Are Costco Diamonds the Same Quality As Tiffany's? (Donna Fisher)

We live in a world that is increasingly obsessed with having the right brand. This is especially the case when you're talking about upscale items, including diamond jewelry. It is likely that you have repeatedly seen a commercial on television about an individual who goes to a specific jewelry store in order to purchase a diamond ring for their significant other. The tagline reads "He went to... " This it is designed to make you feel as if you are getting a substandard diamond if you shop anywhere else. The same is also true of luxury diamonds purchased at Tiffany & Co., which are considered to be the Rolls-Royce of diamonds. Many people, however, are now questioning if they can actually purchase the same quality of diamond from a Costco store as they are at Tiffany's.

One important thing for you to consider when making this comparison is the fact that you are not necessarily comparing apples to oranges. Unlike other discount stores, such as Walmart, Costco is not in business to sell you discounted diamond rings that are of low quality. As a matter of fact, they routinely sell diamonds that are thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars, including a pink gem that was reportedly sold for $2.3 million. So why make the comparison in the first place?

This comparison actually comes from a little bit of confusion. Costco, which is a discount store that sells everything from sausage to car tires, began to sell diamonds that were named Tiffany diamonds. Those diamonds do not originate from the famous Tiffany's diamond stores but rather, they were named such because of the design and the fact that they had six prongs that held the diamond at a high location. To the untrained eye, they were indistinguishable from the more expensive diamonds that were sold at Tiffany's and Costco ended up in a lawsuit with Tiffany & Co. as a result of that name.

Most people that are only looking at the quality of the diamond would say that there is not an advantage of purchasing one from Tiffany's over purchasing one at Costco. Either is going to provide a high quality gemstone and the setting is going to be beautiful as well. There are some reasons, however, why people may prefer to go to Tiffany's rather than going to Costco. That includes the type of service that they make available, which includes resizing the rings and cleaning the diamonds. Tiffany's have built their business, not only on the fact that they offer a high quality product, but on the belief that you are a valued customer, and that they will take care of you throughout your lifetime as a result of your purchase.

In the end, it is really going to be up to you as an individual as to whether you are going to purchase a quality diamond for Costco or if you're going to pay more for one at Tiffany's. In either case, you are getting a diamond that is going to look fantastic on the ring finger of your significant other. The only way that you will be able to tell the difference is by looking at the box.

The author of this article is a jewelry designer and opened an online jewelry business with the help from various diamond jewelry stores like Missouri jewelers, Buchroeders. Her online business offers discounted engagement ring and jewelry financing for couples who needs some help in purchasing the ring.