IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
AuctionsSep 29, 2017
Hepburn’s ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ Script Sold at Auction
We’ll give you one guess as to which well-known jeweler bought it.
Hollywood sweetheart Audrey Hepburn’s working script from the 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was bought by Tiffany & Co. at auction Wednesday.
London--Wearing a black dress and a pearl necklace, Holly Golightly strolls up to the windows of renowned retailer Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue in the iconic opening of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Now, the jeweler has bought a part of that history.
On Wednesday, Christie’s London held a sale of The Personal Collection of Audrey Hepburn (Part I), where the actress’s own script from the movie sold to none other than Tiffany & Co., which is pictured and name-checked a few times throughout the film.
The screenplay, dated Aug. 3, 1960, sold for $846,619, seven times its highest pre-sale estimate of $120,900. Its sale set a new world auction record for a script, according to Christie’s.
One hundred and forty pages long, the script includes deleted scenes and annotations from Hepburn, including, for example, a note on page 114, in which the script directs her to say, “but I do love Jose,” but Hepburn suggested changing it to, “I am mad about Jose.”
Tiffany Chief Brand Officer Caroline Naggiar said: “Still today, visitors from around the world travel to our iconic Fifth Avenue flagship to create their own Audrey Hepburn moment in front of the famed Tiffany windows, before they enter our magical first floor. ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ is such a significant work in cinematic history, and we’re proud to have secured this important script for our expansive archives as a way to celebrate Tiffany’s popular culture legacy.”
A company spokesperson said it could not share any more information at this time about what it might do with the script beyond adding it to its archives.
It was the top lot of the sale, which lasted for 10 hours and attracted bidders from 46 countries across six continents, according to the auction house.
It totaled $6.2 million, more than seven times its pre-sale estimate, and was a white-glove sale, continuing a recent trend in the auction world of collections being 100 percent sold out, such as for Vivien Leigh and Andrew Grima.
Perhaps fittingly, the second highest-grossing lot in the sale was a Tiffany & Co. bangle from the late 1980s, which was a gift to Hepburn from director and producer Steven Spielberg (pictured above).
Engraved on the exterior with “Audrey” and on the interior
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
with “You are my ‘inspiration’ Always, Steven,” the piece went for about $445,219.
Hepburn’s 1969 painting “My Garden Flowers” was the third highest-grossing lot in the sale at $300,715, while another script of Hepburn’s also made it into the sale’s top lots. Her working script for the Warner Bros. production “My Fair Lady,” dated June 24, 1963, sold for $275,962, compared with a pre-sale estimate high of $67,195.
Rounding out the top five lots was a gelatin silver print by renowned photographer Cecil Beaton of Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle (her character in “My Fair Lady”). Shot in 1963, the image sold for $125,991.
Bidding for “Audrey Hepburn: The Personal Collection (Part II)” is open online until Oct. 4.
Hepburn’s 1969 painting “My Garden Flowers” was the third highest-grossing lot in the sale at $300,715, while another script of Hepburn’s also made it into the sale’s top lots. Her working script for the Warner Bros. production “My Fair Lady,” dated June 24, 1963, sold for $275,962, compared with a pre-sale estimate high of $67,195.
Rounding out the top five lots was a gelatin silver print by renowned photographer Cecil Beaton of Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle (her character in “My Fair Lady”). Shot in 1963, the image sold for $125,991.
Bidding for “Audrey Hepburn: The Personal Collection (Part II)” is open online until Oct. 4.
More on Auctions
The Latest
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
WatchesOct 15, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb’s New Movado Watches Are Made for Your Wrist StackMovado teamed up with the New York-based fine jewelry designer on a new collection of Movado Museum Velura watches.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
SourcingOct 15, 2026
Signet Jewelers, Richemont May Join Bidder for De Beers, Report SaysThe two companies are reportedly in talks to join the Global Diamond Consortium, led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny, as per Bloomberg.
Weekly QuizOct 15, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsOct 15, 2026
Wolf x Marla Aaron's New Jewelry Box Is for Some (Not All) of Your ThingsThe “Some of the Things” box follows the two larger “Everything” box designs with the look and function of antique sewing and toolboxes.
IndependentsOct 14, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Coleman and Mitchell ClarkFourth-generation jewelers Coleman and Mitchell Clark exemplify the best qualities of their predecessors: humility, modesty, and confidence.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
SourcingOct 14, 2026
Manuel Marcial de Gomar, ‘The Emerald Whisperer,’ Dies at 90The gem hunter, whose 70-year career was defined by adventure and exploration, is remembered for his steadfast faith and sense of wonder.
FinancialsOct 14, 2026
LVMH’s Jewelry Brands Turn in ‘Very Good’ Performance in Q3 Tiffany & Co. continued its full-scale store renovation project while Bulgari’s high jewelry collection generated “record-breaking revenue.”
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2026
Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference Releases 2026 ProgramThis year’s sessions feature leading voices from human rights, legal, and conservation organizations.
MajorsOct 13, 2026
David Webb Owner Purchases Lugano JewelryThe high-end jewelry retailer was sold to private investment firm Middle West Partners and a group of longtime clients.
Lab-GrownOct 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Takes Lab-Grown Diamond Collection WholesaleThe jewelry designer has partnered with Sofer Jewelry to distribute her 85-piece lab-grown diamond collection.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Sean DunnDunn, this year’s Single-Store Independent inductee, is passionate about innovation and telling the story of natural diamonds.
IndependentsOct 13, 2026
Greenwich St. Jewelers’ New Candle Smells Like HomeThe “Island Jewel” candle honors New York City and Puerto Rico and raises money for the island’s water relief efforts.
TechnologyOct 13, 2026
GemFind Is a New JA Member Benefit Partner The partnership will give JA members access to preferred pricing, exclusive benefits, technology solutions, education, and resources.
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
