Tiffany & Co. has become a frontline force in diamond traceability. In an interview with The Week, Tiffany & Co. senior vice president of diamond and jewelry supply Andy Hart talked of this latest step in traceability taken by one of the world's most renowned jewelry houses.
Hart was asked why provenance alone for stones is not enough, therefore leading the company to allow full transparency for buyers. "Disclosing the country where each stone is crafted and set in jewelry marks an industry first," said Hart. "This follows our 2019 announcement that Tiffany would become the first global luxury jeweler to provide the provenance (region or countries of origin) of its individually registered diamonds. We had always planned to take this transparency to a new level and by sharing the full craftsmanship journey of its diamonds, Tiffany reinforces the brand’s commitment to ensuring that every step in the journey of its products contributes to the well-being of people and the planet."
"Diamonds are expertly cut and polished by Tiffany artisans at our diamond workshops in Botswana, Mauritius, Cambodia and Vietnam," said Hart when asked if the brand's international workshops are known to specialize in certain techniques. "The former two workshops focus on serialized, individual registered diamonds (generally 0.18 carats and larger) for solitaire diamond jewelry including engagement rings. The latter two workshops focus on smaller melee diamonds such as pavé diamonds for fashion jewelry. Our workshops in New York and Kentucky are where jewelry is crafted and those diamonds are set."
When asked about the provenance of the stones from the Golden Star necklace, Hart said, "Generally, we source gemstones to realize the creative direction of our talented jewelry designers led by chief artistic officer Reed Krakoff. On occasion, and in the case of the Tiffany Golden Star, we acquire a gemstone that’s so rare or unique, the creative team will design a magnificent piece of jewelry around it. The 21 carat fancy intense yellow diamond center stone in the Tiffany Golden Star necklace was sourced from Botswana, cut and polished in Antwerp, and set in the United States."
Information originally sourced from The Week.
