A SPECIAL REPORT: EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING

SHAKE & BREAK: What havoc would a quake cause a place like Tiffany & Co., with its floor-to-ceiling crystal, china, porcelain and silver? Surprisingly, not much, says Jo Qualls, who runs the South Coast Plaza store. . . . Items range from $15 to $15,000, and the store’s stockrooms may have as many as 100 of each item. But shelves are reinforced and slip-proof coated, and top-heavy items are stored and displayed on their sides. . . . “We’ve had three fairly serious shakers since our store opened here, and we have not lost one single piece.”