<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-03-22</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000098246</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TIFFANY &amp; CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TIF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001207527</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCGUINESS PATRICK F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TIFFANY &amp; CO.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>727 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT-FINANCE</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $.01 Par</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>39.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15802</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $.01 Par</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>72.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5802</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $.01 Par</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2904</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>72.53</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2898</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $.01 Par</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2898</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>72.45</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $.01 Par</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>440</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By ESOP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock $.01 Par</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>225</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By 401K</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>39.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-01-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually received ranged from $72.51 to $72.55 per share.  The reporting person's broker has provided to the issuer and issuer will provide any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually received ranged from $72.43 to $72.47 per share.  The reporting person's broker has provided to the issuer and issuer will provide any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Options granted under 16(b) Plan on January 15, 2004.  The option vests in four equal annual installments on January 15, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Patrick B. Dorsey, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-03-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0304
4
2012-03-22
0000098246
TIFFANY & CO
TIF
0001207527
MCGUINESS PATRICK F
TIFFANY & CO.
727 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10022
0
1
0
0
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT-FINANCE
Common Stock $.01 Par
2012-03-22
4
M
0
10000
39.75
A
15802
D
Common Stock $.01 Par
2012-03-22
4
S
0
10000
72.25
D
5802
D
Common Stock $.01 Par
2012-03-22
4
S
0
2904
72.53
D
2898
D
Common Stock $.01 Par
2012-03-22
4
S
0
2898
72.45
D
0
D
Common Stock $.01 Par
440
I
By ESOP
Common Stock $.01 Par
225
I
By 401K
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)
39.75
2012-03-22
4
M
0
10000
0
D
2014-01-15
Common Stock
10000
0
D
The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually received ranged from $72.51 to $72.55 per share.  The reporting person's broker has provided to the issuer and issuer will provide any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.
The price in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The prices actually received ranged from $72.43 to $72.47 per share.  The reporting person's broker has provided to the issuer and issuer will provide any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each price within the range.
Options granted under 16(b) Plan on January 15, 2004.  The option vests in four equal annual installments on January 15, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
/s/ Patrick B. Dorsey, Attorney-in-Fact
2012-03-23