most renowned designers have contributed selections to the 2010 line. Paloma Picasso, daughter of the great Spanish painter, has designed pieces for Tiffany since 1980. “Paloma’s designs are bold and beautiful, colorful, dramatic and extremely wearable,” Rollins said. To mark her 30th anniversary with the company, Picasso designed Marrakesh, an exquisite collection inspired by the ornate, traditional grid patterns of Morocco. The set includes a blue enamel ring set in 18-karat gold, Lapis Lazuli and Red Jasper 18-karat gold dome pendants; a sterling silver earrings set; and a tassel pendant complete with emerald and black onyx beads.

Some of Picasso’s other designs include the colorful Sugar Stacks ring collection; the Hammered set of earrings, necklaces and rings that incorporate rose gold into the pattern; the Zellige set of gold pendants and earrings; and her signature charm set of, modeled after her favorite worldly items such as a coffee cup, pineapple and lipstick tube. She has also designed rings, necklaces, watches and other jewelry for male customers. Her Zellige Pendant, for instance, is rendered from steel and incorporated into a razor-shaped gunmetal design. The result, Rollins says, is “clean and masculine.”

Another renowned Tiffany designer is architect Frank Gehry. Associated with the company since 2006, Gehry’s most famous designs for the company are part of the Torque Collection. These sterling silver necklaces, rings and bracelets all incorporate unusual curves and smooth textures, and the result is visually arresting. “His work is very angular, very outside the box, and it’s tremendously appealing to a lot of women,” Rollins said. Arguably the most striking feature in this collection is a bracelet made entirely from concrete, finished with a smooth edge and lined with sterling silver.

Elsa Peretti has designed pieces for Tiffany & Co. since 1974. Immensely popular among women, Rollins attributes to Peretti, “a passion for designing jewelry like no one I have ever seen,” and her contributions to Tiffany’s 2010 line exemplify her artistic zeal. Her scarf designs, composed of knitted sterling silver, possess the look and feel of delicate chain mail.

Peretti also recently released a pear-shaped yellow diamond pendant as part of her revolutionary Diamonds by the Yard series, which was launched more than 30 years ago. The Yard series is distinguished by Peretti’s use of thin chains and richly colored gemstones, such as pink sapphire, aquamarine and tsavorite garnet, to highlight the brilliance of the diamond centerpiece. Some of Peretti’s past designs that have been popular among Tiffany customers include her lacquered-wood bangles, derived from the Katsura tree of Japan; a bone cuff bracelet, which is remarkably lightweight and rests comfortably on the wearer’s wrist bone; and the Open Wave earring and necklace collection, now available in both gold and sterling silver, which incorporates models of waves, starfish and other organic shapes into the exquisite design.

For all your holiday season jewelry shopping needs, Tiffany & Co. has three locations in the Puget Sound area. They have stores in the University Village, Pacific Place, and Bellevue Square.