The DOR Guide

The Iconic ‘Tiffany’ Setting and How It Came to Be

Before the Tiffany setting came along, diamond ring settings were much lower on the finger. Stones were usually secured in a band or held with short prongs, so the stones had a low profile. Then, in 1886, there was a revolution. Charles Lewis Tiffany introduced his ‘Tiffany’ setting and Tiffany diamond engagement rings became all the rage.

Diamonds On Richmond make buying an engagement ring stress-free. Explore DOR's engagement rings here. 

What is the Tiffany setting?

The world-famous Tiffany setting involves a dazzling round diamond perched high above the gold band. The iconic Tiffany style setting features a round brilliant cut diamond in a high six claw setting that elevates the stone above the band.

The history of the Tiffany setting

Charles Lewis Tiffany designed the setting to showcase the beauty of Tiffany’s brilliant-cut round diamonds. Here’s a gorgeous example of a DOR engagement ring with a Tiffany style setting.

Charles Tiffany’s business began in 1837 when he and a friend opened a stationery and fancy-goods store in New York City. Their store was a hit, so they added jewellery, diamond rings and silverware to their range. In the decades that followed, the reputation of Tiffany & Co engagement rings became more and more dazzling.

Why is the 'Tiffany' style setting so famous?

Today, 135 years later, the Tiffany style setting remains the world’s most famous style for engagement rings. Here’s why it’s so popular:

• The style lifts the diamond high and allows more light to penetrate the stone from the sides, so the stone has more brilliance.

• The Tiffany style setting is inherently simple, which means it has broad appeal.

• If you want a higher degree of personalisation, you could use a coloured diamond. More about diamond colour.

Alternate settings for a round solitaire diamond, plus some other engagement ring concepts

Maybe the Tiffany diamond setting isn’t you? If you find it too tall for practicality or want a ring that breaks the rules of engagement, there are many other ways to approach setting design. For example:

Bezel setting, which wraps around the stone. It’s not as dazzling as a Tiffany style setting, because the closed setting blocks the entry of light, however you’ll still enjoy plenty of sparkle with a more robust setting that is less likely to catch on things.

Bar setting, where two metal bars hold the diamond in place. Engagement rings featuring a bar setting are sleek and modern.

Channel setting, with small diamonds set deep into the metal band. The diamonds are very secure with this type of ring and the look is charmingly vintage.

Gypsy setting (aka Flushsetting), where the stones are set within the metal and don’t rise above the band’s surface. This setting makes for a clean, modern style ring.

Micro pavé setting, involving lots of small gems held in place by micro prongs. Dainty and sparkly, for something different.

Halo setting, where a large centre diamond is encircled by smaller diamonds. Très glamorous!

Pavé setting, with lots of micro gems set closely together to create a field of sparkle, as if paved with diamonds.

Want to know more about diamond engagement rings?

Before you start searching the internet for Tiffany engagement rings NZ or Tiffany & Co engagement rings, take a look at The Diamond Buying Guide - The 4Cs of Diamonds. Then, let one of our Client Managers introduce you to the exciting process of choosing or designing the perfect Tiffany-style diamond engagement ring.

Get in touch with us and book an appointment to get started.