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Pantone 1837: The Psychology Behind the World's Most Desirable Packaging

  • Aristos Patsalidis
  • Mar 18
  • 9 min read

Updated: Jun 3

New York, 1837. A story that began with the ringing of a doorbell and a man whose dreams outpaced the reality of his own time. A young Charles Lewis Tiffany could have never predicted that the vision born in his imagination would one day crystallize into the ultimate symbol of luxury: a single, unforgettable, and unmistakable shade of blue. A visual trademark and a sensory hallmark of the brand’s Corporate Visual Identity which over the years transformed into the universally recognised symbol of exclusivity, sophistication, and timeless elegance.

This colour of testament, has become the visual certificate which reflects the brand’s unwavering commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail. The hard box, the plush suede pouch, the matching paper bag, the detailed white satin ribbon which gently wraps around it, shielding the secret of the diamonds within for the anticipation that it holds; awaiting to be revealed in the moment of surprise and celebration.After all, diamonds may indeed be a girl’s best friend, but only when they are Tiffany’s.

  But why blue? Why this particular shade? A blue that isn’t quite blue, and yet, undeniably is. A hue so precise it redefined, first, the colour wheel, then, the very essence of luxury itself; a challenge of the past and the shaping of the future as we know it today, by bending the perception of millions to its own will. The power of Tiffany: a brand that embedded its own chromatic ideology into the cultural lexicon, altering how we see, perceive and feel about a shade as iconic as the year of its creation; the very birth of the Pantone 1837; Tiffany Blue.

While that may have been the year the brand officially copyrighted the shade, which  also marked the masterful capitalisation of life’s most fundamental emotional experiences, the origins of this shade are deeply rooted in history. Buried beneath years of layers of paint, hidden bellow what we see, entangled in the complex and often paradoxical nature of the past, lies the very same shade. A subtle detail hidden within one of the most iconic paintings in French art history, concealed beneath the layers of public disdain for its subject, just below the nose in Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun’s 1783 portrait of Marie Antoinette.


The origin of the shade

This iconic painting was the replacement for an earlier portrait of the queen, one that had been criticized for depicting her in attire deemed un-aristocratic. A painting that helped Marie Antoinette reassert both her aristocratic status and her French identity just years before the beginning of the French Revolution. Within it, the shade can be seen onto her dress which was described as "a blue-grey robe à la française, typical for a French aristocratic woman of the time… decorated with a large striped ribbon bow" (Herrera, 2019).

A visual echo, perhaps, of what would centuries later become the Tiffany & Co.’s iconic packaging, an influence, possibly quietly erased by the company’s timeline, whether by the passage of the time, by accident or purpose.

The idea that Tiffany Blue may have been influenced by European aristocracy extends beyond mere speculation. In 1848, Charles Lewis Tiffany introduced gemstones and jewellery from European aristocrats to America. Additionally, in 1887, Tiffany was involved in the auction of the French Crown Jewels at the Louvre (Cartier Brickell, 2019). According to The Tiffany & Co. Timeline, this allowed individuals in America to purchase such jewellery from the comfort of their own homes for the first time.

But one should keep in mind that this occurred during the Victorian Era, where "jewellery became inextricably bound up with emotion, embodying human connections in ways previously unseen" (Berganza, Victorian, n.d.). Blue jewellery, particularly turquoise gemstones, was popular, often given to wedding guests as tokens of appreciation (S&R Jewellers, 2024). Therefore, the association of the color with marriage, weddings, and engagement began from this point. And yet another object that shares a similar hue to Tiffany Blue is the American robin’s egg (Blandino, 2023). The American robin is "perhaps the most familiar bird in the United States" (Forest Preserve District of Will County, 2024). Compared to the European robin, the American robin is larger and more vibrant (Forest Preserve District of Will County, 2024). This patriotic connection further enhances the brand’s American identity, presenting it as grand and influential on the global stage, and therefore, the elites of America that purchased the jewellery of the French crown was associated with the European Aristocrats.

This historic marketing tactic, effective throughout the 19th century, has evolved to align with modern trends. Tiffany & Co. has successfully adapted its marketing strategies over time. In the golden age of cinema, the brand became synonymous with glamour through films such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, featuring Audrey Hepburn, and the cultural milestone where Marilyn Monroe sang Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend—with Tiffany & Co. being the first brand that comes to mind.


The Psychology of Blue

Psychologically, blue is often associated with purity, peace, and propriety (Milosevic, 2025). According to Milosevic, branding agencies frequently favour blue for its traditional and trustworthy connotations, while also recognising its ability to evoke mystery and intrigue. As Lusher (1969) notes, the presence of blue in human environments continues to carry associations with the natural rhythm of nightfall, a connection that inherently calms the human psyche, and consequently, gently relaxes the body and mind. Biologically, the colour itself is a marketing genius. This phenomenon can be understood through the principles of color perception and visual processing, as explored by Conway (2009). Tiffany Blue sits at a unique point on the color spectrum, combining elements of both blue and green, which are processed by different neural pathways in the brain. This combination enhances its visibility and appeal, making it a particularly striking and memorable colour. Therefore, the 1837 Blue of Tiffany & Co. is more than just a colour—it holds a psychological and neurological significance in how individuals perceive, learn, and make judgments.

Associative learning, as discussed by Le Pelley et al. (2016), suggests that stimuli that stand out or hold particular significance can enhance attention. The distinctiveness of Tiffany Blue, historically linked to luxury and elegance, makes it a powerful visual cue that naturally draws attention. Over time, consumers associated this colour with exclusivity, reinforcing brand recognition and desirability.

On a neural level, the formation of synapses plays a crucial role in memory and learning. Parkhurst et al. (2013) highlight that synaptic plasticity—the ability of neural connections to strengthen or weaken over time—underpins how we form associations. Tiffany Blue, when repeatedly encountered in meaningful contexts, such as receiving a coveted gift in the signature box, may contribute to lasting neural connections that reinforce the colour’s association with excitement, prestige, and value. This synaptic reinforcement means that even a fleeting glance at the colour can trigger deep-seated emotions and memories.

Fluency-induced judgment bias, as explored by Fiechter et al. (2018), suggests that familiarity and ease of processing a stimulus can influence perceptions of its quality and trustworthiness. The widespread recognition of Tiffany Blue means that people process it effortlessly, leading to an inherent bias in favour of products or experiences associated with the colour. Because fluency enhances positive judgments, individuals may perceive Tiffany & Co. items as more valuable or desirable simply because the color is familiar and easily recognizable. This cognitive bias underscores the power of color in shaping consumer behavior and brand perception, making Tiffany Blue an enduring symbol of luxury and refinement.


Therefore, the 1837 Blue of Tiffany & Co. is deeply intertwined with emotions of romance, commitment, and sentimentality, shaping the brand’s identity and consumer experience. The reciprocal dependence between the amygdala and hippocampus, as described by Richardson et al. (2004), plays a critical role in encoding emotional memories. The amygdala, responsible for processing emotions, works in tandem with the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory formation. This neural interaction suggests that when individuals experience emotionally significant moments—such as receiving an engagement ring in Tiffany’s signature blue box—the memory becomes deeply ingrained. The emotional weight of the occasion strengthens the encoding of the color itself, making Tiffany Blue a powerful trigger for recalling feelings of love, joy, and commitment.

This is evident in the present-day campaigns, where Tiffany’s marketing strategies continue to leverage fluency-induced judgment bias. In the early 2000s, their Celebration Ring campaign featured a mother wearing a Tiffany ring while holding her newborn—subtly reinforcing the idea that Tiffany jewellery is an essential part of life’s milestones. More recently, the brand has shifted the narrative with its campaign Not Your Mother’s Tiffany, where a now-grown child celebrates personal achievements—such as graduation or landing a new job—by purchasing a Tiffany ring for themselves rather than for an engagement.

And this brings us to Heuristics, which are cognitive shortcuts that allow individuals to make decisions efficiently by simplifying complex information processing. According to Gigerinzer (2008), heuristics enable people to ignore certain details, relying instead on prior knowledge and experience to guide their choices. This effort-saving mechanism helps individuals navigate daily decision-making without being overwhelmed by excessive information.

In the context of Tiffany & Co., heuristics play a significant role in consumer decision-making. The brand’s signature Tiffany Blue color serves as a cognitive shortcut, allowing customers to instantly associate it with luxury, romance, and commitment based on previous experiences and cultural narratives, that have been explained above. When consumers see the Tiffany Blue box, they instinctively perceive it as a symbol of quality and exclusivity, reducing the cognitive effort needed to evaluate the product. This mental shortcut reinforces brand loyalty and influences purchasing behaviour, as buyers may be more inclined to choose Tiffany & Co. over competitors simply because of the immediate positive associations triggered by the colour.


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