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LEFTERIS PITARAKIS/STF (ENLARGE)

A gold, diamond and enamel Orchid Brooch was made between 1889 and 1896 by Tiffany & Co.

LEFTERIS PITARAKIS/STF (ENLARGE)

This gold and pearl necklace is similar to one purchased from Tiffany & Co. by President Abraham Lincoln for his wife.

London — After an array of dazzling pendants, earrings and bracelets comes the pièce de résistance: the 128-carat Tiffany Diamond, one of the largest yellow diamonds in the world.

The gigantic gem is the showstopper of "Bejewelled by Tiffany" at the Gilbert Collection, one of three galleries at London's Somerset House on the Thames River.

The Tiffany & Co.-sponsored exhibit, which opened June 24, uses jewels to trace the history of the celebrated American brand that has become synonymous with glamour.

The collection includes about 180 pieces that cover the first 150 years of Tiffany's history up to 1987, almost all of which have been loaned from the corporation's archives.

"In Britain, people know about the film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' but don't have a lot of knowledge about Tiffany's history," said Clare Phillips, curator of the exhibit. "The magic of the name is understood, but people don't know a lot about how this glamorous company got started."

What's best about the exhibit is that it's more than just a display of jewels, but offers glimpses of fashion history by showing how the jewels were worn by Americans.

One model, for example, shows a woman wearing a brooch, a choker, a hair decoration and a bodice ornament — all made from diamonds. It seems that wealthy American women in the 19th century so loved to pile on diamonds that Europeans ridiculed them for having no taste.

Another mannequin showed a 1970s woman wearing a bra made from sterling silver mesh.

"It's fascinating to see how the items were worn and how the items have changed," Phillips said.

Like many of his contemporaries, Charles Lewis Tiffany was unabashedly patriotic. The rubies, diamonds and sapphires winking from an American flag brooch at the start of the exhibit are proof of this.

The exhibit works like a timeline.

The first part, "The Rise of an American Institution," illustrates some of the qualities behind Tiffany's early prominence and long-lasting appeal.

When Tiffany opened the doors of his first fancy-goods store on Broadway in New York in 1837, jewelry was only a minor part of the inventory. But that soon changed.

After political turmoil in Europe in 1848 caused the price of gems to fall, Tiffany snapped up cheap diamonds, including some from French aristocrats who were eager to unload them. The gems went into new Tiffany-designed settings, prompting reporters to nickname Tiffany "the King of Diamonds."

Tiffany, whose cameo portrait is included in the exhibit, understood the value of publicity and marketing. He introduced mail-order sales, producing the first catalog in 1845. He also participated in the great international exhibitions, eventually opening a shop in Paris in 1868.

"The Paris Exposition of 1900 was crucial because that's when Tiffany became a name that was known internationally," Phillips said.

Other parts of the exhibit include:

• "Temple of Fancy," which shows how the New York store aimed to suit the needs of every customer with pieces to mark every event from birth to death, from baby armlets to mourning pendants.

• "Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made On," which covers the period from the 1870s to the start of World War I and explores Tiffany's evolution into making jewelry with a truly distinctive American flavor. By the early 1900s, almost every item was from an American source such as Maine amethyst, Colorado topaz, and freshwater pearls from Wisconsin and Tennessee.

• "New York World's Fair and the 1940s" demonstrated Tiffany's patriotism yet again with a gold charm bracelet of victory symbols and gold earrings in the form of American B-25 bombers.

Perhaps what's most surprising is how many functional objects were transformed into exquisite works of art. There are men's accessories such as pipes, spurs and pocket watches as well as boxes, trays and evening purses.

But there's still plenty of jewelry.

One display window highlights a 3.53-carat diamond engagement ring, pointing out that its classic style was an important innovation in 1886. The ring's tall claws allowed an unprecedented amount of light to pass through the stone. This style has been featured prominently in Tiffany's ring designs through the years.

The Tiffany Diamond has been featured at numerous international exhibits since Tiffany had it cut in Paris from a 287-carat crystal discovered in South Africa in 1877.

But "no Tiffany jewelry has ever been shown before in public collections in the United Kingdom," Phillips said. "I'd say we're bringing history to the surface."

IF YOU GO

Expect to pay $1,000 or more round-trip airfare from Atlanta to London for summer travel. Wait for prices to drop in the fall, and look for British Airways airfare/hotel packages.

About the exhibit

• "Bejewelled by Tiffany, 1837-1987" celebrates Tiffany's sustained pursuit of superb design and craftsmanship. The exhibition runs through Nov. 26. It's at the Gilbert Collection, Somerset House, London. Gallery hours, a map and directions are at www.gilbert-collection.org.uk. The exhibit is included in admission to the permanent collection: adults, 5 pounds (about $9.20); under age 18 free.