shape
carat
color
clarity

Can someone explain to me..

AprilBaby

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No judgement; I know you can get more for your money, blah blah blah...why do you HAVE to have a Tiffany ring??? What do you think it says about you? What do you think people think when they see it?? I just don't get it? Again, no flames, everyone values something! Do you think other people really know what brand your ring is? Why Tiffany?
 

amc80

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AprilBaby said:
No judgement; I know you can get more for your money, blah blah blah...why do you HAVE to have a Tiffany ring??? What do you think it says about you? What do you think people think when they see it?? I just don't get it? Again, no flames, everyone values something! Do you think other people really know what brand your ring is? Why Tiffany?

My BFF wanted, and got, a Tiffany ring. It's really pretty, but I'm sure she could have gotten something much bigger for the money. She and her DH are brand people though, so it makes sense for her. They aren't pretentious or outspoken about it, it's just their preference.
 

pregcurious

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I don't have a Tiffany ering, and have never felt a desire for one, but I think the Tiffany marketing is very successful on many people. Tiffany has built its imagine on quality. I don't think people are aware that much of their jewelry is not top quality, and that the markup is very high. Plus, many women would be happy with a Tiffany ering, and many men would be happy to just make the ering buying experience simple. Some women don't want to say that they got their ering off the internet. I think someone said once that instead of saying you got your ring online from [PS vendor name here], you could say that you got it from a store in [insert location here].

For the money, I would prefer a hand-forged solitaire from one of the PS vendors. At the end, it's good branding.
 

ame

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AprilBaby|1361674661|3388976 said:
No judgement; I know you can get more for your money, blah blah blah...why do you HAVE to have a Tiffany ring??? What do you think it says about you? What do you think people think when they see it?? I just don't get it? Again, no flames, everyone values something! Do you think other people really know what brand your ring is? Why Tiffany?
On another forum I am on that has a Jewelry subsection, it is VERY brand oriented, and I don't know exactly if it's because these women honestly believe that the brand is really better and that they really believe that the stones in those rings really will sparkle more, or if they honestly believe that the general public and or social circle can tell it's really the branded item, or if it's because they know its the brand and will tell everyone it's the brand...or the convenience of buying a completed ring that is in some way vetted, for a price tag...I have no idea. But a lot of these women also do not get, no matter how much you try to educate and explain, that cut is what makes the sparkle, NOT the color and clarity. It's often, to me, like banging my head into a wall and frustrates me to no end. I have no problem with someone liking the branded item, because the name means something to them or because the setting is something special, fine, and if they admit that even better, not my place really to judge it, hell I own a Tiffany, I originally HAD a tiffany eng ring, but that's a story for a different day. But I do think the serious brand addiction is super strange sometimes.
 

madelise

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I know a girl who has a T&Co engagement ring. It's on the smaller side. She always feels the need to tell people it's a Tiffany ring, as if it's a way to compensate for the size. Her engagement = people asking to see the ring after congratulating her, and the typical, "It's beautiful!" and she says, "It's small, but it's Tiffany!" and usually a few other lines about quality > quantity.

She's a SAHW, so she can definitely handle a larger size. I feel badly that she needs to explain herself. I don't believe anyone ever makes her feel like her ring is small, so I think she's self-made self conscious about the size, so she focuses on letting everyone and their moms know that it is a brand name ring.

Her engagement ring photos on Facebook were of it in its branded box.


I have nothing against people who want a brand name ring. I enjoy a few name brand luxuries. But I feel this must come from a want of the brand, not just a confusion about it being of "great quality." I want people to know they have other options for great quality, and that there are better cut stones than T&Co stones. If they know this, and still choose the brand, that's great for them. Whatever their reason is isn't important to me. But this gal… the fact that she feels she's got to explain herself… the fact that she's almost elitist about her ring being of name brand… the fact that she asks about others' rings, and where they are from… I don't like it. I feel sorry for her. I feel sad that she feels the need to explain her ring's brand as if to offset its smaller size, and I feel sad that she needs to proclaim it is better quality than everyone else's.

I believe that these brand names (T&Co, Cartier, Hearts on Fire, Van Cleef and Arpels..) hold their resale value at a better rate, too, so hey.. why not? Just don't go shoving it down my throat that you have a name brand ring, and how it's "better", and how you value quality > quantity, because that's BS.

Notice how I said, "I know a girl.." instead of "my friend." Yeah. I can't be friends with her anymore. This elitism went beyond her ring-- it went to everything else about her. The one-up relationship was daunting. She's just an acquaintance now.
 

ame

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madelise|1361676434|3389003 said:
I know a girl who has a T&Co engagement ring. It's on the smaller side. She always feels the need to tell people it's a Tiffany ring, as if it's a way to compensate for the size. Her engagement = people asking to see the ring after congratulating her, and the typical, "It's beautiful!" and she says, "It's small, but it's Tiffany!" and usually a few other lines about quality > quantity.

She's a SAHW, so she can definitely handle a larger size. I feel badly that she needs to explain herself. I don't believe anyone ever makes her feel like her ring is small, so I think she's self-made self conscious about the size, so she focuses on letting everyone and their moms know that it is a brand name ring.

Her engagement ring photos on Facebook were of it in its branded box.


I have nothing against people who want a brand name ring. I enjoy a few name brand luxuries. But I feel this must come from a want of the brand, not just a confusion about it being of "great quality." I want people to know they have other options for great quality, and that there are better cut stones than T&Co stones. If they know this, and still choose the brand, that's great for them. Whatever their reason is isn't important to me. But this gal… the fact that she feels she's got to explain herself… the fact that she's almost elitist about her ring being of name brand… the fact that she asks about others' rings, and where they are from… I don't like it. I feel sorry for her. I feel sad that she feels the need to explain her ring's brand as if to offset its smaller size, and I feel sad that she needs to proclaim it is better quality than everyone else's.

I believe that these brand names (T&Co, Cartier, Hearts on Fire, Van Cleef and Arpels..) hold their resale value at a better rate, too, so hey.. why not? Just don't go shoving it down my throat that you have a name brand ring, and how it's "better", and how you value quality > quantity, because that's BS.

Notice how I said, "I know a girl.." instead of "my friend." Yeah. I can't be friends with her anymore. This elitism went beyond her ring-- it went to everything else about her. The one-up relationship was daunting. She's just an acquaintance now.
Ugh I hate those people. She wants bigger than she has for sure, and she's probably pissed so she makes a bigger deal about the brand than she probably otherwise would.

As far as the resale value--they don't hold it nearly as well as you'd think.
 

Enerchi

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for me, it was my 'gateway' to better jewelry! I loved the turquoise colour box and the ribbon and the elegance... basically... a victim of clever marketing and I bought in!

Now, not that they may have "less-than" jewelry, but I feel I know quality better after learning so much on PS, and would rather invest in something that I've been able to select all the components of.

On a Tiffany tangent - I am in awe of the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany and have seen some examples when they have gone on road shows - breathtaking!
 

ame

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I will say that I love the little velvet box a lot. I still have my original one, and I have this new one, and they are where my rings sleep. They are the perfect size (well my original is the best, its smaller) and they're the right inside material and build, my rings do not move around.
 

HopeDream

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I can kind-of see the appeal - it's the very expensiveness of it that adds value.

For some people Tiffany just means "the best" and it's an easy decision they don't want to have to think about. Usually the more expensive the decision, the more thinking is involved, and so it's nice to trust that a company has already taken care of all the details, and all you have left is the romance and the sparkles.

There's also knowing that other Tiffany lovers/jewellery lovers will know the setting when they see it. It's iconic as far as western engagement jewellery is concerned.

These is something timeless and classic about the simplicity of their solitare - it makes me daydream about finding a cute little used one on ebay to use as a play ring (If it had the right specs of course).

....one day....when I'm richer....
 

Dancing Fire

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my daughter's BF bought her a Tiff solitaire .50ct.. :confused: pendant for Xmas and i told her he was crazy to fall for the brand name. i was smart to purchased my wife's pendant from BGD.
 

minousbijoux

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I've wondered this for a long time too. If you knew that the brand was more reliable - that is, better craftsmanship than most others (like Toyota used to be for cars), or it was a one of a kind thing (like some boutique jewelers), I would understand it. But it seems that at this juncture, the only thing Tiffany has going for it is that its branded luxury and branded expensive. So if you have something like a diamond ER from Tiffany's, its saying "this was expensive." Not a message I personally care to convey, but I guess others do.
 

Laila619

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There's something special about that little blue box with the satin ribbon. Tiffany is smart and they have one hell of a good marketing campaign. And some of their rings are pretty iconic. Most people could see a Lucida ring and know it's Tiffany.
 

minousbijoux

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Laila619|1361682603|3389077 said:
There's something special about that little blue box with the satin ribbon. Tiffany is smart and they have one hell of a good marketing campaign. And some of their rings are pretty iconic. Most people could see a Lucida ring and know it's Tiffany.

Yes but aren't others making "copy cats" of the rings? If you knew you could get a similar setting elsewhere for less money and better construction (potentially), wouldn't that appeal universally?
 

madelise

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Dancing Fire|1361678910|3389040 said:
my daughter's BF bought her a Tiff solitaire .50ct.. :confused: pendant for Xmas and i told her he was crazy to fall for the brand name. i was smart to purchased my wife's pendant from BGD.


DF, you haven't told the BF to contact you before making jewelry purchases? Um, hello, jewelry and diamond wizard in the house, he should have totally asked you for tips first!
 

Dancing Fire

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madelise|1361686131|3389115 said:
Dancing Fire|1361678910|3389040 said:
my daughter's BF bought her a Tiff solitaire .50ct.. :confused: pendant for Xmas and i told her he was crazy to fall for the brand name. i was smart to purchased my wife's pendant from BGD.


DF, you haven't told the BF to contact you before making jewelry purchases? Um, hello, jewelry and diamond wizard in the house, he should have totally asked you for tips first!
he didn't... ::) and i told them to get a refund,butttt... :rolleyes:
 

Christina...

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ame|1361676400|3389001 said:
AprilBaby|1361674661|3388976 said:
No judgement; I know you can get more for your money, blah blah blah...why do you HAVE to have a Tiffany ring??? What do you think it says about you? What do you think people think when they see it?? I just don't get it? Again, no flames, everyone values something! Do you think other people really know what brand your ring is? Why Tiffany?
On another forum I am on that has a Jewelry subsection, it is VERY brand oriented, and I don't know exactly if it's because these women honestly believe that the brand is really better and that they really believe that the stones in those rings really will sparkle more, or if they honestly believe that the general public and or social circle can tell it's really the branded item, or if it's because they know its the brand and will tell everyone it's the brand...or the convenience of buying a completed ring that is in some way vetted, for a price tag...I have no idea. But a lot of these women also do not get, no matter how much you try to educate and explain, that cut is what makes the sparkle, NOT the color and clarity. It's often, to me, like banging my head into a wall and frustrates me to no end. I have no problem with someone liking the branded item, because the name means something to them or because the setting is something special, fine, and if they admit that even better, not my place really to judge it, hell I own a Tiffany, I originally HAD a tiffany eng ring, but that's a story for a different day. But I do think the serious brand addiction is super strange sometimes.


I lurk there often and totally agree! Its one of the reasos Ive never chosen to chosen to sign up.
 

Madam Bijoux

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A lot of my collection came from T. They are honest, I love the quality of their stones and the workmanship (haven't had any pave' stones come loose or fall out yet) and they'll always be there if I need any repairs done. I prefer to look at things and try them on before I buy them, and I don't have the patience to go through umpteen steps with internet vendors or pay "restocking fees" if I return something they send me. I know Tiff's charges more than internet vendors, but I don't mind.
 

makemepretty

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Tiffany is a brand people know and trust. It's also like buying an expensive car, a Honda will go down the road just fine but if you want a big fancy name brand car-you will spend more. A Prada or Hermes purse is more than a Coach purse or one you can buy at Target. Tiffany is more like a Designer than a brand to me, their ring designs are copied by many. People on this board usually pay more for GIA diamonds than EGL, IGI etc. I don't see it as any different than someone paying more for Tiffany as opposed to Jared. You know with a high end "brand" you are getting what they sell you and you are paying more for that brand. Plus, that Tiffany turquoise color just makes my heart pitter patter. Wish the ring boxes were that color instead of the dark blue!
 

diamondringlover

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I have nothing from Tiffany..but I think for me it would be about I just want something from there, just because :wink2: I would not buy a diamond from there though it is way overpriced..however they have a wedding band that I really, really want and I cannot find one like it anywhere else...will I ever get it? probably not, I cannot justify spending $900 for a 18K & platinum 2mm band...but who knows, maybe if I come into some money I will buy it.
 

mrs jam

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I have yet to see a "Tiffany-inspired" solitaire design by anyone else that can compete with the Tiffany & Co. solitaire setting. This includes my solitaire setting from Mark Morrell. I wish I could have plopped my diamond from JA into a true Tiffany setting.

In my opinion, my Tiffany channel-set eternity ring is of much better quality than my other eternity rings. My Leon Mege eternity is craptastic, and my BGD doesn't give the same sparkle.

There are some things I would never buy from Tiffany & Co., but then there ARE things that I would never buy anywhere else.
 

pregcurious

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I do think that if you like Tiffany's designs, it's worth buying from them. I have a pendant from them, and it's not possible to get the same design from other jewelers. I've seen knockoffs, but they're not as heavy in gold, and look cheap.
 

Circe

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Same thing that makes women buy Chanel lipstick when they will never in a million years be able to order a Chanel dress: it's aspirational, a way to get a little of the prestige even when you're just an ordinary schmo.

With Tiffany and Cartier both, I think it's more the aura of their glory years, carefully referenced in today's ads, that people buy into. But nevertheless ... the 5K e-ring and the silver "Return to Tiffany's" tag are being sold on the same logic.
 

Laila619

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minousbijoux|1361683048|3389082 said:
Laila619|1361682603|3389077 said:
There's something special about that little blue box with the satin ribbon. Tiffany is smart and they have one hell of a good marketing campaign. And some of their rings are pretty iconic. Most people could see a Lucida ring and know it's Tiffany.

Yes but aren't others making "copy cats" of the rings? If you knew you could get a similar setting elsewhere for less money and better construction (potentially), wouldn't that appeal universally?

Maybe, maybe not. A lot of the Tiffany inspired knock offs are just not the same. I can always tell when looking at the real Tiffany setting vs a replica which one is authentic. Plus there's something to be said for the whole Tiffany shopping experience and getting that pretty little blue box, etc.

I personally would not buy a Tiffany engagement ring just because I don't think their diamonds are up to the standards we PS cut nuts have. Also, they are incredibly overpriced and you don't get a lot of bang for your buck. However, I own other Tiffany gold pieces that I know were overpriced, but I absolutely love them anyway because I couldn't find that design anywhere else, and I simply wanted Tiffany.
 

madelise

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mrs jam|1361715100|3389184 said:
I have yet to see a "Tiffany-inspired" solitaire design by anyone else that can compete with the Tiffany & Co. solitaire setting.

Good enough to fool the sales reps :naughty: They're not as detail oriented as PS'ers are!! :loopy:
 

pandabee

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madelise|1361730728|3389293 said:
mrs jam|1361715100|3389184 said:
I have yet to see a "Tiffany-inspired" solitaire design by anyone else that can compete with the Tiffany & Co. solitaire setting.

Good enough to fool the sales reps :naughty: They're not as detail oriented as PS'ers are!! :loopy:

Very true...I wore my monogrammed silver disc in there once and they complimented me on it. Tiffany (as far as I know) only sells the one with one script initial, not a true 3-letter monogram like mine is hahah. And I have heard many stories of PSers (mico comes to mind) who have taken their Vatche U-113 in and gotten them cleaned by T&Co!

For me, I could never buy a diamond there given the knowledge I have now with PS. I do drool over their celebration rings though, and I definitely wouldn't mind coming into one secondhand. I definitely find their prices hard to swallow and I feel like there are a few categories of people who buy from Tiffs. There are the people who buy a bunch of the silver pieces, who I feel like only do so along the same lines as the Chanel lipstick. It's a way to buy into the brand without spending the big bucks. Then there are the people who truly believe that they are better quality than others thanks to the great marketing and can't be convinced otherwise (see ame's example of the other forum which I can wholeheartedly agree with). Then there are the people who just like them for the service they provide, the B&M presence, and know that they can get something bigger/for less somewhere else but choose to buy from them knowing that for peace of mind outweighs the money they would save.

Personally I just LOVE the Tiffany box color...I don't mind small items from there but I would hate for BF to pay for the service because I don't care as much about that. And I acknowledge that no one wears the box around so I'll just incorporate the color into other parts of my life like my wedding, house, etc. :bigsmile:
 

MsP

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Madam Bijoux|1361711443|3389169 said:
A lot of my collection came from T. They are honest, I love the quality of their stones and the workmanship (haven't had any pave' stones come loose or fall out yet) and they'll always be there if I need any repairs done. I prefer to look at things and try them on before I buy them, and I don't have the patience to go through umpteen steps with internet vendors or pay "restocking fees" if I return something they send me. I know Tiff's charges more than internet vendors, but I don't mind.

I agree with this perspective-- it takes a lot of time and EFFORT to go online, wade through the piles of BAD online vendors, educate yourself, comparison shop, hem and haw about what it'll look like in real life, etc. Not everyone wants to learn so much about jewelry-- they just want to be able to walk into a store, pick something out and know its of a decent quality.

I know plenty of men that at each holiday, they simply walk into Tiffany's, peruse for 15min, pick something out, get it wrapped up, and their SO is thrilled! It's of a decent quality, he didn't have to invest much time, and his SO is pleased.

I don't really love Tiffany for many of the reasons PSer's suggest, but if someone asked me, "Where can I go to buy you a jewelry gift?" I would have no issue suggesting Tiffany's.
 

minousbijoux

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mrs jam|1361715100|3389184 said:
I have yet to see a "Tiffany-inspired" solitaire design by anyone else that can compete with the Tiffany & Co. solitaire setting. This includes my solitaire setting from Mark Morrell. I wish I could have plopped my diamond from JA into a true Tiffany setting.

In my opinion, my Tiffany channel-set eternity ring is of much better quality than my other eternity rings. My Leon Mege eternity is craptastic, and my BGD doesn't give the same sparkle.

There are some things I would never buy from Tiffany & Co., but then there ARE things that I would never buy anywhere else.

This makes sense and is really good to know.
 

bee*

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My ering is a Tiffany Lucida and I've never once regretted my decision paying the premium. I looked at copies of it when we were ering shopping and nothing came close to it for me. Every time I fly to the US, I really enjoy going in to get my free clean and polish and I've found their customer service excellent. I don't tell anyone where we got my ring unless they ask specifically as that's not why I bought it. It was the only design that my DH and I both loved and we could afford it so I didn't want to get a copy.
 

VRBeauty

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FWIW, I think the lines on the Tiffany's solitaire are absolutely exquisite, and few if any knock-offs compare. I also love the lines on Mark Morell's rings, but to my mind they're a totally different style.

I gave my niece a silver dragonfly pendant from Tiffany's for her 16th birthday. I know I could have shopped around and found her something equally nice for far less, but I wanted her to have the thrill of getting a blue Tiff's box and the of having something from Tiffany's. As it happens, I'm not sure the name and packaging made a difference to her at all (oh well!) but the pendant is lovely and she likes it enough to wear it a lot, and that's what really counts!

Dancing Fire|1361686773|3389122 said:
madelise|1361686131|3389115 said:
Dancing Fire|1361678910|3389040 said:
my daughter's BF bought her a Tiff solitaire .50ct.. :confused: pendant for Xmas and i told her he was crazy to fall for the brand name. i was smart to purchased my wife's pendant from BGD.


DF, you haven't told the BF to contact you before making jewelry purchases? Um, hello, jewelry and diamond wizard in the house, he should have totally asked you for tips first!
he didn't... ::) and i told them to get a refund,butttt... :rolleyes:

You didn't! :-o :rolleyes:
 

rubyshoes

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I am not a Tiff fan but there have been times I've wished I could just go buy something from there. It would be SO EASY just to go in, point at something and go "I'll have that please". Some of my experiences with PS vendors have honestly made me want to pull my hair out! Online purchases (even with PS vendors) can be ordeals at times... if you have the money to buy something spectacular at Tiff/Cartier and the huge markup doesn't make you pause, I say go for it!
 
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