Tiffany & Co.

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Long before Audrey Hepburn gazed longingly into its gorgeous windows, Tiffany’s sold its baubles in its signature blue boxes to the world's elite, including President Abraham Lincoln. Today, the iconic jewelry emporium continues to attract the rich, famous and powerful, as well as tourists eager to gawk and spend, too. First established as a stationery and fancy goods store in lower Manhattan in 1837, Tiffany moved to its current location in 1940. Past the unremarkable revolving door, the first floor is lined with fine jewelry created by Tiffany's stable of designers, including Paloma Picasso, Elsa Peretti and Jean Schlumberger. Take the embossed elevator to the second floor, filled with a jaw-dropping selection of engagement rings; serious buyers ensconce themselves on comfy couches to peruse various settings—the Lucida, the Etoile and the classic, six-prong Tiffany—encrusted with myriad diamonds. Brides-to-be can browse the fourth floor for elegant table, glass and silverware, as well as upscale wedding invitations and thank-you cards, then head down to three for less-pricey but beautifully crafted sterling silver jewelry, ideal for wedding-party favors (not to mention bat mitzvah gifts). While there are also fine items for men (cuff links and watches) and even babies (solid silver rattle), Tiffany undoubtedly remains a well-heeled girl's very best friend. — Raven Snook

Extra

Workshops on choosing the perfect engagement ring are offered sporadically, free of charge. Visit the store's website for details.

Key Departments

Wedding Rings

For traditional brides, nothing beats the cachet of the famed blue box. The six-prong Tiffany setting (from $9,200) is an industry standard; the step-cut, square-stoned Lucida (from $9,250) is stunning.

Men's Watches

Those little blue boxes aren’t just for girls: Tiffany also offers beautifully made men’s watches. The Tiffany Mark collection offers styles in stainless steel, eighteen-karat gold, and platinum.

Wedding Invitations

After registering for their china and silver, couples can stop by the store’s custom-stationery nook to peruse sample books. Classic invitations with engraved, return-addressed envelopes start at $710 for 100; thank-you-note sets with engraved envelopes start at $710 for 100 invitations.

Registry

Tiffany’s fourth floor brims with silver, china, and crystal. Prices range from moderate (Tiffany weave china) to sky-high (the Japanesque bowl in sterling). Frames start at $45, clocks at $275, and vases at $75.