We believe the beauty of a diamond is measured not only in its extraordinary appearance, but by the care it is treated with. As part of our Diamond Craft Journey, we work to ensure responsible practices every step of the way. From the moment a Tiffany diamond is unearthed, it takes a remarkable trip across the globe, passing from the expert hands of one master craftsperson to another until it’s worthy of the iconic Tiffany Blue Box®. In 2020, we became the first global luxury jeweller to disclose the countries where our newly sourced, individually registered diamonds of .18 carats and larger are sourced, cut, polished, graded and set.
Step 1: Responsible Sourcing
Many Tiffany diamonds begin their journey as rough stones, mined in countries such as Australia, Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. These regions or countries of origin are referred to as the “provenance” of a diamond. 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.
Step 2: Preparation
Tiffany & Co. standards are so high that we only accept .04% of the world’s gem-grade diamonds. If a diamond does not meet our rigourous quality standards, it is rejected and sold back to the market where it may end up with our competitors. We send the small number of rough diamonds we do accept to our workshop in Antwerp, Belgium, the headquarters of Tiffany’s diamond operation. Here, our experts record the origin of the stone and sort for size, colour, clarity and fluorescence. We then map the unique design for each stone, prioritising beauty above all else—even sacrificing carat weight—to ensure that all Tiffany diamonds meet our high standards and that our engagement rings have that mesmerising sparkle that lights up a room.
Step 3: Cutting and Polishing
Next, our diamonds travel to Tiffany workshops in Belgium, Botswana, Mauritius, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Here, over 2,300 of the world’s most talented artisans cut and polish diamonds with incredible accuracy and artistry, bringing out the beauty of each stone. We are proud to hire locally, invest in communities and provide a living wage for employees in developing countries. As of June 2022, 94% of the workforce at our Hải Dương, Vietnam facility consisted of women hired from the local community. We also procure select polished diamonds from trusted suppliers who comply with our traceability, quality, social and environmental standards.
Step 4: Grading and Quality Control
Tiffany diamonds are meticulously evaluated at our network of Tiffany Gemmological Laboratories in the U.S., Cambodia and Vietnam. This ensures every stone meets superlative grading requirements, which are established and assured in New York.
“We carefully check each diamond to make sure it meets Tiffany’s high standards of cut, clarity, carat and colour. If anything takes away from the beauty of the stone, we won’t accept it.”
—Hanna Jee, Diamond Grader, Tiffany & Co.
Step 5: Setting
Tiffany sets the majority of its diamonds at its workshops in the U.S. Here, setters individually adjust each prong and basket on an engagement ring by hand to reveal the beauty of each stone. We believe our people are our greatest strength, so we ensure our workshops meet high standards for safety, cleanliness and a productive, welcoming environment.
Step 6: Time for the Blue Box
Time for the final step. A Tiffany diamond is now ready to be placed in its iconic Tiffany Blue Box® and bag. Introduced in 1886, this packaging has become synonymous with Tiffany and for over a decade it has been made with paper from sustainable sources, including Forest Stewardship Council®-certified and recycled materials. That’s just one of many reasons why, when it comes to engagement rings, only Tiffany will do.
Tiffany has temporarily closed stores in Russia and will provide affected employees with essential financial and operational assistance during this time. We will continue to closely monitor the crisis unfolding in Ukraine and will comply with applicable sanctions and legal restrictions concerning Russia.
Tiffany & Co. is fully compliant with President Biden’s executive order on the sourcing of non-industrial diamonds of Russian origin. As of 21 March, 2022, Tiffany has paused the sourcing of all rough diamonds from Russia, as well as serialised diamonds of Russian origin regardless of where they are cut and polished.
For melee diamonds, Tiffany has taken the extra step of instructing our suppliers to stop buying Russian rough stones on our behalf and to separate Russian and non-Russian melee moving forward.
While approximately 30% of the world’s diamonds originate from Russia, at Tiffany, our transparent chain of custody process with our newly sourced, individually registered diamonds offers the client the opportunity to choose the country or region from which their engagement diamond originates—a first among global luxury jewellers.
Tiffany & Co. is the first global luxury jeweller to offer diamond traceability by sharing the full craftsmanship journey of its newly sourced, individually registered diamonds, which includes disclosing the countries or regions where these diamonds are crafted and set.
