Diamonds and Divas: Alicia Keys Serenaded Tiffany Co.’s Glittering Blue Book Gala

Last night, Tiffany Co. hosted a magnificent dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan to celebrate the release of its Blue Book 2025. No brand is more tied to New York City—or the United States—than Tiffany Co. Since its founding in 1837, the brand has defined national elegance.

Naturally, the banquet took place in the Charles Engelhard Court. Beneath the Neoclassical façade of the Branch Bank, tables were adorned with bouquets of pale flowers and Tiffany glassware. The night sky filled the enormous glass ceilings above. In front of the monumental street lamps designed by Richard Morris Hunt and the neo-classical sculptures molded by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, attendees posed for dark-suited photographers. Gowns swept the marble floor. On the opposite side, the three-part Garden Landscape window—one of the most significant works produced by the studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany—glowed softly, casting a warm and timeless light.

“I would like to warmly welcome you to the 2025 Blue Book Gala Dinner,” said Anthony Ledru, the brand’s president and Chief Executive Officer, to his guests. “Blue Book is a long tradition at Tiffany’s, starting in 1845. It has been a celebration of excellence of craftsmanship, creativity, and perhaps a touch of glamour. That is what I hope we will be able to achieve tonight in this special place.”

Chief Artistic Officer of Jewelry and High Jewelry, Nathalie Verdeille, designed the collection based on the mysteries of the ocean. Each chapter of Blue Book 2025: Sea of Wonder is dedicated to an aquatic inspiration, including seahorses, starfish, and waves. The pieces draw heavily from the legendary Jean Schlumberger, who transformed the natural world into glittering baubles of exceptional brilliance.

Around the room, talented and beautiful people swanned. Her platinum tresses piled high, Anya Taylor-Joy oozed vintage glamour in a necklace of 18k white and yellow gold set with diamonds totaling over 10 carats from the Blue Book 2025 collection, paired with radiant diamond earrings. Actress Mikey Madison dazzled in a pendant featuring a Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond of over 18 carats, a piece that seemed to capture a drop of golden sunlight. In the twelve months since Anora debuted at the Cannes International Film Festival, Madison has transformed from a promising ingénue into a bonafide movie star. When she took home the Best Actress Academy Award, Madison wore an early 1900s platinum and diamond necklace by Tiffany s. On this night, she chatted animatedly with Cooper Koch, who wore a shiny white double-breasted suit.

Artist Anna Weyant donned a scarlet vintage Alexander McQueen gown, affixed with Tiffany’s beloved Bird on a Rock brooch—a Jean Schlumberger design featuring a magnificent tanzanite of over 20 carats, cradled in yellow gold and platinum.

A sensational (and fittingly, oceanic) meal of bluefin tuna, caviar, and sea bass delighted diners. After the feast concluded with decadent Peruvian dark chocolate and assorted bonbons, one final surprise awaited.

The 17-time Grammy Award-winning musician Alicia Keys entered through the mahogany Branch doors, resplendent in a sleek Givenchy ensemble and Tiffany’s Jean Schlumberger “Leaves” necklace glittering at her throat. Beginning with a rousing rendition of “Diamonds are Forever,” Shirley Bassey’s haunting Bond theme, Keys’s voice soared. From there, she performed a medley of her greatest hits, including “If I Ain’t Got You” and “Girl on Fire.” Her transcendent voice filled the Court as richly and totally as if it were an opera house.

From where she perched at the piano, Keys looked out at the magnificent crowd of movie stars, creatives, and titans of industry. “This is some timeless New York energy.” With that, she began her final song: “Empire State of Mind.” By then, all the guests were on their feet, swaying to the transcendent sound of Keys’s anthem to the city that never sleeps.