Tiffany Engagement Rings: How They Shaped the Modern Engagement Ring

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​When you think of Tiffany, you may think of their bright robin’s egg blue jewelry boxes or Audrey Hepburn holding a Danish and coffee in front of the storefront’s polished windows. No matter what comes to mind, there is no doubt that the jeweler has become a cultural icon. ​

​When Was Tiffany & Co. Founded?  ​

​Tiffany & Co. was founded in 1837 by jeweler Charles Tiffany in New York City, selling stationery and fancy goods. It wasn’t until almost 50 years later that he designed the modern engagement ring as we know it. ​

What Is a Tiffany Setting?

Image via 1stDibs ​

​In 1886, Charles Tiffany debuted the Tiffany Setting, which featured a simple, knife-edge band designed to create extra light reflection and six prongs that raised the single diamond high off the finger to capture more light, thus creating more sparkle. The ring’s beautiful minimalism gives the appearance of a floating diamond. This setting style is still popular today!  

Why Are Tiffany Engagement Rings So Iconic?  

When you think of an engagement ring, the Tiffany setting is likely the ring that comes to mind. In fact, the Apple emoji for an engagement ring 💍 resembles the Tiffany setting. 

To put it quite simply, diamond rings before the Tiffany setting were a little...busy. These pre-Tiffany diamond rings were bulkier and had wider bands. Many of these rings featured a bezel setting, meaning a piece of metal wrapped around and secured the diamond, which did not allow in as much light as a prong setting. 

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​Image via 1stDibs  ​

​Once the Tiffany setting debuted, this led to more engagement rings following the simple, modern design. The Tiffany engagement ring showed off the beauty of a single, raised dazzling diamond – something that was new and head-turning to the public. Tiffany diamond rings became the symbol of love and engagement. ​

How Much is a Tiffany Engagement Ring?  

It really depends on the size and quality of the diamond that you select, as well as the metal you choose for the setting. A 1-carat platinum engagement ring will set you back at least $10,000.   

Are Tiffany Engagement Rings Worth It?  

Tiffany engagement rings are extremely expensive. When you are buying a Tiffany engagement ring, you are just paying for the prestige of the brand name. You can easily find a high-quality engagement ring that looks like a Tiffany engagement ring at a much more reasonable price point.  

Additionally, you should know that Tiffany grades their diamonds in-house. Each diamond comes with a Tiffany Diamond Certificate. Most prefer a diamond graded by a third party, like the GIA or AGS, because they can grade diamonds in an unbiased manner. 

Get the Look for Less 

If you love the Tiffany setting, check out these affordable settings that are similar.  

Petite 6-Prong Knife-Edge Solitaire Engagement Ring - Starting at $294 in 14kt White Gold (Setting Only) 

This 6-prong setting features a slender 1.7mm band to let your diamond really stand out. This setting is one of our best-selling styles! 

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Solitaire Diamond Knife-edge Engagement Ring - Starting at $672 in 14kt White Gold (Setting Only) 

This gorgeous knife-edge engagement ring features 4 prongs for those who prefer a slightly more minimalist look. 

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Solitaire Diamond Six-prong Knife-edge Engagement Ring - Starting at $578 in 14kt White Gold

The substantial 2.5mm band of this knife-edge six-prong engagement ring allows for extra light reflection off the metal.  

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Discover more knife-edge engagement rings here. 

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