Tiffany Diamond Engagement Rings Review
The Tiffany engagement ring is a classic design that exudes simplicity and elegance.
In 1886, the world of engagement rings forever changed when Tiffany & Co. introduced their revolutionary Tiffany® Setting, a 6-prong solitaire ring design.
At that time, prong settings were unheard of because diamonds were usually set in bezel settings. Yet, this innovative ring design not only offered a secure mounting, it also raised the diamond higher in the setting and allowed more light to pass through for better brilliance.
Till this day, the Tiffany ring setting and its symbolic turquoise blue box makes Tiffany & Co. one of the most recognizable brands in the jewelry industry. As a testament to their success, most of the solitaire ring designs you see in the current market are actually “inspired” from the original Tiffany Setting.
In this review of Tiffany & Co, we will solely focus on their diamond engagement rings and reveal some of the shocking findings we discovered.
So, What Makes A Tiffany Diamond?
A Tiffany Diamond Ring: The Gemological Standards For Superlative Brilliance
Unknown to many people, Tiffany pre-screens their diamonds in order to maintain a level of consistency in their selections. Now, this is a common practice that can be found in many other branded jewelry stores like Cartier and Harry Winston as well.
Based on the information I garnered from their sales brochures and their sales representatives, the worst diamond quality that Tiffany carries in-store is I color and SI1 clarity.
Speaking from a gemological perspective, I want you to understand that there’s nothing wrong with diamonds in the lower color grades. In fact, it is a matter of personal preference and tastes. I know many readers in the western countries actually prefer to wear warm colored diamonds (e.g. J or K colored). And if you happen to be one of these people, you probably can’t find something of your liking at Tiffany.
Besides color and clarity, Tiffany also takes into account some other factors when filtering their diamonds. For example, if a diamond is deemed to have “strong” or “very strong” fluorescence, the stone is automatically rejected by their grading lab.
Personally, I find fluorescence to be an awesome gemological property and I absolutely love diamonds with fluorescence. However, I do understand Tiffany’s stand to “err on the side of caution” rather than to sell diamonds that may look milky/hazy as a result of fluorescence.
Did You Know That Tiffany Grades Their Own Diamonds?!!
Yikes! When buying diamonds, the grading report is an important piece of document because it tells you the quality of the diamond you are paying for. The thing about Tiffany is that they grade their diamonds via an in-house laboratory and that may throw some people off.
If you had read my article on grading laboratories, you will know that I frown upon jewelers who use their own grading certificates instead of getting their diamonds graded at neutral 3rd party gemological labs like GIA or AGS. The reason is simple; you want an impartial opinion of the diamond’s properties from a lab where there is no conflict of interests.
Since Tiffany does not use external grading laboratories to grade their diamonds, there is no objective 3rd-party analysis of their diamond’s cut grading. Basically, Tiffany expects you to take them for their word on whatever they say about their diamonds. In contrast, two of the most reliable labs in the world, GIA and AGS, utilize well-vetted systems to assign diamond cut grades based on scientific studies.
Review Of Cut Quality In Tiffany’s Diamond Engagement Rings
Tiffany has an unusual “Presence” parameter listed in their grading certificates.
Do you understand all the jibber-jabble they use to describe “Presence” above?
The most important factor which gives a diamond its sparkle lies in how well it was cut. On the whole, I would say that most of Tiffany’s diamonds are pretty well-cut and display a fairly consistent quality. The same is true even for the smaller side diamonds as well.
Note: I say “pretty-well” because Tiffany’s diamond cut quality isn’t the best and this is evident when you start scrutinizing details.
I’m a diamond connoisseur. Whenever I shop for a diamond, I examine every single detail carefully to see if the stone meets my expectations. Since Tiffany charges exorbitant prices for their jewelry, it would only be fair to expect nothing but the best. Sadly, that’s NOT what you always get at Tiffany’s.
Look Out For Ratings Under The “Presence” Section In The Certificate
Check out the Tiffany Diamond Certificate for a 1.75 carats round brilliant cut diamond below. I want to bring your attention to the Polish and Symmetry ratings as indicated by the 2 red arrows. Did you notice that the diamond was rated only as “Very Good” for both its symmetry and polish?
The best rating attainable for polish and symmetry in the Tiffany Gemological Laboratory is “Excellent”. If the cut quality standards at Tiffanys is truly impeccable and the best of the best, there’s no way they would allow diamonds with “Very Good” ratings to get pass their quality control.
Sloppy Girdle Finishing You Should Beware Of
While the finishing of the diamond’s girdle does not impact the way it reflects light, it is a tell-tale sign of how much effort really goes into the polishing process. Bruted girdles are a thing of the last century and it’s a huge shocker to see a premium brand like Tiffany selling such diamonds.
Bruted diamond girdle at 40X – GIA
I’m seriously not a fan of bruted girdles and I hate it when the cutters leave a sloppy finish to the diamond instead of taking a little extra time to touch up the girdle. Basically, it gives an incomplete look to the diamond because of its unsightly and raw appearance.
Almost all diamonds you find in the market have a faceted girdle finishing.
Extremely Disappointing Selection Of Diamonds Available
If you have a large budget or want to buy a ring with popular diamond sizes like 1.00 carats, you would have a larger amount of options to cherry pick your diamond from. However, if you have a smaller budget or want to buy smaller sized diamonds, your options will be severely limited.
When I called Tiffany’s customer service hotline to make inquiries for a diamond ring with a G colored, 0.7 carats center stone, I was pretty disappointed by the outcome. As it turns out, there was only a single Tiffany solitaire ring with a G colored center stone available in the entire inventory of their US operations.
Here’s an excerpt from a follow-up email from the Diamond Sales Professional after my telephone call. I had set my budget at around $7,500 and requested information on available diamond rings around that price point.
================================
Based upon your inquiry for the Tiffany Setting, please view the following options from our Collection –
Carat .78 Color I Clarity VS2 $7,350.00
Carat .70 Color H Clarity VS1 $7,800.00
Carat .74 Color H Clarity VS2 $7,900.00
Carat .73 Color G Clarity VS2 $8,000.00
Carat .82 Color I Clarity VS1 $8,150.00
The above quotes are general pricing guidelines and all rings are subject to availability.
Tiffany engagement rings prices correct as of 27th Dec 2014 and are not inclusive of any local taxes. The diamonds come with varying standards in polish/symmetry which can range from ratings with Good to Excellent.
=================================
The sales representative did offer a few other options for my consideration but they were all of lower color ratings. The point I want to make here is that you get extremely limited choices to choose from. Depending on how lucky you are, you may not even find a single option available.
Tips to Shop For the Best Diamond At Tiffany & Co.
Even though Tiffany generally offers diamonds that are cut well, the onus is on you to cherry pick the best from what’s available. I recommend sticking to triple excellent ratings and using an ASET/Idealscope to select the diamond with the best light performance. Remember to look out for those issues I highlighted earlier as well.
Price Comparisons of Tiffany And Co Versus Our Recommended Vendors
Let’s do some price comparisons to see the huge disparity in prices and quality if you decide to shop elsewhere instead. Remember, I was quoted $8,150 for a 0.82 carat I color VS1 clarity diamond? Let’s see how much a similar ring with a more well-cut diamond will cost you at White Flash.
Compared to the TIffany ring, a similar one at Whiteflash will only cost you: $3983 + $725 = $4,708
Mind you, I am comparing a top-of-the-line ideal cut round diamond from Whiteflash against those found at Tiffany and it is still significantly cheaper!
Prices of Tiffany Diamond Rings Versus James Allen
Here’s another comparison of Tiffany & Company against another of my recommended jeweler, James Allen. This time round, let’s use the 0.70 H color, VS1 clarity round diamond quoted to us by Tiffany for $7,800.00 as a comparison.
Could you guess how much it would only cost if you decide to buy a similar ring from JamesAllen.com instead? In fact, I’m even going to do one better and select a higher quality diamond from James Allen (G color instead of H color).
The total price you would have to pay for the ring at James Allen is only $3,220 + $830 = $4,050
In retrospect, that’s roughly half the price for a Tiffany diamond ring. If you are wondering why diamond rings from other jewelers are so much cheaper and better in quality, that’s because you are paying Tiffany for their brand name!
Sales/Return Policy & Upgrades
The return policies are only applicable if you made a purchase in the U.S. Any items (except for fragrance) can be returned within 30 days for a credit or exchange with a valid sales receipt.
For Tiffany’s diamond rings, you can do an upgrade by trading in your old ring for a new one that’s at least 2 times of the original price. For example, if your old ring costs $5,000, your new purchase must be of at least $10,000 in value. The caveat here is that you must do the upgrade within 5 years and your old ring must be subjected to an appraisal by Tiffany’s certified gemologist.
Tiffany’s After Sales-Service
Like most other jewelers, Tiffany & Co. offers a lifetime of after-sales support for mundane stuff like free ring cleaning and other services (e.g. prong tightening, ring re-polishing). This may sound like a big deal but it really isn’t because you can easily get the same kind of services for free with any decent jeweler.
At this point, I also want to mention that ring cleaning can be easily performed at home with a toothbrush and soap water in under 5 minutes. The truth is, it is going to be a hassle and a waste of time to bring your ring down to a Tiffany store just to get it cleaned.
Since Tiffany doesn’t sell loose diamonds and you have to buy a diamond ring “off-the-rack”, the pre-mounted setting may not be in the exact finger size you need (the default ring size is 6). That said, it is possible to get a free complimentary ring sizing done within the first 90 days of purchase. Any subsequent ring resizing will be charged at a relatively expensive fee of $170 if you need to go up in size.
Conclusion of Our Tiffany And Co Engagement Rings Review
Beyond the intangible aspects of good customer shopping experience at Tiffany’s, you only get good (and NOT necessarily the best) quality products at extremely high prices. The truth is, there are many other places that can offer you better quality diamond products and merchandise than Tiffany’s.
However, I would concede that the sales environment and Tiffany experience is something that most other jewelers cannot replicate. After all, Tiffany is highly respected and had been around since 1837 (that’s more than 170 years!).
This tiny blue box packs a huge amount of prestige and history that few other jewelers can match.
Who Should Buy From Tiffany & Co.?
When it comes to buying premium products, it boils down to the value you place on a brand name. So, are tiffany rings worth it? If the feel-good factor and the ability to tell everyone you bought your ring from Tiffany & Co. is important to you, I think that Tiffany offers the most “prestigious” branding in jewelry and their prices are indicative of that.
However, if you want to get more bang for your buck and are willing to do a little homework, you can easily find a better quality diamond somewhere else with better terms and prices (about half the price of a Tiffany ring).
Speaking from my personal point of view, a diamond is just a diamond. The branding that a company places on it doesn’t necessarily make it better than others. I strongly encourage you to make your purchasing decisions based on tangible data and not blindly believe in marketing sales talk.
I think that it is ridiculous to pay 2 times more for a purchase when there are available options to buy a better quality diamond at significantly lower prices. But that’s just me. What do you think? Do leave a comment below! I would love to hear your own opinions about buying branded goods and why you think they are or aren’t worth it.
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64 Comments
I just came back from a visit to the New York Tiffany flagship store. Given the kind of prices they are charging and the poor customer service I experienced, I think they are a complete rip-off. Are tiffany engagement rings worth it? Hell no. I will never step foot into a Tiffany store again and would rather buy a Costco ring then to buy a Tiffany ring.
I’m sorry to hear about your experience with the store. I personally visited quite a number of Tiffany stores in my local area and I find their service to be a mixed bag. Depending on how many people there are in the store and the kind of clothing I was wearing (was wearing shorts and sandals once), I personally experienced different levels of treatment from their sales staff.
Also, I had heard of a number of Tiffany and Co complaints from readers as well in terms of their customer service. However, to be fair, there are always times where a company may slip up. It is normal regardless of how well known it is. If you want to get your complaint address, try contacting their customer relations directly and let them know about your case.
For the other tiffanys engagement rings, like the NOVO, SOLESTE®, EMBRACE and LEGACY designs, do you know whether the listed prices are worth it for their ring quality? You mentioned that tiffany and co rings have above average craftsmanship and does this apply to those designs as well?
Could you tell me if these prices of Tiffany and co rings are reasonable? Are tiffany diamonds worth it for the prices they command? Would you be able to offer any other recommendations?
Carat 1.05 Color I Clarity VS2 $12,200.00
Carat 1.01 Color I Clarity VS1 $12,700.00
Carat 1.03 Color H Clarity VS2 $13,900.00
Carat 1.14 Color I Clarity VS1 $14,600.00
I think you can do your own comparisons here to convince yourself about the pricing.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3189857.htm
Why does a premium store like tiffany and company take trade ins and allow upgrades? I was seriously considering buying an engagement ring from them until I read about that policy here. Seems like there’s no way to know whether I am actually buying a used piece of jewelry or any assurance of tiffany diamond quality in their store.
It is in my understanding that Tiffany & Company never re-sells the traded in rings as new engagement rings. In fact, I posed this question to during my visit to a Tiffany and Co outlet. I was told that all traded in diamonds are cut down and used as accent diamonds in other pieces.
In a way, if you are buying a solitaire diamond ring, you should be getting a “new” piece that’s unworn before. However, if you are buying Tiffany jewelry with sidestones, those may contain used diamonds. When you are in doubt, always check before committing to a purchase in store.
I tried trading in my Tiffany Novo ring for an upgrade and I paid $8,000 for my initial purchase. After an evaluation by their gemologist, it was valued at $7,100 and I’m actually pretty angry with the evaluation. I thought my Tiffany jewelry would be able to hold their value. Instead, the trade in amount is so much less. Should I try to find my own buyer for the ring?
You could try Craigs List or eBay but I doubt you will be able to sell it at the original price you paid for. In terms of trade up policy, I think other companies do it better as they offer a 100% retention value. The appraised amount for your Tiffany ring is placed upon by their own in-house staff. So, in a way, there’s no control over what they deem they should “pay” for your ring. If you want to buy your jewelry at Tiffany’s, you need to play by their rules. It’s as simple as that.
Hello! I have a question that I have not been able to find an answer to about Tiffany’s policies. My grandson bought a Tiffany diamond engagement ring 3 1/2 years ago for his then fiance. Since they are no longer together my grandson has been thinking of ways to possibly sell the ring. It was brought to a fine jewelery store with all the papers, boxes, warranty, and of course the certificate. The diamond is a classic Tiffany platinum 6 prong set with one round brilliant cut diamond weighing 1.40 carats, H color, Internally Flawless clarity. The purchase price was $20.000. Upon close review, the very knowledgeable jeweler declared the diamond as far as he could tell, a ‘cut below’ everything on the Tiffany’s own certificate. In other words, it was not H in color but rather and I, it was also not IF, he could see small flaws with his loupe. He declared it VVS1. In the contract which the jeweler pointed out, it says Tiffany’s will refund your entire purchase price if their diamond is found to not be as promised in the certificate. Of course you must allow Tiffany’s to re-examine everything plus have an independent gemological lab examine it. My grandson plans to send the diamond to GIA for a certificate from them to bring to Tiffany’s. My question is…have you ever heard of this happening before and do you personally think that if the diamond turns out to not be as Tiffany’s said, do you think they will offer a full refund as their warranty says? Thank you so much for any information you might have on this.
Yes. I had heard of such cases before. DON’T let another jeweler un-mount the diamond first. If you suspect the grading to be false, let Tiffany re-examine the ring and see what their conclusion is.
Thereafter, if you need a second opinion, you can take the risk of voiding the guarantee and send the diamond to GIA for an examination.
Anyway, the damage could be due to wear and tear which may not be covered under their guarantee. You do need to tread carefully here.
Paul, Tiffany’s says that it is not a real comparison to take the same grades for Clarity, Cut, Carat, Color and compare them across competitors because it doesn’t allow for the subjective values of Fire and Brilliance that one sees from the cut.
Tiffany says their cut is maximized for this Fire and Brilliance and this is their differentiator and the tiffany diamond certificate is superior to GIA’s.
I read on your site that you also agree that Cut is the most important factor.
I have found that even at Excellent cuts, polish and symmetry that the Fire may be different between diamonds, and this is what Tiffany is promoting.
My question to you is how can I determine the subjective elements like the Fire or Brilliance of a diamond online, at a James Allen or other site? I have also found that these characteristics change based on a yellow gold vs. platinum shanks, and even changes being on my fiance’s hand vs. in the jewelry case.
Are there elements in the cut, like the girdle, depth or table that contribute to this Fire quality that I can look for?
Many thanks
I would like to make a small correction to what you mentioned. Brilliance for round diamonds can be measured objectively through the use of ray tracing technology and ASET. This technique is developed by AGS and is based on scientific evaluations which is well accepted in the scientific community. There are various papers published about the ASET in journals and you can easily find some references to these papers on AGS’s website.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pppteqyi5u05rue/AGS-Cut-System.pdf
For our readers’ convenience, I had also taken the trouble of consolidating some data here:
https://beyond4cs.com/grading/aset-reference-charts/
If you subject Tiffany’s diamonds to the same ASET evaluation, you will see variations in the performances of their diamonds. In general, I would say Tiffany’s diamonds are well-cut but they aren’t the best in the industry. Yes, I brought my own ASET scope to Tiffany and Co before and allowed their sales staff to use my scope to examine their own diamonds.
In my experience, the sales people there are pretty delusional until they start looking at their own diamonds critically. Basically, they are taught to blindly market their products and believe that they are selling the “best” cut diamonds in the world when they haven’t actually seen enough diamonds to foster such beliefs. It’s generally the same for employees of other high-end jewelry boutiques. Anyway, I’m sorry for digressing.
For an objective comparison of fire, certain online dealers can help you capture videos of side by side comparisons in various lighting conditions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bTeBMX3mmI
Truth be told, these kind of comparisons are extremely difficult to be performed in a store environment because the lighting system is designed to make diamonds sparkle (even the poorly cut ones). And this is why I often emphasize that consumers get more transparent data when shopping online instead of listening to marketing BS sales people regurgitate from their marketing material.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your information in the article. It’s very useful. Just wanted to ask your opinion about a tiffany solitaire ring versus a Costco ring. I have the option to either buy a .8 carat Tiffany ring ($14,200) with these specs: D, VVS1, excellent cut, very good symmetry, excellent polish, table: 60%, depth: 71.7%, girdle: polished. Or, I could purchase a 1.08 carat Costco ring ($8,500) with these specs: E, VVS1, very good polish, excellent symmetry, table: 67%, and depth: 68.6%. It seems like the Costco ring is definitely a better buy. But, I have $5,000 in gift cards with Tiffany. So, I still think the best option would be to buy the Costco ring & use the gift cards at Tiffany for a different style of ring and/or some earrings (both the Costco ring & gift cards totaling around the same price as the $14,200 Tiffany ring). What are your thoughts? Thanks!
Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can tell you about the diamonds without further details or information. They could be duds or be awesome and numbers alone don’t say anything about them. Refer to my guide on choosing fancy cuts here:
https://beyond4cs.com/where-to-buy-fancy-cuts/
I strongly recommend buying a handheld ASET scope and using it to help you select diamonds in store. Or at least, work with a vendor who can offer you tangible cut data on diamonds you are buying.
With the ASET scope, you can easy discern the stone’s cut quality yourself by using the following reference chart I made:
https://beyond4cs.com/grading/aset-reference-charts/
Hi Paul,
After reading this article I couldn’t help but admire all your knowledge about the jewelry market. However I have one big question about the jewelry trade-up or upgrade policy.
I read somewhere else that that mall or most of the jewelry shops use the ‘second-hand’ diamond to resell to other customers when ppl trade-up or return their rings. In other words, people are very likely to wear other women’s previously rings when purchasing at those stores. However, Tiffany guarantees that their engagement rings never use second-hand diamonds or rings that’s previously owned by others. Otherwise, why are tiffany rings so expensive if they were using second hand diamonds. When people return or upgrade their diamond engagement rings, Tiffany uses those diamonds in other jewelry pieces, such as earrings or necklaces, but never on the engagement rings. I believe that since Tiffany’s trade-up policy is much more strict than any other jewelry shops.
Is any of these true? Please un-puzzle or correct me!
I believe you are right. Based on my own experience and questions I asked in a local Tiffany outlet, I was told that traded in diamonds are used for other forms of jewelry.
Hi Paul,
I wish I had read your article before pouring out a hefty price on a Tiffany ring. The purchase has already been done so no turning around now. The only thing I can ask for now is your personal opinion on the following .38c round brilliant ring with the following specs: color:H fluorescence:none presence: triple excellent rating clarity:VS1 depth %: 60.1 table size %: 59 crown height %:13.5 crown angle: 33.6% star lenght%:56 pavilion depth %:43.6 pavilion angle%:41.2 lower half lenght%:77 girdle thickness:thin to medium girdle finish:bruted culet:none
What’s your opinion? Thanks!
Unfortunately, there’s only so much (or so little) I could tell you about your diamond without looking at it.
https://beyond4cs.com/buying-diamonds-blind/
What I would say for sure is that the stone has mediocre proportions (overly high pavilion angles and low crown angles in combination with table/depth%). Based on that alone, it is enough for me to avoid it all together without even looking at other stuff. There is simply way too many other options out there that would be better options than settling for this stone.
Hi Paul,
I am really impressed by your knowledge as i have read your other your articles too.
I do hope that maybe you will be able to answer my question as i can not find anything on the web or the tiffany&co website.
The question is – have they ever made their most popular tiffany engagement ring in white 18k gold? i have been looking for the engagement ring for my future wife :) and i have been offered a vintage 18k one. however i have some doubts whether it is real of fake one. i personally prefer to buy other non branded ring rather than fake Tifffany.
Many thanks in advance.
Regards,
Kris
As far as I know, Tiffany does make 18k white gold rings with diamonds. I am very sure that most popular tiffany engagement rings come with choices of white gold and platinum metal. However, they may not make 18k white gold versions for all their ring designs. It is best to check directly with Tiffany & Co. in order to clarify questions related to material makeups.
Your pricing is a little off — for the same band as the tiffany setting band you have to pay $1800 for the Vatche setting (which IS the same as the Tiffany setting). So, that’s a big difference when you factor in the actual same setting in platinum. In my case, my .47 excellent cut, VVSI I color Tiffany Setting ring was LESS expensive than the same ring from whiteflash.
For most ladies, your advice would be great! The larger rocks will be way more $$$$ – but for me, Tiffany’s was less expensive and so, so worth it. The setting was equally important as the diamond, and I feel I got both and for a very, very reasonable price!
I forgot to add the link to the identical setting as the Tiffany solitaire ring setting from Whiteflash. I think the tiffany engagement rings price is quite similar.
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/6-prong-solitaire-engagement-ring-by-vatche-1779.htm
Thanks for pointing this out. Vatche is a designer brand and naturally, the prices are more expensive than the generic settings offered by White Flash. However, you need to remember that there are 2 components to an engagement ring. The center stone and setting. The price of a 1 carat tiffany ring is going to cost a lot more when compared to the price of a 1 carat diamond ring from White Flash. I think you need to look at the Total cost to allow a proper comparison. Bear in mind that the quality of tiffany diamonds would likely not be on the level of White Flash’s diamonds when it comes to sparkle and cut precision.
Hi Paul, could you help me to make a decision which one is better this two Tiffany rings? (nearly same price) 1.Tiffany Setting 1.12ct G Colour VS1 Clarity 2 excellent but very good symmetry
– Total Depth = 61.9%
– Table Size = 56%
– Crown Height = 15.7%
– Crown Angle = 34.9
– Pavilion Depth = 42.7%
– Pavilion Angle = 40.7
– Girdle Thickness = Medium to Slightly thick
– Girdle Finish = Faceted
– Culet = None 2.Tiffany Classic Setting 1.09ct F Colour VS1 Clarity
Excellent Cut, Excellent Symmetry, Excellent Polish.
TOTAL DEPTH PERCENTAGE 62.3%
TABLE SIZE PERCENTAGE 55%
CROWN HEIGHT PERCENTAGE 15.9%
CROWN ANGLE 34.9°
PAVILION DEPTH PERCENTAGE 43.0%
PAVILION ANGLE 40.8°
GIRDLE THICKNESS Medium
GIRDLE FINISH Faceted
CULET None
LOWER HALF LENGTH PERCENTAGE 75%
STAR LENGTH PERCENTAGE 55%
Do you also have a tiffany true cut review written previously?
The proportions look OK to me and I don’t see red flags in both diamonds based on their proportions. That said, proportions by themselves don’t tell the complete story about a diamond’s appearance. You need more info!
Read this: https://beyond4cs.com/buying-diamonds-blind/
Great article Paul. I’ve been looking at James Allen and some other sites that offer 360 videos for their diamonds and also comparing prices for settings. I really like this setting from Shiree Odiz:
http://www.shireeodiz.com/products/diamond-engagement-ring-modern-round-cut-side-diamonds-99064-white-gold?variant=6349500291
The price seems very reasonable considering the amount of small diamonds. What are your thoughts?
I’m still looking for the center stone… Around 0.80ct G/SI1 round.
Thanks
Nice setting. I think it’s full of bling! If you need help in picking out the center diamond, email me in private.
Hi Paul Gian,
Thank you for sharing your knowledge here.
I was wondering how can you evaluate the diamond with the ring set by using Idealscope/ASET at Tiffany & Co, since their diamond always set on the ring. How do I objectively analyze the tiffany cut diamond?
Thank you!
Jake
Buy a portable handheld ASET/Idealscope and bring it to the store for examination. It’s a hassle but that’s the way to get it done if you want assurance of best cut quality.
Hi Paul,
I’ve been quoted a diamond for an plain solitaire engagement ring from a wholesaler for $9,800 CAD: GIA graded, round cut, 1.30 carat, vs1, triple excellent I colour. I am just really worried about the I colour as it is lower in the GIA scale and I don’t want my ring to be let down by any of the four Cs. I’ve been told I’m over thinking it. Do you think it is reasonable to be concerned about the I colour?
Thank you for your help.
Cut is the utmost factor that affects a diamond’s outward appearance. The fact that you claim to be buying from a “wholesaler” does not bode well. Wholesalers do not exist and are a marketing scam used to create the illusion of preferential pricing when they aren’t.
https://beyond4cs.com/engagement-ring/beware-of-cheap-diamond-deals/
That is to say, if someone claims to sell at wholesale prices and they purchased the goods at a wholesale price of $100, they are expected to sell it to the consumer at $100. If they sell at a higher price to the consumer at $101 or $110, they are selling at retail prices. It’s as simple as that and wholesalers DO NOT exist to the general public because as you guessed, companies deal in hundreds to thousands of stones at a time to qualify them for “wholesale prices”.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for such a detailed info, I got a quick question, hopefully you’d be able to answer, I bought a Tiffany Harmony ring, I paid and requested to resize it to size 5 (the standard size starts from size 6), I didn’t get my ring yet since it’s in process of resizing now (of course, still in 30 days period), but I somehow change my mind and would like to cancel this order, would Tiffany accept my cancellation and fully refund me? I kinda saw from other website saying, once you resize the ring, you cannot return it even it’s in 30 days period, is it true?
It is best to get in touch with Tiffany immediately. They are the best people to advice you and maybe able to process your request. The sooner you do it, the better.
Hi Paul
I am really impressed by your knowledge!
What can you tell me about the yellow diamonds from Tiffany? How much does a tiffany engagement ring cost with a yellow diamond when it comes to the premium paid over other generic brands?
Thanks
Ra Luca
They are significantly overpriced because of the brand premium. Quality wise, it’s the same issue as their “colorless” diamonds. The quality is generally OK and you need to be educated in order to select the better ones. I’ve actually looked at yellow Tiffany diamond rings before and I would say that they use well selected fancy yellows for their rings. The color saturation and shape appeal all meet my standards to be considered good. Price wise, they would cost about twice more compared to a similar GIA certified yellow diamond ring purchased elsewhere. The caveat here is that you need to understand how fancy colors work. Tiffany does the legwork for you but they charge a price premium for that.
Nine years ago we shopped for engagement rings. After visiting various jewelers, we kept going back to Tiffany’s flagship store on fifth avenue. I love my Tiffany diamond and the brilliance dispersed from the stone is unmatched by any other. They really cut to maximize the brilliance, not carat weight. Customer service is superb and a class all by itself. For those criticizing Tiffany, they probably can’t afford it.
Hi Paul,
Would like to seek your opinion on the two Tiffany rings. Which is more worth considering? Option 2 seems to show more fire and scintillation. The 1 carat price for these tiffany rings is in the range of $17,000. Is it worth it?
1) Depth percentage: 62
Table percentage: 60
Crown angle: 35.4
Pavilion angle: 41.1
Girdle thickness: medium to slightly thick
Cut, polish & symmetry: 3x
HCA: 4.7
2)Depth percentage: 60.3
Table percentage: 59
Crown angle: 33.4
Pavilion angle:40.8
Gridle thickness: medium to slightly thick
Cut, polish & summetry: 3x
HCA: 1.3
Both don’t make the cut by my standards.
https://beyond4cs.com/shapes/round/ideal-proportions/
You can definitely do better. Tiffany sells diamonds with a range of cut quality and you’ll need to be selective if you are looking for the best. Given the insane premium you get charged, I advice you to do more reading up and use tangible light performance tools to evaluate your diamond options.
https://beyond4cs.com/grading/aset-reference-charts/
Hi Paul,
I visited Tiffany & Co today and was on the edge of purchasing a 1.01 carat I VS1 solitaire. I thought it twice and headed home to do a little more research without being carried away.
Now I find myself looking into buying a solitaire ring from James Allen. This would get set into a “Tiffany style” ring. I am not a big fan of visible inclusions in diamonds, but I also don’t want to pay a whole lot for something that is going to be a technicality only.
Can you please tell me if this sounds like good value for what I am paying (~7.8k)?
Thanks in advance!
SHAPE: Round
CARAT WEIGHT: 1.24
COLOR: F
CLARITY: VS2
CUT: Excellent
POLISH: Excellent
SYMMETRY: Excellent
L/W/D (MM): 6.85*6.88*4.29
L/W RATIO: 1.00
DEPTH %: 62.50
TABLE %: 57.00
CERTIFICATE: GIA
CROWN ∠: 35.50
CROWN %: 15.50
PAVILION ∠: 41.00
PAVILION %: 43.50
Do you have a direct url link to the diamond? The crown angles are a tad high but it might work. You need to provide me with more information to make my review any meaningful.
Very informative post, Paul! Cut is definitely king when it comes to diamonds. I think it’s great that there’s more and more accessible information on light performance, which allows for buyers to get the best performing (objectively) diamond possible. Just like your post, there are so many tools online now to help with the selection process, such as Pricescope’s HCA tool. You just plug in the various angles of the diamond and you’ll get a pretty good idea of how well your diamond will perform. For me, I want a diamond because I want it to be sparkly and fiery. With such a big purchase, I definitely want the best of the best that offers supporting proof and documents, such as AGS Ideal light performance, ASETs, Idealscope images. I’m willing to pay a premium for quality, not so much for the name of the brand especially when their quality does not stack up against super-ideals. Thanks again for the information!
My boyfriend wanted to gift me something that I would like so we went to Tiffany together. I’m not overweight but I’ve always worn big size rings. They had very very poor selection of not only designs but the sizes as well. Sales associate couldn’t offer anything bigger than 7 (which is good for my pinky). Eventually she gave up and suggested to look online. Niiiiceeeee experience
Buyer Beware – My Tiffany’s diamond anniversary bands have to be completely reset and one is only 3 years old at a cost of almost half the ring’s value – and Tiffany’s says it is my fault. Actually have two of the same bands (one for 10 years and one for 15). 7 diamonds in each. A diamond has fallen out twice even though I have had them checked every 6 mos since the first one fell out. Now being told it will cost me $5000 to repair the rings. No other options presented. These are diamond rings in platinum settings that are to be worn with wedding bands on a regular basis! Tiffany’s says it is solely my fault and nothing is wrong with their product. I have been a long time customer but will never purchase any jewelry from Tiffany’s again. Be cautious before paying “extra” for the Tiffany’s brand. They certainly don’t stand behind it!
Hi Paul,
I went to Tiffany’s this morning in HK.
I fell in love with their solitaire diamond studs earrings. The sales lady said in her personal opinion, she recommends size over color and clarity for earrings. She recommended a pair of earrings with 1.11c total weight, I color, VVS1/2 for HKD70,000. Is it over priced?
Love to hear from you.
Cheers,
Tam
You can do your own price comparisons here: https://beyond4cs.com/diamond-prices/
Let me know what you find out.
* Spoiler, a 0.60ct diamond with a low I color and high VVS clarity would only cost around HKD15,000. A pair of them would cost around HKD30,000 and I am assuming that the cut quality on these diamonds is the best of the best. Tiffany’s cut quality are generally good but not necessarily the best of the best in comparison. And yet, the pair of earrings is going to cost more than twice the price.
Surely an engagement ring only has a value if you sell it ? If you ask someone to marry you, and give the lady an engagement ring then it should never be sold, and therefore has no value. Just a thought x
I second wholeheartedly one of the comments I read – Tiffany’s doesn’t have good customer service! I am known as the diamond queen amongst all my friends. I went with one of them to help him choose an engagement ring for his girlfriend. We were dressed in shorts and tshirts, but you hardly expect to need to wear a fancy outfit to get good customer service. We go inside and we wait for someone to come over to us. There were some staff standing behind the counter not doing anything, but not coming over to us. Finally I go up to one of them (15 min later) and say “excuse me.” The response “I’m busy.” in a very rude tone. I wait a while longer but the lady is just standing there. Finally someone comes over to us and my friend points at one and says “oh what is the price on that”. The woman just looked at us and walks away. I got very angry and I left the store. He later bought his girlfriend a ring online. It’s ridiculous to judge someone on their lack of knowledge or their outfit. Knowing that the jewellery is so overpriced as well, I don’t see why anyone would like to buy there.
I am a diamond dealer that buys wholesale diamonds, mostly melee, from diamond manufacturers, of which some are DTC sightholders and some are not. The diamonds are in large parcels, sometimes hundreds of carats. I then sort and grade these stones and resell them to small jewelry manufacturers or retail stores that make some of their own jewelry. We markup those goods 10 – 30%. That is still a wholesale price, because it is not the end consumer. Working on 47th street, I know casters, setters, and polishers. I can make a piece of jewelry for $1000 and sell it to a retail store for $1250. They then sell it in their store for $2000 – $2500. If I am lucky and know the end consumer, I can sell it directly to them for $1500. I make a little more and they save up to $1000 off the retail price. I consider that getting a deal from a wholesaler.
I will note this is nearly an impossible scenario with large stones for engagement rings, due to the competitive pricing out there. The only way to get a true deal is to know a diamond manufacturer.
I am shocked at Liz’s report of the customer service at Tiffany & Co. Let me tell you why. My boyfriend and I visited the Tiffany & Co. store on Newbury Street in Boston to look at the Soleste as an engagement ring. Immediately upon entering, a very nice sales associate offered us a drink. Were we wearing fancy clothes? No. We were wearing jeans, North Face fleece jackets, and baseball caps, both of us. Nicholas (the sales professional) was extremely helpful and incredibly knowledgeable. He answered all of our questions. Towards the end of our visit, again he asked us whether we’d like something to drink. My boyfriend responded, “Thank you, but we’re on our way to lunch.” Nicholas asked where we were having lunch and my boyfriend responded, “Oh, just at Joe’s American Bar & Grill down the street.” In the end, he gave us his card upon which he wrote his personal cell phone number. We both really liked him and were beyond impressed by his knowledge and class. Fast forward to 30 minutes later. We’re sitting at lunch and our waiter comes over with this huge smile on his face. And he says to us, “I am so happy to be the one to tell you that your meal today is being covered by Tiffany and Company!” Our jaws dropped. I nearly fell off my chair. We figured one of two things had happened. Either Nicholas had followed us down the street and asked the hostess to send him the bill, or he had called and described what we were wearing (the couple in the baseball caps). Needless to say, it was a class act. Not only were we blinded by the sparkle of every piece of jewelry around us, but we were blown away by one of the classiest acts we’ve ever encountered. When my boyfriend decides it’s the right time to purchase that ring, he’s going back there without a doubt.
Thanks for sharing! It’s the first time I heard someone being bought lunch on Tiffany’s account without purchasing anything beforehand. I don’t deny that Tiffany’s service can be great at times but I would be very surprised if they actually do this to all walk-in clients. Given how frequent I visit them, I have personally never experienced (as with others) having a meal bought before. I guess they need to work on their consistency in service standards. Your experience tells me another reason why Tiffany and Co’s prices are extremely high as well.
Hi Paul, thanks for all the info you’ve given. I’m hoping for a proposal in the near future and want to be in on the entire ring buying experience. I won’t be going to Tiffany’s though. I think they are quite overpriced and don’t need that blue box to make the proposal a great experience. I’ve also had the experience of going in to a Tiffany store in regular clothing and getting poor service. Quality is the most important thing for me for buying an engagement ring diamond. The fact that Tiffany’s does their own grading instead of an outside lab says volumes. You can go online now and see diamonds under magnification and read the entire GIA report and compare diamonds. I’d like to do my homework on line and then hopefully see the stone in person before making a decision. Doing your homework is the most important thing, all your tips make a huge difference. Thanks so much!
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the great articles.
I was happy with their eternity ring, and decided to buy an engagement ring. It ended up with huge disappointment. The quality of craftsmanship was very bad: the center stone was set angled on one side, prong was inconsistent from side and top, side pave were set not straight.
I sent it back, came back as nothing wrong, “Tiffany standard”, sent it back again and they admitted they were wrong but made it worse.
The Diamond was Princess cut and did not look straight but couldn’t tell because of the setting was off.
The only advantage of buying from Tiffany is it has resale value. I’ve seen many people struggling to sell their rings just because they are not high brands.
I would beg to differ on resale value. You are going to take a significant hit when you sell any diamond jewelry. Go try it and you’ll know why.
If a seller expects to recoup 80% for a Tiffany ring, ask yourself this simple question; why don’t the buyer just top up a little more to get it brand new. Realistically in the real world, I can tell you that 2nd hand rings (Tiffany’s included) don’t normally sell more than 50% of retail price. This is because the retail prices are too high to begin with.
I have an engagement ring and band with diamonds from previous marriage. Do you have an idea what is cost to covert this into diamond earrings? Can a jeweler cut the ring solitaire to make diamond stud earrings? Please let me know any jewelers you can recommend in New York. Thanks!!
It is relatively easy to remove the diamond from the setting. Depending on how large the diamonds are, it may not be worth it as manpower costs may cost significantly more. It may make more economical sense to simply buy a new set of earrings.
My experience at the 5th Avenue store was quite lovely (despite being casually dressed). I’m very happy with my ring (tiffany setting just over 3 carats, excellent cut, G color, VS1)… despite not being colorless or flawless, it definitely sparkles like no other- from across the room. I receive compliments on a daily basis. Despite the very hefty price tag, it’s an iconic piece- the original six prong setting. Purchasing elsewhere is like buying a knockoff Chanel bag- which may be okay for some. But I personally value the very long history behind a Tiffany setting. There is a record of quality and craftsmanship and prestige. This certainly should not be overlooked. Also a Tiffany ring is not meant to be sold. It is of heirloom quality. Anyway I just wanted to offer an alternate view on the value of a Tiffany setting.
I have purchased diamonds from kays jewelers and then traded up only to find out the stones were not of good quality. So when i inherited some money, i wanted to get top of the line diamond solitare earrings. So knowing i would also be paying for the name i went to Tiffanys figuring the would only sell top quality diamonds. I paid $3,000 for these and the backs are too heavy which causes the earrings to sit at an odd angle and can see the backs sticking down under my ear. They wont fix it without me paying much more to have something done about it and after reading your info im beginning to wonder what quality stones i actually have. I think a store with a high reputation of being top of the line should be regulated to only sell top of the line as you do pay more for the name as well in thinking you aren’t getting ripped on quality. Where can i take them to see just what quality they are?. Not everyone can afford them and made my purchase thinking they only sold the best so i wouldn’t be taken advantage of like i was at kays. This is very upsetting.
Tiffany and Kays are actually worlds apart in terms of diamond quality. With Tiffany, you do get decently well cut diamonds but they come at a price premium. If the rework on the earring does require significant effort, I think it is fair for the jeweler to charge a fee for that. After all, when you bought the earrings, that’s what you paid for (whether knowingly or unknowingly). If you want stellar cut quality and ideal cut diamonds, go to White Flash.
I really enjoyed your review on Tiffany.
Thank you, Paul.
I used to be a huge fan of Tiffany.
And even though I’m never buying a Tiffany diamond ring again (since now I know Brian Gavin Diamonds thanks to you Paul)
I have fond memory when it comes to Tiffany.
I used to have a 0.31ct / D/ IF / Tiffany diamond (purchased in 2017, no longer have it).
Even though the diamond was tiny, its fire was exceptional.
I could see all the colors of the rainbow, and the fire was really intense and vivid.
It was truly awesome.
To someone who has such a fond Tiffany experience, your review was a real shocker.
It’s hard to believe that Tiffany allowed something less than excellent for their diamonds.
According to the Tiffany website, “all Tiffany individually registered, white round brilliant engagement diamonds and Tiffany True diamonds (now) have a triple excellent cut.”
Maybe they started accepting only triple excellent diamonds after they saw your review.
And your Tiffany review was written in 2014, which means that Tiffany had been allowing “less than excellent” for 177 years (since it was opened in 1837) …. …. …. !!! !!! !!!!
Unbelievable…
Let’s consider two scenarios.
scenario 1 : a guy has a budget for a two carat diamond ring, goes to a Tiffany store, ends up buying a one carat diamond ring cos at Tiffany, things are so pricey anything bigger exceeds his budget.
scnario 2 : a guy has a budget for a 0.7 carat diamond ring, goes to a Tiffany store, ends up buying a 0.25 carat diamond ring cos at Tiffany, things are so pricey anything bigger exceeds his budget.
In my opinion, scenario 1 is okay but scenario 2 is not.
Because in scenario 1, the guy gave up a visible diamond but still got another (albeit smaller) visible one, but in scenario 2, the guy gave up a visible diamond and got an invisible diamond instead! (so small it’s practically invisible)
Of course when it comes to diamonds, being beautiful is more important than being bigger but we all know where to get beautiful AND bigger diamonds.
That’s my opinion.
Have a great weekend guys :)
Tiffany is a quick and easy way for people who want a decently good quality diamond ring and don’t mind paying a premium for it. They do have a highly recognized brand name and prestige. In general, they do have decently well cut diamonds but if someone is looking for the best of the best, then you will have to be extremely picky at Tiffany and know what to look out for.
While this review has been written some time back, I do visit Tiffany whenever I have the chance to go downtown. Even in present-day, their standards haven’t changed or improved much. It’s the same old standards.
Hi Paul,
Thank you so much for your expert articles. I have a question I hope you could answer. I’m usually a big fan of an Asscher cut diamond, but in the Tiffany’s store I saw the Tiffany True cut and really loved it. What is your opinion about this cut?
The Asscher cut is not something I personally like but if I am being objective, the Tiffany True Cut is generally cut well and has solid light performance. You just need to pony up and pay for the branding.