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2.5ct Tiffany vs 3ct Super Ideal with Tiffany setting

OoohShiny

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@LaylaR - Am I right in thinking that HPD use the same bench as Harry Winston??

If so, I think that option should be able to replicate a Tiffany setting! :D
 

bmfang

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@LaylaR - Am I right in thinking that HPD use the same bench as Harry Winston??

If so, I think that option should be able to replicate a Tiffany setting! :D

I’m pretty sure that I have heard @Wink say that on here before. Either that or age is catching up to me! :lol-2::lol:
 

Bluevan

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I wouldn't make this decision alone in your place.

Why? Some people are really brand conscious and no matter how many times you tell them that they can get a much nicer diamond from another vendor-- they will want the brand. And feel they got something less but not having that brand.

The best solution is to SHOW them the difference. I can't tell you how many clients come see the CBI diamonds we carry in the various showrooms that they have around the country, after having been to Tiffany and picked out a ring, and when then go back to the local Tiffany (or Cartier) after seeing the CBI they realize for the first time how much better a non-Tiffany diamond (and setting) can be. And then they are thrilled to get a CBI. But it is only after they see the difference for themselves.

If you are buying a diamond for someone else, you need to take them on the adventure with you. You need to show them so they really SEE for themselves how much nicer their ring is compared to the Tiffany they dreamed about. Otherwise, you might disappoint them with a non-branded ring and that would be very sad.

Thanks for your insight @LaylaR

Would you be able to give a rough estimation of what my budget could get me for a CBI? and which setting do you think is closest to the Tiffany setting? People mentioned Vatche U -113 or any other setting you think is even more identical?

Otherwise as @OoohShiny mentioned you use same bench as Harry Winston so you will be able to replicate the Tiffany setting?
 

bmfang

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Thanks for your insight @LaylaR

Would you be able to give a rough estimation of what my budget could get me for a CBI? and which setting do you think is closest to the Tiffany setting? People mentioned Vatche U -113 or any other setting you think is even more identical?

Otherwise as @OoohShiny mentioned you use same bench as Harry Winston so you will be able to replicate the Tiffany setting?

@Bluevan, you have limited options in that weight range given your colour preferences (D-G).

Searching CBI inventory at High Performance Diamonds only comes up with two stones above 2.5cts and there is a big price jump between them.

E46D001D-F0AA-43BC-981E-517D6640F043.png

2.54ct E VS1 for $69k
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10403

2.53ct G VS1 for $49k
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10480

H coloured stones give you three more options.

Unless you go down the custom cut route and see what Paul and the CBI team have in the pipeline or whether they can source rough that meets your colour and clarity preferences.
 

lambskin

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I think a half a carat size difference is significant. I thought that Tiffany was one of the highest priced jewelers around so I am surprised that the internet jewelers that you have mentioned are just as pricey.
 

bludiva

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I agree with the other posters encouraging you to loop your SO in on this decision. Hard to know if her priority would be the Tiffany name or the 3 carat size, both have their "bragging rights" forflack of aabetter term and appeal. If it were me, I'd go for the larger stone without question but some people dream of a ring from Tiffany .you could also do the super ideal engagement ring and get your bands from Tiffany.
 

bmfang

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I think a half a carat size difference is significant. I thought that Tiffany was one of the highest priced jewelers around so I am surprised that the internet jewelers that you have mentioned are just as pricey.

Tiffany are expensive. But you are only comparing price. When you compare price for a specific colour clarity combo, they are more expensive than what you find at an internet retailer.

OP was quoted USD$68k for a 2.5ct G VS2 at T&Co
At High Performance Diamonds a 2.53ct G VS1 is $49k ($19k less for same colour, upgrade of one level of clarity and the cut quality will be better than the Tiffany)
For the same price as what he was quoted at Tiffany&Co (or less $3k if he pays by wire), he can get a two colour and one clarity upgrade for a 2.54 E VS1. Again, the cut quality will be better than T&Co.

Hell, even if he goes to James Allen, the 3ct stone I linked to earlier is not super ideal, but it is pretty darn close to it by the numbers but it is $5k less what he was quoted at T&Co and also he gets a one level upgrade on clarity.

T&Co (at least on their Australian website) only mention stones in their classic Tiffany setting at 2.5cts in size. And their price is only for the lowest colour-clarity combo they sell (which I believe is an I-VS2, though I have seen on eBay some stones in the past which are SI1s). The price goes up if you want different colour-clarity combos at the same size.

For a 3ct stone, you will pay significantly more, I am guessing the price starts at around USD$90k for the lowest colour-clarity combo (I-VS2/SI1) and goes up in price after that. I’m basing that estimate given that Whiteflash is selling a 3.218ct F VS1 for $89k (credit price) and again, that is at least a 3 colour and 1 clarity upgrade over the minimum grade that T&Co sell, not to say anything of the cut quality also being higher.

There is also the issue of transparency of data on grading reports. At least for the T&Co stores here in Australia I have visited, sales associates have been reluctant to provide me with further information on stone proportions other than carat, colour and clarity. Which means it is essentially a crapshoot as even the most horribly cut stone will still perform under store lighting conditions. Online, you get all of that to be able to compare stones.

For me, all of the above is worth far more to me (and a fair few other PSers) than the blue box and “legendary” T&Co service (which I have found to be mediocre at best as the sales associates I have spoken to seem to be more in it for their commission).
 

LaylaR

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To answer your direction questions about the diamonds on Pricescope I would have to break forum rules. All our inventory is not listed on the public site, however.

Yes, we do use the same forge as Harry Winston for our custom designs. The NY Classic is our custom Tiffany style solitiare. Yes, we are also Vatche retailers and carry the U-113.
 

cflutist

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To answer your direction questions about the diamonds on Pricescope I would have to break forum rules. All our inventory is not listed on the public site, however.

Yes, we do use the same forge as Harry Winston for our custom designs. The NY Classic is our custom Tiffany style solitiare. Yes, we are also Vatche retailers and carry the U-113.
I own two Vatche rings and 4 HPD custom rings. The finish on the HPD pieces is better than Vatche, imo. All surfaces are polished, even beneath the stone.
 

Lula

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I own two Vatche rings and 4 HPD custom rings. The finish on the HPD pieces is better than Vatche, imo. All surfaces are polished, even beneath the stone.

Ditto. HPD custom made my right-hand ring in platinum. The craftsmanship and the polish are both impeccable. Like cflutist mentioned, even the inside of the setting where the stone sits is polished. There are no uneven areas in the pave or milgrain. I wore the setting almost non-stop for 15 months (it's currently at HPD pending an upgrade of the center stone) without a problem; the setting is delicate, yet strong as a tank. IMHO, HPD's bench does not get the credit it deserves on this forum. Here's a link to the NY Classic style https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/jewelry/jewelry-detail/28/new-york-platinum.htm
 

lovedogs

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I think a half a carat size difference is significant. I thought that Tiffany was one of the highest priced jewelers around so I am surprised that the internet jewelers that you have mentioned are just as pricey.

Tiffany isn't selling "super ideal" stones, so it's not exactly a fair comparison. Getting a larger super ideal cut stone will be much higher quality than Tiffany (but only if his SO is ok with that).
 

KristinTech

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Ditto. HPD custom made my right-hand ring in platinum. The craftsmanship and the polish are both impeccable. Like cflutist mentioned, even the inside of the setting where the stone sits is polished. There are no uneven areas in the pave or milgrain. I wore the setting almost non-stop for 15 months (it's currently at HPD pending an upgrade of the center stone) without a problem; the setting is delicate, yet strong as a tank. IMHO, HPD's bench does not get the credit it deserves on this forum. Here's a link to the NY Classic style https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/jewelry/jewelry-detail/28/new-york-platinum.htm

Yes! And you can click on the video now, anyone who is interested... I’m considering this setting for next year’s anniversary! I’ll get tab prongs instead of claw, but I do appreciate seeing the pretty claw prongs. :D
 

MarionC

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Educate her and then let HER make an informed decision. Go with whatever she says then. You’ve done your part.
Yes.
My inherited Tiffany solitaire appraised at 50k with an actual replacement value of 24k (if not from Tiffany) and it’s a pretty diamond, but not the best cut. That’s a big difference just to have that little stamp inside the setting and then add to that, a lesser quality cut.
 

kathness

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I would personally get the 3ct diamond versus the 2.5 Tiffany ring, but i do have friends that prefers the cartier, tiffany, debeers brand and they still stand by their choice even after seeing a bigger diamond "sparkly" from BG, WF with SK , VC, LM, settings they still prefer their branded rings.

I think get which ever your girlfriend would be happiest with. If you think a Tiffany made ring would make her happiest. Definitely get that. The branded rings provide excellent customer service e.g. they can service your ring every couple of years.. some will provide free cleaning every time you visit, some will offer you champagne every time you visit.. i guess those little things count.
 

MakingTheGrade

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I think part of the danger of Tiffany is that it’s not as “high end” a jewelry house if you eventually become really into jewelery. Depending on her age, I’d worry that as she got older, if she started looking into Cartier, VCA, boucheron, Harry Winston etc, the Tiffany name might not seem as fancy anymore lol. Where as a super ideal will always be a super ideal, the numbers are what they are.

In my teens and twenties I thought “oooo Tiffany!” Now in my 30s I’m like “eh, Tiffany’s”. If I’m going to pay the mark up I want real quality. And Tiffany to me feels too mass produced. Yes they sell gorgeous expensive unique pieces but they also sell buckets of silver keys and charms and I see them everywhere. I had a similar experience with Coach bags where in my teens I found them impressive, but then I found out about Hermès and Chanel and so now Coach is “eh, fancy for a mall brand I guess” haha. If I’m going to go “brand” I’m going to go really exclusive brand and not something that has an outlet store or I can always find being sold second hand.

Just my opinion.
 

LightBright

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@LaylaR - Am I right in thinking that HPD use the same bench as Harry Winston??

If so, I think that option should be able to replicate a Tiffany setting! :D

I’m not Layla, but I’ve always admired HPD’s New York Solitaire setting; it is is one of my favorite “Tiffany Style” settings. It is as stylish and crisp as the real Tiffany, IMO.

This blog post has photos and videos of that particular setting. I think you can find videos of it on YouTube as well.
https://beyond4cs.com/reviews/high-performance-diamonds/
 
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MarionC

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I think part of the danger of Tiffany is that it’s not as “high end” a jewelry house if you eventually become really into jewelery. Depending on her age, I’d worry that as she got older, if she started looking into Cartier, VCA, boucheron, Harry Winston etc, the Tiffany name might not seem as fancy anymore lol. Where as a super ideal will always be a super ideal, the numbers are what they are.

In my teens and twenties I thought “oooo Tiffany!” Now in my 30s I’m like “eh, Tiffany’s”. If I’m going to pay the mark up I want real quality. And Tiffany to me feels too mass produced. Yes they sell gorgeous expensive unique pieces but they also sell buckets of silver keys and charms and I see them everywhere. I had a similar experience with Coach bags where in my teens I found them impressive, but then I found out about Hermès and Chanel and so now Coach is “eh, fancy for a mall brand I guess” haha. If I’m going to go “brand” I’m going to go really exclusive brand and not something that has an outlet store or I can always find being sold second hand.

Just my opinion.

So true!
 

SimoneDi

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Educate her and then let HER make an informed decision. Go with whatever she says then. You’ve done your part.
+1
Especially since you have already gone ring shopping together, she should be able to tell you what she wants - a brand name or a larger/better cut stone in a similar to T&Co. solitaire setting.
There is no right or wrong answer here and only your gf can tell you what is important to her.

Many of us (PSers) will prefer a better cut stone with better upgrade/trade in benefits, but there are plenty of people who would chose the brand name.

My personal advice is to educate her on the different options, see some CBI/other super ideal stones in person and make a decision then. I would also suggest that you purchase the wedding band from T&Co and that way, you will have the best of both worlds - a gorgeous solitaire and a brand band that can provide you with the T&Co experience.
 

cmd2014

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I've been giving this some thought. I'm not normally a brand name person (I could care less about designer clothes, purses, sunglasses, etc.), but if someone were to offer me a Mikimoto strand of pearls (having seen them in person, I can honestly say that they are amazing - the nicest I have ever seen, anywhere, and I am a pearl person so I have a LOT of pearls) vs. a non-branded strand, and I had to choose between a spectacular Mikimoto strand and an even more spectacular non-branded strand, I'd go for the Mikimoto. Because at some point the extra half carat (or whatever that would translate to in pearls) doesn't matter as much as the cache of saying that it's a brand name. Other people (even non jewelry people) recognize the brand name...and as much as it doesn't mean anything in terms of quality, it means something in terms of *perceived* quality. And it's fun to have something fancy that is a fancy schmancy brand name. Not that I would turn my nose up at a 3 carat HP diamond ring or a 3 carat ring from WF, or heck, a 3 carat super ideal from anywhere, really. Damn, now I want a bigger ring....

ETA: but if it's a choice between a crappy quality brand name and a top quality non-brand name, I'd go for the quality every time. I have seen some things of very questionable quality be sold for $$$ in what would be considered high end jewelry stores. And once you know what you're looking for, it's hard not to see the flaws in those pieces.
 
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Vogue

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OP, have you talked to your girlfriend yet about which she prefers--bigger rock or Tiffany brand?
 

Emeraldsaremyfavorite

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This thread is getting a lot of traction! Here is the thing, she will have to tell people it is Tiffany’s for anyone to even know. If that’s important to her then I say you better stick with Tiffany’s. Or, it just may be important she knows it’s Tiffany’s in her heart. I personally could care less where a diamond came from as long as it is beautifully cut. Now, a new LV/Gucci hand bag or wondeful pair of Louboutins... that’s worth it for me because they are recognizable brands and superior quality. Diamonds are diamonds.
 

sledge

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OP was quoted USD$68k for a 2.5ct G VS2 at T&Co
At High Performance Diamonds a 2.53ct G VS1 is $49k ($19k less for same colour, upgrade of one level of clarity and the cut quality will be better than the Tiffany)
For the same price as what he was quoted at Tiffany&Co (or less $3k if he pays by wire), he can get a two colour and one clarity upgrade for a 2.54 E VS1. Again, the cut quality will be better than T&Co.

I would personally get the 3ct diamond versus the 2.5 Tiffany ring, but i do have friends that prefers the cartier, tiffany, debeers brand and they still stand by their choice even after seeing a bigger diamond "sparkly" from BG, WF with SK , VC, LM, settings they still prefer their branded rings.

I think get which ever your girlfriend would be happiest with. If you think a Tiffany made ring would make her happiest. Definitely get that. The branded rings provide excellent customer service e.g. they can service your ring every couple of years.. some will provide free cleaning every time you visit, some will offer you champagne every time you visit.. i guess those little things count.

I'm all for making the girl happy but let those numbers sink in.

$19k buys a lot of champagne and cleanings. As far as customer service, HPD will beat the snot out of Tiffany. @Wink and his team don't play with customer service -- you are VIP when you buy HPD. That's been proven time and time again on this forum.

Also, with HPD, the OP will have an 80% buyback policy on the stone for life. Tiffany or anyone else won't touch or match that.

Lastly, HPD/CBI utilizes a 3rd party trusted lab to grade their stones and is transparent with all the data and performance of the stone. You see it on the grading reports, performance & symmetry images and also when the stone sparkles. Tiffany's process of keeping stuff a secret and using in-house grading is a joke. Their stone isn't better, but their marketing is phenomenal.
 

motownmama

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It seemed her eyes lit up at the idea of 3ctw. Wasn’t that mentioned in the earlier part of this thread?
 

chanieish

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I’m pro whatever your future fiancée wants! I’m glad my FI involved me in the ring selection process. But I understand that isn’t for everyone.

I just want to echo the prior sentiments that aside from the diamond that just will not stop sparkling, CBI delivered the shiniest custom setting I have ever seen. It was soooo polished I could almost see my reflection in the 2mm band lol. Perfection! Thanks @Winks_Elf

I don’t own Tiffany engagement ring so I’m biased but after my experience at CBI, I cannot go to anyone else!
 

bmfang

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**Edited by moderator, no allowed**

@Nicholas A, actually, it was my bad. I used the wrong shape filter! *facepalm* and I did set the carat filter to be from 2.5cts and above

@Bluevan, the 2.48 F VS2 at Victor Canera is $46k - a 1 colour upgrade from the G VS2 T&Co offered to you with a killer cut quality. Add one of Victor’s hand forged platinum settings that is inspired by the classic Tiffany solitaire and you’ll still have around $20k left in change.
https://www.victorcanera.com/diamonds/ags104102374001-2.480-f-vs2-ideal-hearts-arrows-round
 
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