First things first, i live in Los Angeles, so luckily i have access to an endless amount of engagement rings, or all shapes, sizes, quality, and prices.
I’m currently in the process of looking for an engagement ring. I walked through the LA Jewelry District in DTLA and came upon a jeweler who had a 1.28 ct round brilliant cut loose diamond, I color, IF clarity for $7100 out the door (cash price). A simple platinum band (similar to the timeless Tiffany solitaire) runs $750 out the door. I'm not too keen on a simple band (I like a little more bling for my money lol), so I had my eye on a three-row domed micro pave half-eternity band setting (with 0.59 ct of F-G micropave stones) which runs $1300 at this shop (this was what I have had my eyes/heart set on). Its similar in look to this Brian Gavin band: http://m.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/3-row-domed-pave-solitaire-18k-white-gold-5545w18
I went on to visit other jewelers, and at the very last vendor i visited (on a recommendation from a friend), i was shown an AUTHENTIC 1.23 ct round brilliant cut TIFFANY solitaire ring, G color, VS2 Clarity, WITH six-prong platinum setting that was selling on consignment for $7000 cash price out the door maximum (i say maximum because i asked the jeweler to ask the owner how low he/she was willing to go for a very serious buyer, so its conceivable i could get the whole thing for $6-6.5K out the door). I verified that the Tiffany name and diamond carat size are etched into the inside of the band and the diamond number is etched onto the stone. The diamond had one inclusion off the center of the diamond, but that was it. It sparkled and fired as you imagine a Tiffany stone should/would. Offical Apparised value according to Tiffany documentation is $17.7k.
at this point, i’m having a difficult time deciding what to do. I’ve taken my girlfiend to Tiffany stores before, and she fell in love with their solitaire engagement rings. I get it, what woman wouldn’t want a Tiffany ring, right? Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn, yada yada yada. But honestly, I never really considered a Tiffany ring because i refuse to pay 2-3X markup for a “name”. I understand Tiffany supposedly grades their diamonds more stringently than an outfit like GIA, but i refuse to believe that the disparities (perceived or real) in grading standards should result in a ring priced 2X as much.
But in this case, getting a custom ring made — a loose diamond (1.28 ct, I/IF) mounted on a simple platinum band — is gonna cost about $7850, while the Tiffany solitaire (1.23 ct G/VS2) on a tiffany platinum band (with etchings) will run me $7000 (or less). In the former scenario, even if i get a lower quality diamond (1.23 ct, H color/VS2 clarify is $6300), the total for the diamond+band still runs about $7000.
I feel at the price the Tiffany ring is being offered at on consignment, its a STEAL of a deal. Its essentially priced equal to (and actually, probably slightly lower than) what you would get by buying a loose diamond and getting it mounted on a custom setting. Not to mention the cache one has when possessing/wearing a TIFFANY ring (and when people question you, you can easily prove autheticity by the markings on the inside of the band). Not only will people think my girlfriend has an amazing and sparkly engagement ring, but they’ll all think i spent crazy amounts of $$$ on the ring (when i really got it for 40 cents to the dollar). Am I overthinking this? Is this a no brainer?
(Backstory on the Tiffany ring: Originally bought late 2012 in a Los Angeles area Tiffany Store by original owner, engagement fell through, and ex-bride-to-be put ring on consignment through a well-known jeweler in DTLA
I’m currently in the process of looking for an engagement ring. I walked through the LA Jewelry District in DTLA and came upon a jeweler who had a 1.28 ct round brilliant cut loose diamond, I color, IF clarity for $7100 out the door (cash price). A simple platinum band (similar to the timeless Tiffany solitaire) runs $750 out the door. I'm not too keen on a simple band (I like a little more bling for my money lol), so I had my eye on a three-row domed micro pave half-eternity band setting (with 0.59 ct of F-G micropave stones) which runs $1300 at this shop (this was what I have had my eyes/heart set on). Its similar in look to this Brian Gavin band: http://m.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/3-row-domed-pave-solitaire-18k-white-gold-5545w18
I went on to visit other jewelers, and at the very last vendor i visited (on a recommendation from a friend), i was shown an AUTHENTIC 1.23 ct round brilliant cut TIFFANY solitaire ring, G color, VS2 Clarity, WITH six-prong platinum setting that was selling on consignment for $7000 cash price out the door maximum (i say maximum because i asked the jeweler to ask the owner how low he/she was willing to go for a very serious buyer, so its conceivable i could get the whole thing for $6-6.5K out the door). I verified that the Tiffany name and diamond carat size are etched into the inside of the band and the diamond number is etched onto the stone. The diamond had one inclusion off the center of the diamond, but that was it. It sparkled and fired as you imagine a Tiffany stone should/would. Offical Apparised value according to Tiffany documentation is $17.7k.
at this point, i’m having a difficult time deciding what to do. I’ve taken my girlfiend to Tiffany stores before, and she fell in love with their solitaire engagement rings. I get it, what woman wouldn’t want a Tiffany ring, right? Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn, yada yada yada. But honestly, I never really considered a Tiffany ring because i refuse to pay 2-3X markup for a “name”. I understand Tiffany supposedly grades their diamonds more stringently than an outfit like GIA, but i refuse to believe that the disparities (perceived or real) in grading standards should result in a ring priced 2X as much.
But in this case, getting a custom ring made — a loose diamond (1.28 ct, I/IF) mounted on a simple platinum band — is gonna cost about $7850, while the Tiffany solitaire (1.23 ct G/VS2) on a tiffany platinum band (with etchings) will run me $7000 (or less). In the former scenario, even if i get a lower quality diamond (1.23 ct, H color/VS2 clarify is $6300), the total for the diamond+band still runs about $7000.
I feel at the price the Tiffany ring is being offered at on consignment, its a STEAL of a deal. Its essentially priced equal to (and actually, probably slightly lower than) what you would get by buying a loose diamond and getting it mounted on a custom setting. Not to mention the cache one has when possessing/wearing a TIFFANY ring (and when people question you, you can easily prove autheticity by the markings on the inside of the band). Not only will people think my girlfriend has an amazing and sparkly engagement ring, but they’ll all think i spent crazy amounts of $$$ on the ring (when i really got it for 40 cents to the dollar). Am I overthinking this? Is this a no brainer?
(Backstory on the Tiffany ring: Originally bought late 2012 in a Los Angeles area Tiffany Store by original owner, engagement fell through, and ex-bride-to-be put ring on consignment through a well-known jeweler in DTLA
). Basically every store i've taken her to, she's loved the diamonds/rings. She LOVED the Tiffany solitaire when i took her to the Tiffany Store in Glendale, CA. She would probably prefer to have the channel-set band, but also knows that its quite a bit more expensive than the classic solitaire design. 
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