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February 18, marks the birth of a man whose name — Louis Comfort Tiffany — became synonymous with sophistication and brilliant design. As artistic director of his father’s already widely known store in New York City, the younger Tiffany helped create the Art Nouveau style with his renowned lamps of floral shapes in iridescent glass. The movie, ”Breakfast at Tiffany’s” with Audrey Hepburn, helped keep the store nationally famous. Across the U.S., there are more than 57,000 jewelry stores. They sell rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches and other items of gold, silver and precious stones worth almost $25 billion annually.

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