Quality of Tiffany jewelry compared to other designer brands

[fuschiapeony]

Hi,
how does the quality of tiffany & co jewelry compare to other designer brands like cartier and van Cleef? I’m looking at some gold bracelets but I’ve heard that the quality isn’t very good. What are your thoughts?

 

[lill_canele]

In terms of history and prestige, at least in the US, Tiffany is very well known and holds its own pretty well.

Hmm, how do I say this, there is a difference between the quality of the materials and the quality of the craftmanship.

I feel that the 18k gold in Tiffany, Cartier, and VCA are all pretty much the same quality.
The diamonds and other gemstones don't seem to vary too much (especially when the diamonds are small like pave diamonds). And then when the gemstones get big, that's when they get evaluated on a more universal scale (like GIA for diamonds).
Therefore, in terms of quality of raw materials, I don't find them to be that different.

However, I feel that the issue may lie in the craftsmanship and/or quality control. As in, how the jewelry is designed and made, how the clasps and closures work, and how do they fair with daily use.

Each item has its pet peeve. Famously the Cartier love bracelets have been known to have quality issues with the screws loosening, bracelets falling off, etc.

Tiffany has their own set of issues. For example, the Tiffany T wire bracelets, though beautiful, because they are thin and made of 18k gold, the gold is relatively soft, and the bracelet will eventually bend and warp over time. The look is of course simple, minimalistic and beautiful but in terms of design and construction? it's a more delicate bracelet than what most people think and ends up getting damaged. (I have seen sooo many of them on the resale market that don't close properly, are bent out of shape, etc.)
I have a discontinued Tiffany bangle. The closure is flawed. It is a very slim vertical button that you press to open and close the bangle. The button unfortunately sticks out, so that if it gets pressed accidentally, it will open the bracelet. I've definitely pressed it against something or against myself and see it start to unclasp. Also, the lock mechanism is not tight or secure, if I move actively, the clasp will start to loosen a bit and I'll see a gap. I can even pull it partially open easily and it will stop at the lock mechanism.

I'm not saying Tiffany has significant quality control issues compared to other jewelry brands or that all of their pieces are badly made. It depends on the item. So with Tiffany, I would just do a lot of research on items that I'm interested in and see if I can find photos of the item on the resale market to see how it looks after being worn.
And maybe I would ask some questions like:
- Will this lock or closure mechanism weaken over time?
- Is this part going to rub on another part to the point where it potentially breaks or scratches the gold a lot?
- Does this part look relatively delicate and if I bumped it a bit, would it warp?
- Is the chain very very thin to the point where it can be easily tangled or snap if I pull? (Tiffany chains are very thin, known to give a dainty appearance and letting certain things like diamonds, look like they're floating. I've never had a problem with mine but its something to keep in mind.)

Just based on my experience, hope this helps!

 

[sosauce]

I don’t feel like there’s a big quality difference… The most popular items have more people talking about quality, for instance: Van Cleef often has significant air gaps for Alhambra pieces, and Cartier commonly has loose screws in love bracelets.

For chain bracelets, Tiffany often uses thinner chains and daintier spring ring clasps. I’m not a fan of the delicate look, but I also don’t mind it that much. However, the hardwear bracelet is popular, has a distinctive look, and isn’t dainty. Diamonds by the yard versus Cartier legers, I like the Tiffany more, because the bracelet flips, and the back side of the DBTY looks better imo.

For bangles, I find that Tiffany’s newer pieces have much better designed closures compared to before. Nowadays, the closures are well-hidden and go seamlessly with the design. For instance, the Knot, T true, and Atlas X bangles all incorporate the closure into the design. I used to complain about the older bangles, because the closures weren’t very discreet.

For wire bracelets, like the Cartier juste un clou or Tiffany T, they all have that issue with being susceptible to warping. That’s just across all brands. I wouldn’t call that a quality issue, though, since the bracelets are hollow sheets of gold surrounding a thin wire. They don’t feel very robust, so it doesn’t surprise me if they get misshapen. They’re not meant to be worn 24/7.

For tennis bracelets, I think Tiffany is more famous with its Victoria collection than either Cartier or Van Cleef. Also, Victoria uses platinum instead of white gold, unlike the Cartier reflection, etincelle, or essentials collection.

Anyways, I guess whether or not I would go with Cartier, Van Cleef, or Tiffany for a bracelet comes down to design rather than quality. If you want a chain bracelet, I feel like Alhambra is more feminine, versus hardwear which is more unisex. If you want a bangle, the love is more iconic. If you want a diamond line bracelet, I think Victoria is more famous with the four marquise diamonds.

Either way, the jewelry from these brands is meant to last beyond a lifetime, and the stores will be able to repair and restore your pieces. I don’t think there’s a big quality discrepancy, if there’s any at all. A Cartier customer versus a Tiffany customer versus a Van Cleef customer are probably not using quality as the determining factor when choosing to buy their next piece. For me, matters of convenience, branding, inventory, uniqueness, and design take precedent, since I expect all jewelry from these brands to be of equivalent quality.

 

[FashionistaSista]

I would rank them in this order: 1 Tiffany, 2 Van Cleef, 3 Cartier. Tiffany has the best diamonds because they have their own mines. If you visit all three stores, none of the diamonds sparkle like Tiffany diamonds.

 

[brnicutie]

The quality of their pieces are pretty much the same across the board. It's basically what designs do you desire more. I have a few Tiffany pieces (platinum, gold, diamonds) that has held up well over time. Their diamonds do tend to shine brighter. They use only excellent cut diamonds. The only thing I don't like about Tiffany is that they grade their diamonds in house instead of the GIA.

 

[Swanky]

Ohhhhh this is so subjective!!
Your question is pretty vague.. which jewelry specifically are you wanting to evaluate?

 

[FashionistaSista]

The quality of their pieces are pretty much the same across the board. It's basically what designs do you desire more. I have a few Tiffany pieces (platinum, gold, diamonds) that has held up well over time. Their diamonds do tend to shine brighter. They use only excellent cut diamonds. The only thing I don't like about Tiffany is that they grade their diamonds in house instead of the GIA.

Tiffany’s grading standard is more strict than GIA. Also Tiffany guarantees their grades so if they say it’s D color and somewhere else tells you it’s an E color, Tiffany will either refund you or provide you with a replacement D color diamond. In the bottom right corner of a GIA report it actually says that it is not a guarantee. You really cannot go wrong with Tiffany.

 

[brnicutie]

Tiffany’s grading standard is more strict than GIA. Also Tiffany guarantees their grades so if they say it’s D color and somewhere else tells you it’s an E color, Tiffany will either refund you or provide you with a replacement D color diamond. In the bottom right corner of a GIA report it actually says that it is not a guarantee. You really cannot go wrong with Tiffany.

I totally get that. That's why I have bought diamonds from Tiffany. However, I'd prefer the diamonds be graded by a third party rather than the seller.

 

[sosauce]

I totally get that. That's why I have bought diamonds from Tiffany. However, I'd prefer the diamonds be graded by a third party rather than the seller.

In prior years, I don’t know, maybe the 90s/2000s? Tiffany used to give you both a GIA report and a Tiffany certificate with diamonds.

My SA explained that the Tiffany diamond certificate is a legally binding document, unlike the GIA grade report. So I think in the beginning, the Tiffany certification process was meant to differentiate Tiffany from its competitors, because the diamond quality was guaranteed, and it’s easier to explain that difference to lay customers. I heard from my SA that there were some very, very high-profile scandals in the Emirates in the 2000s about diamond grading fraud by other companies, so this was meant to add reassurance.

But in the beginning, I believe Tiffany started off with only GIA graded diamonds. The company then implemented Tiffany certificates as an additional service to their diamonds. Then after a few more years, the company decided to not get GIA grade reports anymore.

Tiffany diamonds already go through 7 pairs of eyes before getting a certified grade. So I think the company eventually stopped issuing the GIA report, because double grading got to be redundant. Not sure of the exact time when the GIA reports were dropped, but it may have also coincided with the recession?

 

[brnicutie]

In prior years, I don’t know, maybe the 90s/2000s? Tiffany used to give you both a GIA report and a Tiffany certificate with diamonds.

My SA explained that the Tiffany diamond certificate is a legally binding document, unlike the GIA grade report. So I think in the beginning, the Tiffany certification process was meant to differentiate Tiffany from its competitors, because the diamond quality was guaranteed, and it’s easier to explain that difference to lay customers. I heard from my SA that there were some very, very high-profile scandals in the Emirates in the 2000s about diamond grading fraud by other companies, so this was meant to add reassurance.

But in the beginning, I believe Tiffany started off with only GIA graded diamonds. The company then implemented Tiffany certificates as an additional service to their diamonds. Then after a few more years, the company decided to not get GIA grade reports anymore.

Tiffany diamonds already go through 7 pairs of eyes before getting a certified grade. So I think the company eventually stopped issuing the GIA report, because double grading got to be redundant. Not sure of the exact time when the GIA reports were dropped, but it may have also coincided with the recession?

Tiffany is now owned by LVMH. LV just came out with a LV Diamonds line that I was looking at. It comes with a LV Diamonds certificate, powered by Aura Blockchain Consortium technology,, a digital record. I’m not sure how this is going to work. I’m going to see my CA in a few days. This could be the future of Tiffany.

 

[FashionistaSista]

In prior years, I don’t know, maybe the 90s/2000s? Tiffany used to give you both a GIA report and a Tiffany certificate with diamonds.

My SA explained that the Tiffany diamond certificate is a legally binding document, unlike the GIA grade report. So I think in the beginning, the Tiffany certification process was meant to differentiate Tiffany from its competitors, because the diamond quality was guaranteed, and it’s easier to explain that difference to lay customers. I heard from my SA that there were some very, very high-profile scandals in the Emirates in the 2000s about diamond grading fraud by other companies, so this was meant to add reassurance.

But in the beginning, I believe Tiffany started off with only GIA graded diamonds. The company then implemented Tiffany certificates as an additional service to their diamonds. Then after a few more years, the company decided to not get GIA grade reports anymore.

Tiffany diamonds already go through 7 pairs of eyes before getting a certified grade. So I think the company eventually stopped issuing the GIA report, because double grading got to be redundant. Not sure of the exact time when the GIA reports were dropped, but it may have also coincided with the recession?

The Tiffany grading process is more stringent than GIA. As you said, the Tiffany report goes through 7 people. Also the Tiffany report is legally binding but the GIA report says in the lower right corner that it is not a guarantee, whereas Tiffany guarantees their report or they will give you a refund or an exchange.

 

[Mishella]

Tiffany stones are usually lower quality than let’s say Cartier, Bulgari, Chopard. Tiffany uses I color and SI clarity in their small diamond pieces, while other brands mentioned above generally don’t go lower than G color, VS quality. Bigger stones have their GIA certificate, you can choose any quality you like. As for the craftsmanship I believe Tiffany is decent.

 

[lihoo]

Tiffany stones are usually lower quality than let’s say Cartier, Bulgari, Chopard. Tiffany uses I color and SI clarity in their small diamond pieces, while other brands mentioned above generally don’t go lower than G color, VS quality. Bigger stones have their GIA certificate, you can choose any quality you like. As for the craftsmanship I believe Tiffany is decent.

I wouldn't say Tiffany's stones have lower quality but they just offer a wider range of selection in terms of colour and clarity.

 

[Mishella]

I wouldn't say Tiffany's stones have lower quality but they just offer a wider range of selection in terms of colour and clarity.

There is no selection of stones for most of their items, except classic bigger stone pieces. So overall their pieces have lower diamond quality than other brands.

 

[sosauce]

Tiffany stones are usually lower quality than let’s say Cartier, Bulgari, Chopard. Tiffany uses I color and SI clarity in their small diamond pieces, while other brands mentioned above generally don’t go lower than G color, VS quality. Bigger stones have their GIA certificate, you can choose any quality you like. As for the craftsmanship I believe Tiffany is decent.

I never paid attention to the diamond specs or looked at my valuations before, but I decided to go through them to see.

For “fashion” jewelry, Tiffany uses lower color diamonds with more clarity discrepancy.
G—J, IF—SI1

For “fine” jewelry, Tiffany uses higher color diamonds with less clarity discrepancy.
D—G, IF—VS2

The distinction is based on collection and not on diamond size, because my novo ring’s diamonds are super teeny tiny. So, something in the T, Atlas, or Return to Tiffany collection would have lower color diamonds than something from the Schlumberger or Victoria line.