You’re looking to buy a special engagement ring for your loved one, but you’re hit with a difficult decision: Do you go with the more popular but expensive Tiffany engagement ring? Or do you choose the affordable and lesser-known Clean Origin engagement ring? Stop struggling because we have all the answers for you! Read on to learn about Clean Origin vs Tiffany and find out which one is perfect for you.
| Bottom Line Recommendation |
|---|
| If you’re on a budget (under $10,000) to buy a diamond engagement ring, we’d recommend Clean Origin. They offer high-quality lab created diamond jewelry (identical to mined diamonds) with excellent customer service, and an industry best 100-day return policy, all at an affordable price. Not to mention that you won’t find much at Tiffany under $10,000. But if you have a much larger budget, we’d recommend Tiffany. |
| Features | Clean Origin | Tiffany |
| Year Founded | 2017 | 1837 |
| Website | Very clean and simple. Lots of great educational content | Intuitive, simple to use, comprehensive |
| Support | Virtual appointments, call, live chat, text, email, or regular mail. Chat hours are Mon-Sat 8:30am-12am EST, and Sun 9am-12am EST | Call, email, live chat, or book an appointment. Hours of operation: Mon-Fri 8am-12am EST, Sat 9am-9pm EST, Sun 10am-9pm EST |
| Price | 30-40% more affordable than competitors | 50-60% more expensive than competitors |
| Inventory | 25,000+ loose lab created diamonds | Limited selection (only 44 engagement rings found on website). Depends on location |
| Return Policy | Industry-best 100 day return policy | Credit or exchange is available within 30 days of purchase with original sales receipt |
| Warranty Policy | Free inspections, repairs, replacements, and substitutions for manufacturing defects. A $50 temporary deposit is applied to cover for shipping and evaluation for defects. This fee is refunded for all warrantied repairs. Repairs done by a third-party jeweller will void the warranty. | Lifetime warranty with premium care, repair, and complimentary ring polishing |
| Insurance Policy | Offered through Zillion. Coverage against loss, theft, accidental damage, and disappearance. Insurance can be purchased at checkout. Insurance cannot be purchased for loose diamonds. | Ring Upgrade Program allows customers to upgrade their ring at any time and receive a credit to use towards their next purchase |
Clean Origin
Pros
- Affordable prices
- Diamonds are conflict-free
- High range of customizability
- Simple shopping experience
- Can book virtual appointments
- Large selection of lab grown diamonds
- Free shipping worldwide
- Free resizing
- Industry-best 100 day return policy
Cons
- Limited selection of diamonds
- Lengthy certification process
- Never goes on sale
What is Clean Origin?
Clean Origin began in 2017 as a way to change the “dark past” of the traditional diamond industry.
According to their co-founder Alexander Weindling, the dark past of the diamond industry refers to environmental destruction, the crimes to humanity, and the funding of vicious warlords.
With this in mind, Clean Origin aims to bring customers 100% ethically-sourced lab grown diamonds, while offsetting 100% of their carbon emissions.
In recent years, we’ve seen a large shifting trend towards these types of engagement rings. Couples are becoming more environmentally aware and socially conscious.
What is Tiffany?
On the other hand, Tiffany & Co. (or just Tiffany for short) has been around much longer.
Tiffany started in New York City in 1837 when Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young began selling fine luxury goods, diamond jewelry, watches, silverware, and more.
As time went on, Tiffany became more notable for their signature blue box. If you had seen that blue box, you would instantly know it’s Tiffany. At the same time, Tiffany became synonymous with luxury and quality craftsmanship.
Celebrities and political figures began working with the likes of Tiffany and endorsed the brand by wearing their expensive and luxurious jewelry, which only helped bring Tiffany further into the public’s eye.
Fast forward to today and Tiffany is world-renowned for quality, luxury, and a successful multi-decade branding strategy, along with their signature blue color.
Shopping Experience Comparison
Clean Origin
Clean Origin offers shoppers a fully-digital shopping experience with the exception of a few physical, ‘lesser known’ locations.
There are currently 7 stores in 5 states (California, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia). And there isn’t too much information about what you can expect in each of these stores, aside from the usual one-on-one consultations.
By no means is it anything like James Allen’s in-store experience, but it’s still worth checking out if you’re in the area.
Related: James Allen vs Clean Origin: Head-to-Head Comparison
More of their efforts lie on the digital side which is usually what most prefer anyways.
Shopping online is great for people that enjoy shopping from the comfort of their own homes or anywhere in the world at any time.
The website is easy-to-use and simple to navigate. They also offer plenty of educational blog posts to help shoppers make better decisions for their lab created diamonds.
Despite not having many physical brick-and-mortar stores, you can still get in touch with an expert from their website by booking virtual appointments, phone, live chat, text, email, or regular mail.
We asked a few questions on their live chat and their team of experts made us feel welcomed and they were ready to guide us through the entire buying process until the very end.
Overall, despite only being online, we felt very satisfied and confident in their digital shopping experience.
Tiffany
On the other hand, Tiffany focuses more of its shopping experience on their in-store locations.
We walked into their flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York City a few years ago and was greeted by friendly staff members.
The entire store is decorated very well with elegant designs and plush seating. Their iconic blue color creates a sophisticated and welcoming environment.
Related: James Allen vs Tiffany: The Answer May Surprise You
There’s a large selection of natural diamonds and engagement rings to view in their store. And the staff is always there to help if you need any advice, or have any questions.
To be honest, we found the entire experience so comforting that we didn’t want to leave for a very long time.
Winner: Tiffany
While we found that Tiffany doesn’t give their online storefront much attention compared to their in-store locations, they can still cater to people that prefer either. Whereas Clean Origin only caters to online shoppers.
If you’re someone that appreciates a comfortable and enjoyable in-store experience when shopping for engagement rings, Tiffany is a great choice.
Pricing Comparison
Clean Origin
Because Clean Origin creates their lab grown diamonds in a controlled lab environment, their cost to make diamond jewelry and other loose diamonds is much lower than mined diamonds.
In addition, Clean Origin doesn’t have many physical brick-and-mortar storefronts. This means they don’t need to pay much for rents, utilities, maintenance, and other overhead costs that are associated with running multiple physical locations.
Related: Best Engagement Rings for Couples on a Budget – Under $5,000
This means that they can offer shoppers some of the lowest prices we’ve seen in the engagement ring market.
In fact, Clean Origin can offer their customers up to 40% of savings compared to many other jewelry retailers.
One thing to keep in mind is that Clean Origin never goes on sale. They believe that their diamond jewelry is already very discounted so they shouldn’t have to go on sale at all. Fair enough if you ask us.
And finally, Clean Origin prides itself on transparent pricing. You’ll always see and receive detailed information about what you’re purchasing, the quality, and the characteristics of the lab created diamonds.
If that’s not enough, they also offer financing options (offered by Zillion) to make owning your lab grown diamond engagement ring a dream-come-true.
Clean Origin
Pros
- Affordable prices
- Diamonds are conflict-free
- High range of customizability
- Simple shopping experience
- Can book virtual appointments
- Large selection of lab grown diamonds
- Free shipping worldwide
- Free resizing
- Industry-best 100 day return policy
Cons
- Limited selection of diamonds
- Lengthy certification process
- Never goes on sale
Tiffany
Tiffany & Co. offers high-quality and durable natural diamonds for their engagement rings.
A large portion of Tiffany’s revenue goes towards their marketing. That is why many people are familiar with their signature blue color. In fact, just by seeing only the color, you can likely tell that it’s Tiffany.
In addition, Tiffany has physical locations in some of the most expensive places in the world like in the heart of New York City. Rent, utilities, and maintenance are definitely not cheap here.
And the final thing to note about Tiffany’s prices is that they don’t offer lab created diamonds at all. They focus their efforts on bringing customers rare and unique natural diamonds.
With all these points in mind, you can expect Tiffany’s prices to be a lot higher than most jewelry retailers in the industry.
Winner: Clean Origin
If we’re looking only at prices, Clean Origin wins by a long shot here. Tiffany & Co. is far more expensive. But surely that comes with a good reason, right?
Well, if you pay more, you should in theory get better quality, right? Let’s find out in the next section.
Quality Comparison
Clean Origin
When it comes to quality at Clean Origin, you’re getting more than what you pay for.
Their lab created diamonds are made in a controlled environment using advanced technology to produce high-quality diamonds, free of flaws and impurities.
The end result is a beautiful diamond that looks identical to a mined diamond.
Now, the lab diamond itself may be of high quality, but unlike mined diamonds, lab grown diamonds are free of environmental impacts from traditional mining.
And to many, the source of the diamond plays a huge role in the quality of the diamond.
All their diamonds are inspected by the GIA and you can expect to find stunning lab grown diamonds with beautiful cuts, clarity, colors, and carat weights, at the fraction of the price compared to mined diamonds.
Still not convinced?
Not to worry! Clean Origin offers lifetime warranty and an industry-best 100 day return policy so you can have a peace of mind knowing you can always return or exchange your engagement ring if you change your mind.
Tiffany
Quality at Tiffany is their top priority.
Their mined diamonds are carefully chosen for their beauty, and their diamond jewelry is handcrafted by skilled artists to create engagement rings that’ll last a lifetime.
In fact, their quality is so good that many use Tiffany engagement rings as heirlooms and pass them on from previous generations to the next!
Tiffany used to have their diamonds certified by the GIA but that is no longer the case. They now inspect and certify their diamonds in-house.
The reason for this was because Tiffany’s quality control team thought the GIA was ‘too soft‘ on their process and standards.
In addition to their lifetime warranty, you can expect your Tiffany engagement rings to meet the highest standards of quality – probably to the point where your diamond rings from Tiffany might as well be an investment.
Winner: Tie
A tie in this category doesn’t mean they’re both equally good quality. It only depends on what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for the best lab grown diamonds, choose Clean Origin. And if you’re looking for high-quality mined diamonds, choose Tiffany.
Selection Comparison
Clean Origin
If you’re in the market for lab grown diamonds, Clean Origin offers a wide selection in various cuts, clarity grades, colors, and carat weights.
More specifically, Clean Origin currently offers over 25,000 loose lab grown diamonds. You can customize these diamonds to match beautifully with multiple metal engagement ring settings like an 18k white gold channel set.
Related: 14K vs 18K: Which one is better?
Normally, 25,000 diamonds isn’t a whole lot. Especially when retailers like James Allen have over 250,000. But for the amount of lab grown diamonds they carry, 25,000 is plenty.
Related: The Truth Behind James Allen: Know This Before You Buy
Since their website is their priority, you can find their complete catalogue of diamond jewelry and engagement rings on their website.
You can find multiple styles that fit your budget and preferences without having to go from location to location.
Just note that you won’t find any natural diamonds or gemstones on their website due to their environmental impact.
Tiffany
Tiffany offers a wide selection of luxurious diamond jewelry and engagement rings.
The issue however is that their available selection depends entirely on which location you visit.
By taking a look at their website, Tiffany only offers 44 engagement rings.
When we asked their live chat where we can find more engagement rings, we were directed to the nearest Tiffany store.
In our opinion, Tiffany could really improve by having their entire catalogue online. But we would guess the reason they don’t do that is because their diamond engagement rings are handcrafted and custom-made.
However, if you do happen to live near a local Tiffany reseller or an actual Tiffany store, you may be in luck to see a large variety of natural diamond engagement rings.
Winner: Tie
Once again, a tie in this category simply comes down to personal preference.
If you choose to shop in-person, Tiffany will have a larger selection of diamond engagement rings. But if you prefer to shop online, then Clean Origin will have the larger selection.
Customer Service Comparison
Clean Origin
Clean Origin provides shoppers exceptional customer support.
You can get in touch with their team of diamond experts from their website by booking virtual appointments, phone, live chat, text, email, or regular mail.
But despite being mainly digital, Clean Origin does not offer 24/7 customer service.
Their hours of operation are Monday to Saturday 8:30am – 12am EST, and Sunday 9am – 12am EST.
We found the wait time on their live chat to be very short. And the customer service rep was very friendly, kind, and knowledgeable.
We felt confident knowing we were in good hands with them.
Tiffany
Tiffany hires perhaps the most skilled customer service reps we’ve ever come across.
When you walk into any of their physical locations, you’re greeted and treated like royalty the entire time.
Their team provides a wealth of knowledge and can give suggestions depending on your needs to help you feel comfortable in finding your perfect engagement ring.
When we visited the Tiffany store ourselves, we felt like all our questions were thoroughly answered and we received the perfect amount of attention to ensure we were satisfied in the engagement ring buying process.
Their online customer support team is no different.
We got in contact with their live chat in the past to compile our Best Tiffany Engagement Rings Under $5000 list and they were very helpful.
Although there were times we felt like we were being nudged towards visiting a physical store. We believe that might have been the case because they know they can better help us with our overall shopping experience in-person.
Winner: Tiffany
Since the quality of customer service depends on whether you choose to shop in-person or online, we found that Tiffany has nailed this one perfectly.
Although Clean Origin has longer hours of operation, we found that going in-person to Tiffany gave us a more personal experience with a greater level of attention to our needs. Clean Origin does not offer any physical stores for anyone to experience that, so our winner here is Tiffany.
Reputation Comparison
Clean Origin
Clean Origin has quickly built its reputation in the diamond industry as the leader in sustainable and ethical lab grown diamonds.
The fact that they were able to do this in such a short amount of time since their creation in 2017 means that their reputation is quickly catching on with most shoppers.
With no discounts given and no famous celebrity endorsements, this means that Clean Origin was able to become an industry leader in a few short years by understanding what shoppers want more of — environmentally friendly and affordable alternatives to mined diamonds.
And that is exactly what Clean Origin was able to deliver.
Tiffany
With their history dating back to 1837, Tiffany has been a household name for generations.
Their diamonds have been worn by famous celebrities and politicians throughout the years.
Not to mention that when you purchase a Tiffany engagement ring, you’re purchasing a piece of their history with their iconic blue box.
However, while they carry an amazing selection of high-quality engagement rings, most of their reputation comes from centuries of marketing.
Winner: Clean Origin
For the amount of time it took Clean Origin to become a popular name in the diamond industry, we were thoroughly impressed.
We strongly believe that they’ve taken the right steps in understanding customer preferences. And if we give them as much time as it took Tiffany to become a household name, we’d say that Clean Origin would be much larger than it is today.
Clean Origin vs Tiffany on Reddit
The r/EngagementRings subreddit is a community space for people to ask for advice, questions, and showcase their new engagement rings and loose diamonds.
Many diamond retailers have a presence on Reddit and frequently engage with customers in the subreddit.
Clean Origin
Here’s a customer story from Clean Origin on Reddit.
In addition to this customer review, Clean Origin has posted some reviews from Reddit directly onto their website which makes it super convenient for shoppers to know what other people are saying about them.
That also tells us that while Clean Origin doesn’t appear to be active on Reddit, they’re still very much keeping an eye on public opinion.
Tiffany
In this post, a user is asking if it’s worth getting a Tiffany ring.
Here’s what the most upvoted answer says:
Final Verdict
Just as the Reddit post above says, choosing between Tiffany vs Clean Origin is entirely subjective and up to you.
You should think about what gives each engagement ring brand their value, and what matters the most to you.
Maybe you like wide selection of lab grown diamonds from Clean Origin but you love the shopping experience from Tiffany.
Or maybe you really like the environmentally friendly and socially conscious reputation from Clean Origin, but you also love the history behind Tiffany.
Both companies are unique in their own way and serve two different groups of people in the diamond industry.
In our opinion from past experiences, we strongly recommend Clean Origin.
We find that lab grown diamonds are seriously as good and unique as mined diamonds. Clean Origin is also a lot more affordable, has a great customer support team, an industry best 100-day return policy, lifetime warranty, and a great reputation in the industry, just to name a few.
Clean Origin
Pros
- Affordable prices
- Diamonds are conflict-free
- High range of customizability
- Simple shopping experience
- Can book virtual appointments
- Large selection of lab grown diamonds
- Free shipping worldwide
- Free resizing
- Industry-best 100 day return policy
Cons
- Limited selection of diamonds
- Lengthy certification process
- Never goes on sale
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Lab created diamonds are just as real as natural diamonds. Scientists and gemologists have been able to recreate the same natural process in a lab in which diamonds are made in the earth.
Clean Origin makes their diamonds through two processes: CVD (chemical vapour deposition) and HPHT (high pressure high temperature). Both of these methods replicate the natural processes in which diamonds are made. The end result is a beautiful, high-quality diamond made with zero environmental impact.
Clean Origin has been around 2017. Despite being relatively young, the company has quickly become a popular choice for lab grown diamonds by giving customers an affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to mined diamonds.
