“Our position is lab-grown diamonds are not a luxury material. We don't see a role for them in a luxury brand. They have their use and they have their place, but I think luxury consumers will continue to desire the rarity and amazing story of natural diamonds.”
Tiffany only accepts engagement diamonds in the “colorless” and “near colorless” range on a diamond color scale. For engagement diamonds, Tiffany only accepts D, E, F, G, H and I color diamonds. Fancy color diamonds such as yellow or pink diamonds have their own color grades.
The Leader in Diamond Traceability
From cut to craft to client, Tiffany is the first global luxury jeweler to disclose the countries or regions where our newly sourced, individually registered diamonds are crafted. As a leader in diamond traceability, we don't just adhere to industry standards—we lead by example.
From the Source
Many Tiffany diamonds begin their journey as rough stones, mined in countries such as Australia, Botswana, Canada, Namibia, Russia and South Africa. These regions or countries of origin are also referred to as the “provenance” of a diamond.
Additionally, when it comes to re-selling your diamond down the road, many people would prefer a GIA certificate to a Tiffany Certificate. Tiffany does boast that they grade their diamonds better than GIA, but the fact is, GIA has the highest reputation when it comes to diamond gemological reporting.
Their explanation for this, was that they thought that GIA was too soft on grading. It is widely accepted that Tiffany & Co. grade at least as good as GIA. In fact is has been stipulated that if a diamond is on the border of a colour grade, ie an F-G colour, Tiffany & Co. will be slightly stricter than GIA.
Tiffany places a premium on cut quality, and only offers diamonds with Excellent Cut Grades for sale. In and of itself, this is one of the reasons why their diamonds are so valuable. They only sell the highest quality, thus there are no other cut grades to choose from.
We manufacture approximately 60% of our jewelry in Tiffany facilities in New York, Kentucky and Rhode Island, and polish and perform select assembly work in the Dominican Republic.
In addition, Cartier supplies many European royal families with their jewels, making the brand name more valuable. Besides the reputation, other reasons for big price differences lie in the types of materials used in the jewellery. Tiffany uses more sterling silver, whilst Cartier uses platinum, gold, and diamonds.
Why is Tiffany so expensive? You always pay a little extra for a name, but the brand isn't the only reason Tiffany can cost so much. To this day, jewelers at Tiffany hand-select each diamond and use only 92% or purer metals for every single piece, putting Tiffany at the top of the jewelry food chain.
All Tiffany Diamonds have 57 facets, and have the same proportions as any other Round Brilliant with a cut grade of “Excellent”. Tiffany & Co. does not sell diamonds with GIA, EGL, IGI, or any other certification.
VS1 is higher than the VS2 grade. The only difference between the two is a VS2 diamond's impurities can be easier to spot than those in a VS1. Imperfections in a VS2 grade diamond are similar in size and quantity to those in a VS1.
All of our rough diamonds are sourced either directly from a known mine or from a supplier with a limited number of known mines. We encourage high standards in the mining industry to protect human rights and ecologically sensitive lands; and we are dedicated to improving local economies.
“Within their Diamond Engagement collections, for example, Tiffany & Co. has specific diamond quality standards that will fall within the range of GIA's grading system — from D to I color and IF to VS2 clarity. All diamonds used in Tiffany & Co. pieces should be evenly set and perfectly matched in color.”
Unlike natural diamonds mined from the earth, lab diamonds won't usually gain value. In fact, in recent years, their value hasn't kept up with inflation, mostly due to the increased availability of lab-grown gemstones. So, to put it simply: a lab-grown diamond isn't going to bring much, if any, return on investment.
Although you won't get close to retail value for your pre-owned Tiffany jewelry, it's still worth quite a lot on the resale market. Due to their captivating designs and quality craftsmanship, Tiffany engagement rings are timeless symbols that maintain their value through the years.
Yes, yes, Cartier does qualify for the tax refund in Europe, as long as you spend more than 100.01 Euros, which at Cartier is easy. In Paris, the tax refund on luxury jewelry is 12% off. The tax refund is one of the reasons Cartier is cheaper in Europe.
The primary reason Tiffany is popular, though, is that their pioneering approach to jewelry and design has always appealed, and sometimes it has appealed enough that the entire industry is transformed.
Tiffany & Co. only offers conflict-free diamonds. We have taken rigorous steps to assure that conflict diamonds do not enter our inventory. As global leaders in sustainable luxury, Tiffany & Co. is committed to sourcing natural and precious materials in an ethical and sustainable manner.
Every Tiffany design is crafted to last a lifetime. Learn how to care for your favorite pieces and maintain their beauty for years to come. Ensure your favorite pieces remain as polished as day one.
Every ring is expertly handcrafted, just as it has been done for over 130 years.
Diamond inclusions are internal flaws. Tiffany rejects any diamond with noticeable imperfections to the unaided eye.
For more competitive online stores, the average markup on diamonds is less than 10%. On the other end of the spectrum, big names like Tiffany and Harry Winston can get away with high margins in the 200% range because of their branding and marketing reach.
Cartier is the ideal company to go to if you want magnificent luxury items from a high-end royal brand. And if you want some high-quality diamonds that are well worth the price (and since you now know that Tiffany's jewelry standards are quite high), Tiffany's is your best choice.