Reaffirming its "no coral sales" policy, Tiffany and Co. today unveiled store windows worldwide with an "Under the Sea" theme to raise awareness about the damage coral harvesting inflicts on critically important marine ecosystems.

Tiffany window designers created a fantasy world devoted to coral conservation, with each store window offering a different view of the ocean floor, complete with hills, valleys, waves, bubbles and vibrant coral shapes sculpted in resin.

The ocean-themed windows seek to inform the public that corals are living animals that, together with the reef systems they help to create, provide marine life with food and fertile grounds for reproduction.

"Today, corals are in crisis—the result of destructive fishing methods, climate change and their removal for use as decorative objects and jewelry," Tiffany Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Kowalski said in a media release. "In 2002, we discontinued selling coral jewelry, concluding that in a world where corals and reef communities are under siege, we could not be complicit in their destruction. It is our hope to raise consumer awareness of this important issue and to urge fellow jewelers to join us in refusing to sell coral jewelry."

Tiffany also supports nonprofit organization SeaWeb and its "Too Precious to Wear" campaign, designed to educate consumers and retailers about coral conservation. Tiffany also backs the reauthorization of a U.S. Coral Reef Conservation Act and the addition of red coral to the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II, which lists species that could become threatened with extinction if trade is not carefully monitored.

According to Tiffany, the company is also committed to what it calls "sustainable style," enduring designs of beauty that pose no threat to natural resources.

The "Under the Sea" windows will be available for viewing throughout the summer, with rotating designs from Tiffany’s renowned collections, including Bezet, a new diamond engagement ring.

Source: www.nationaljewelernetwork.com