A real Tiffany & Co. box can be the perfect packaging for a special gift, but they used to be really difficult to find. Believe it or not, empty Tiffany jewelry boxes were actually prohibited from being sold on many online auction sites, but things have changed.
Today, vintage Tiffany boxes abound if you know where to look. We've got some great tips for finding one in good condition, plus how much a Tiffany box is worth if you decide to sell one.
Value of the Tiffany Blue Box
In general, a Tiffany & Co. box is worth about $50 to $75, depending on what's included and what kind of shape it's in. This might seem like a lot for an empty box, but you have to remember why it's valuable: these blue boxes symbolize luxury.
Related Articles
History of Antique Cufflinks: Styles, Brands and Values
Why the Boxes Are Valuable
In 1837, Charles Lewis Tiffany opened one of the most successful luxury businesses in United States history, a store that eventually became the well-respected Recognizing that packaging is an important part of brand identification, Tiffany immediately insisted that all of the store's merchandise be presented in beautiful blue gift boxes. He further decreed that all blue gift boxes would be the same shade, a color similar to the hue of a robin's egg. Eventually, "Tiffany Blue" became a registered trademark of Tiffany & Co.
Need to Know
For more than 175 years, the luxurious jewelry and merchandise offered by Tiffany & Co. has been associated with these blue boxes. Each authentic Tiffany gift item is packaged in this blue box, tied with a white satin ribbon, and topped with the Tiffany logo.
All blue boxes are not created equal. To be worth anything, the box has to be authentic and be stamped with the Tiffany & Co logo on the top. These are some of the other factors that can make it worth more or less:
Condition - A box with discoloration, scratches, dents, or other damage is worth way less. For example, a Tiffany box with rubbing damage on the sides sold for only about $15, even though it came with a blue fabric bag.
Size and shape - The classic Tiffany ring box is worth way more than a scarf box or flat gift card box. One gift card box with a bag, tissue, and all the trimmings sold for only about $7.50, despite being in great shape.
Complete package - That blue box is only part of the package holding Tiffany gifts and jewelry. Boxes that come with the shopping bag, interior fabric bag, and other items are worth the most. For example, a Tiffany earring box with an interior display, fabric bag, tissue, ribbon, and shopping bag sold for over $160.
There are tons of reasons you may want to buy an empty Tiffany box. You may have a Tiffany jewelry piece you want to present in the original packaging, or you mightwant to give a luxurious appearance to a piece not made by the famed jeweler. Plus, these boxes are just pretty on their own.
Buying and selling Tiffany boxes online used to present something of a legal challenge. In 2004, Tiffany & Co. brought a court case against online auction site eBay. They claimed that the trade in fake Tiffany items and empty packaging materials represented an intellectual property infringement. This case and similar suits dragged on for many years, and for a while, this resulted in an eBay policy that prohibited sales of empty Tiffany packaging.
Eventually, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Tiffany & Co. Today, the blue boxes are bought and sold online on auction sites and in resale shops, so you should have no trouble finding one.
Read More
Are you InTheKnow?
Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love.
Tips to Buy and Sell Tiffany Boxes
For many people, buying or receiving a Tiffany gift means keeping the special box as a memento. However, for others, the jewelry itself is the only thing that represents any personal value, and the box is simply something that can be sold. There are plenty of potential buyers, and supply and demand translate into a steady stream of Tiffany boxes for sale on auction sites.
Keep these tips in mind if you're planning to buy or sell a blue box:
Don't limit yourself to online sales. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are good resources for buying and selling locally, and you can see the box in person to assess condition.
If you're trying to figure out how much a Tiffany box is worth, look at it very carefully and be honest about how the condition can affect the value. This can help if you decide to bargain as well.
Compare a box to recent sales if you want to get a sense of value. Don't compare it to what sellers are asking since people can ask anything they want (and that doesn't mean someone is willing to pay that amount).
Pretty Blue Boxes That Are Worth a Pretty Penny
Although those pretty blue boxes will never be worth as much as the jewelry and gifts they originally contained, they actually can be worth a lot. Do your homework before buying or selling a Tiffany & Co box so you understand its value. These boxes are iconic for a reason, and collectors and enthusiasts love having the chance to own them.
Let your jewelry breathe! Fancy presentation boxes are fine for presentation, but they shouldn't be used for long-term storage. For this reason, Ann Summers Jewelry encourages our clients to keep their jewelry and get rid of the box. After all, the jewelry is meant to last.
We understand how special your purchase is, and that's why all Tiffany & Co.purchases arrive in unmarked packaging to protect your privacy. Inside this package, your Tiffany engagement ring is wrapped in the legendary Tiffany Blue Box®, tied with a white ribbon.
Tiffany & Co. will not buy back Tiffany jewellery. Rather the iconic jewellery brand does offer an upgrade system. Tiffany's upgrade system allows you to return your Tiffany pieces for store credits. You can then use these store credits against new Tiffany pieces in-store.
Since its debut in the mid-1800s, the Tiffany Blue Box® has symbolized far more than the precious design it contains. It has long overflowed with promises: of possibility, dreams and, of course, love.
Ring boxes make excellent storage for tiny items around the house such as paperclips, screws, dice, buttons, hair accessories, beads and batteries, that otherwise may have no proper home. Just add a label, or write directly onto them if they are paper ring boxes, so you can easily identify what's inside.
The fewer fluctuations in temperature, the better. Consider keeping jewelry boxes inside a consistently dark and cool interior closet. You could also hang a jewelry rack inside a closet door. Climate-controlled storage units are another great option if you're short on jewelry storage space at home.
In general, a Tiffany & Co.box is worth about $50 to $75, depending on what's included and what kind of shape it's in. This might seem like a lot for an empty box, but you have to remember why it's valuable: these blue boxes symbolize luxury.
Tiffany jewelry holds its value well, and while you shouldn't expect to sell for the original retail price, offers significantly lower than market value are a red flag. Do your research to know the approximate value of your piece.
Tiffany Blue® was eventually adopted for all of Tiffany's packaging and branding. True to the founder's vision, the Tiffany Blue Box® is as much an icon of luxury and exclusivity as it was a century ago.
While Tiffany & Co. has excellent customer service, they will only accept returns on their merchandise within 30 days and in exchange for store credit or another item. But if you are looking to resell your pre-owned Tiffany jewelry, there are various other brick and mortar and online options.
Does Tiffany Buy Back Jewelry? Tiffany does not offer a traditional buy-back program like some other companies. Instead, they offer a limited Ring Upgrade Program to support those who purchase their engagement rings.
myGemma is the faster and safer way to sell Tiffany jewelry for the best prices. We provide a streamlined and secure selling service with no fees charged or commissions deducted.
The turning point for their branding came in 1886 when Tiffany's introduced its signature diamond engagement ring. Featuring a six-prong setting, it came nestled inside a blue jewelry box—which soon became as desired as the ring itself.
In Dubai, the jeweler unveiled its latest and most valuable creation for sale, the World's Fair Necklace, valued between $20 and $30 million. The necklace is a behemoth treasure bejeweled with a total of 578 diamonds, all set in platinum.
When storing jewellery at home, it's important to keep it away from excessive air exposure and the elements. Use a tarnish-proof cloth, such as the flannel pouch, or a storage box lined with tarnish-proof fabric. Good storage boxes have separate compartments for each piece to prevent tangling or disarrangement.
A jewelry box is a great gift for your loved ones for a good number of reasons. It's helpful to have around, nice to look at, and it means a lot more than you might think. Jewelry boxes serve a real purpose in one's life.
Your jewelry could easily fall or be knocked away from where you placed it, causing damage. Jewelry boxes prevent damage by keeping your jewelry secured in one place, protected from external forces. Jewelry boxes also come with compartments that allow you to keep jewelry separated.
Brands invest a lot of money in their packaging design and there is a reason for that. Also consider that the box itself serves multiple functions. It acts as a safe place to store and display the ring when it is not being worn. It also becomes a keepsake or perhaps someday a family heirloom.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.