2.5ct Tiffany vs 3ct Super Ideal with Tiffany setting

[Bluevan]

I was looking around for a ring, and my gf went in into Tiffany and fell in love with their iconic Tiffany setting.

I have checked and my budget would allow me to get a 2.5ct G VS2 from Tiffany

Now, since I have been following pricescope I know that there are super ideals diamond like CBI, WF ACA and BGD

However, there is no super ideal 3ct diamond within my spec and budget that is available at the moment but I believe with the same budget I would be able to get ard 3ct G VS2.

The difference is surprisingly not that huge (0.5 carat) and knowing my gf she was sold with the Tiffany ring since the day she tried it on. Should I get her her dream ring, a 2.5ct G VS from Tiffany or try to replicate the setting with a 3ct super ideal diamond (likely 3ct G VS2). But who has or able to create a ring setting that is closest to the real tiffany?

 

[OoohShiny]

I don't believe in paying for 'Brand Label Tax', especially when the goods are obviously overpriced to 'keep the peasants away' and create 'aspirational' market placement.

Some people feel brand names / 'status' / 'caché' to be very important to them - for whatever reason, be it conditioning through years of marketing, or because they wish to 'portray an image', as two examples.

An (national, impartial, empirical evidence-led organisation) AGS-graded SuperIdeal will outperform an 'in-house graded' Tiffany diamond, and I prefer to pay for quality over a label, so the SuperIdeal would get my vote.

Plus, a 3ct rock is noticeably bigger than a 2.5ct rock, not even taking into account the edge-to-edge brightness of the SuperIdeal making it look bigger and brighter.

And any of the PS-recommended SuperIdeal vendors should be able to source you a equivalent or better quality version of a Tiffany setting.

First, though, you need to ask your partner whether it is the style they want or if they want to be able to wave their hand in people's faces and go "Look! It's a Tiffany!!" lol. If it's the latter, there is a lot to be said for the ease of just getting the Tiffany and being done with it!

 

[cmd2014]

Should I get her her dream ring, a 2.5ct G VS from Tiffany or try to replicate the setting with a 3ct super ideal diamond (likely 3ct G VS2). But who has or able to create a ring setting that is closest to the real tiffany?

Get her her dream ring. Maybe talk to her about what that actually means (smaller Tiffany ring vs. larger ring with a super ideal diamond that will not have the same brand recognition cache), but if she wants the Tiffany ring after you guys talk about it, get her the Tiffany ring.

 

[amoline]

Exactly what OoohShiny said -- does she want the Tiffany because of how amazing she thinks it looks? If that's the case, you can outdo Tiffany on quality and performance and she'll be even more elated than she was at Tiffany.

But.... if she loves it because she wants to show and say it's from Tiffany and Co... it will be convenient to simply be able to purchase it and she'll be happy and have her brand bragging rights, which if it's what she wants, more power to her!

Edit to add-- if the bragging rights are something valuable to her, which is fine, there may be something to be said about doing a superideal with a custom setting from one of the PS vendors. That way, when she gets asked "did he get it at XYZ?" She can give a sly smile and say "No, it's custom."

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

Tiffany is absolutely no better... I would go bigger and do your own setting. You could very likely find an even better looking and better cut than Tiffany.

 

[Caly27]

Get her her dream ring. Maybe talk to her about what that actually means (smaller Tiffany ring vs. larger ring with a super ideal diamond that will not have the same brand recognition cache), but if she wants the Tiffany ring after you guys talk about it, get her the Tiffany ring.

I’m with cmd2014. Definitely discuss it first, but if she still wants the Tiffany ring, go with what she wants.

 

[Elizabeth35]

I agree with all the comments above. But---why did she choose the 2.5 carat stone? Is that the size she wants and would she feel 3 carat is too large?
Or--is the Tiffany brand the most important thing to her?
It sounds as if she loves the setting and you can certainly duplicate that and the quality of the 2.5 carat stone.
Would she be even more ecstatic with a 3 carat stone that is at least as high performing as Tiffany in a comparable setting. Meaning--would she go larger if budget allowed or is 2.5 carat her dream stone.

 

[Menlikediamondstoo]

My two cents-

Tiffany is a brand name and you are definetally paying for that. On the flip side (and my personal opinion) there is nothing like a Tiffany diamond. If this were any other name, I would say go for the three carat BUT, something about that little blue box, the Tiffany inscription on the inside of the band, and knowing that you have a the best cut diamond sits right with me.

Tiffany REJECTS 99.96% of the worlds diamonds.

I didn’t use to think this until my mother got a 3carat tiffany eternity band. I swear, that little band sparkles day and night no matter how dirty, lotion filled and oily it gets.

 

[natasha-cupcake]

My two cents-

Tiffany is a brand name and you are definetally paying for that. On the flip side (and my personal opinion) there is nothing like a Tiffany diamond. If this were any other name, I would say go for the three carat BUT, something about that little blue box, the Tiffany inscription on the inside of the band, and knowing that you have a the best cut diamond sits right with me.

Tiffany REJECTS 99.96% of the worlds diamonds.

I didn’t use to think this until my mother got a 3carat tiffany eternity band. I swear, that little band sparkles day and night no matter how dirty, lotion filled and oily it gets.

Pffffft... I'll take a CBI over a Tiffany any day of the week.

 

[Tophat1]

Can I dispute the premise that a Tiffany 2.5ct costs the same as a super ideal 3.0? I thought the prices differential was around double

 

[rockysalamander]

If she chose a 2.5c, get a 2.5c. I would not buy a modern round diamond from Tiffany. I'd buy a super-ideal with a Tiffany-inspired setting. I'm a fan of HighPerformanceDiamonds with CBIs, by a smidge, but you can't go wrong with WF or BGD.

There is nothing about modern round Tiffany diamonds that make them unique or different. The crystal is the same an everyone else in its fundamental state. The cutting is actually the same for rounds, except they don't have super-ideals. You can like a Tiffany MRB diamonds becuse of the specific proportions of the cutting of the specific stone you look at, but it not special or different.

@Menlikediamondstoo "Tiffany rejects 99.96% of the would's diamonds". Tiffany vertically integrated the supply chain so they can control the costs and avoided being splashed with "blood diamond" labels. They own (or have exclusive rights) to their mines, the supply chain, the cutting houses, the polishing equipment, and the stores. How can they possible reject diamonds of the world when they don't buy from the world? Marketing puffery. In fact, market watchers have speculated that they actually will be forced to remove the vertical integration to remain competitive and reduce losses.

 

[HappyNewLife]

as long as your're not in TX, you won't pay sales tax at WF or BGD either. That saves you a crap ton too!

 

[Menlikediamondstoo]

If she chose a 2.5c, get a 2.5c. I would not buy a modern round diamond from Tiffany. I'd buy a super-ideal with a Tiffany-inspired setting. I'm a fan of HighPerformanceDiamonds with CBIs, by a smidge, but you can't go wrong with WF or BGD.

There is nothing about modern round Tiffany diamonds that make them unique or different. The crystal is the same an everyone else in its fundamental state. The cutting is actually the same for rounds, except they don't have super-ideals. You can like a Tiffany MRB diamonds becuse of the specific proportions of the cutting of the specific stone you look at, but it not special or different.

@Menlikediamondstoo "Tiffany rejects 99.96% of the would's diamonds". Tiffany vertically integrated the supply chain so they can control the costs and avoided being splashed with "blood diamond" labels. They own (or have exclusive rights) to their mines, the supply chain, the cutting houses, the polishing equipment, and the stores. How can they possible reject diamonds of the world when they don't buy from the world? Marketing puffery. In fact, market watchers have speculated that they actually will be forced to remove the vertical integration to remain competitive and reduce losses.

I’m going to contradict myself here:

I love diamonds. All I ever wanted was a 2 carat round super ideal colorless diamond blah blah- I’m 28 and started talking about wanting a diamond when I was 13!! Sometimes I really do wish I went with lesser quality and a bigger stone. BUT like many on here, I love diamonds and everything about them.

In terms of engagement- all I’m saying is that if I were a ladie who wasn’t into diamonds as a hobby- I feel there is something special to be able to say my 2.5 carat engagement ring is from Tiffany’s. “He got her a ring form Tiffany’s” that’s what I hear in the background. Most people wouldn’t know “he got me a CBI diamond”

In the long run, if the name is important- which I find is to many people who aren’t “into” diamonds- than a Tiffany diamond holds its name.

 

[bmfang]

@Menlikediamondstoo "Tiffany rejects 99.96% of the would's diamonds". Tiffany vertically integrated the supply chain so they can control the costs and avoided being splashed with "blood diamond" labels. They own (or have exclusive rights) to their mines, the supply chain, the cutting houses, the polishing equipment, and the stores. How can they possible reject diamonds of the world when they don't buy from the world? Marketing puffery. In fact, market watchers have speculated that they actually will be forced to remove the vertical integration to remain competitive and reduce losses.

What @rockysalamander said. Tiffany’s claims of being so picky are marketing puffery. But it certainly does suck a lot of people in. On the bright side, it does leave more of the exceedingly well cut stones for the rest of us more discriminating consumers. The only well known diamond brand (IMHO) that can actually live up to the hype they generate is Hearts on Fire.

 

[Dancing Fire]

First, though, you need to ask your partner whether it is the style they want or if they want to be able to wave their hand in people's faces and go "Look! It's a Tiffany!!" lol. If it's the latter, there is a lot to be said for the ease of just getting the Tiffany and being done with it!

Or she can wave this one around for a lot less.
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10480

 

[bmfang]

Or she can wave this one around for a lot less.
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10480

This.

2.5ct Round Brilliant from Tiffany is from A$82k in platinum Tiffany solitaire setting. That’s about US$58k at current exchange rates. Of course as the colour and clarity characteristics go up, that from price goes up more and more...

 

[Bluevan]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Do you know which setting from any if the super ideal vendor looks closest to the Tiffany setting?

Regarding size, the 2.5ct size at Tiffany was chosen because that is the max my budget allows and it already looks substantial on her size 4.5 finger.
The 3ct was out of my budget but I noticed her eyes sparkled even more when she tried on the 3ct so I think she would be very happy with a 3ct

Can I dispute the premise that a Tiffany 2.5ct costs the same as a super ideal 3.0? I thought the prices differential was around double

@Tophat1 Exactly my thought and hence the discussion.

 

[bmfang]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Do you know which setting from any if the super ideal vendor looks closest to the Tiffany setting?

Regarding size, the 2.5ct size at Tiffany was chosen because that is the max my budget allows and it already looks substantial on her size 4.5 finger.
The 3ct was out of my budget but I noticed her eyes sparkled even more when she tried on the 3ct so I think she would be very happy with a 3ct



Exactly my thought and hence the discussion.

Vatche U-113 is the one a lot of folks on PS say replicates the Tiffany setting the best. Of course, one could also go the hand forged route at a vendor like Victor Canera...

 

[Bluevan]

Vatche U-113 is the one a lot of folks on PS say replicates the Tiffany setting the best. Of course, one could also go the hand forged route at a vendor like Victor Canera...

Thanks @bmfang
Will check out Vatche U 113.
Do you know if Victor Canera would want to create a setting that is exactly like the Tiffany setting?

 

[bmfang]

It won’t be exactly like the Tiffany setting because my understanding is that T&Co settings are cast, not hand forged. So each of Victor’s pieces will to a degree be unique, even if he tries to get it as close as possible to the original T&Co setting. I’m also fairly certain that he has been asked countless times to replicate that iconic Tiffany setting.

He also has his own range of super ideal stones for sale but atm, he doesn’t have any Canera Ideal Hearts & Arrow stones 2.5ct+ in size available in inventory currently.

 

[lovedogs]

I agree with others that there isn't anything "special" about Tiffany diamonds other than the brand name itself. Super-ideals will be better performers than tiffany's, hands down. However, talk to your GF to make sure she cares about the best diamond vs. just the Tiffany label. If she cares the most about the brand name, just get her the tiffany ring. If she wants the best diamond, then get a super-ideal. I've also heard good things about Vatche in terms of something that looks similar to the iconic solitaire.

 

[LinSF]

We get this question here so much! I think that if she likes Tiffany, you'd better get her a Tiffany ring. Even where she says that it doesn't matter, most women would fawn over the name brand. And that's really all it is, a brand. Tiffany's cannot be replicated, the box, the experience, being able to say you went to *that* store and that she can get it maintained there forever. Simply no replacement.

Me? I know the relative value of a brand vs quality. Unless you 1000% sure shes the same you'd do better with what she was initially attracted to.

 

[Matilda]

just as I am getting confused with prices differences ..what is your budget?

would this be in your budget for example:


https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4054989.htm

 

[Bluevan]

@Matilda
My budget was actually $60k to start with but
since a 2.5ct G VS2 Tiffany cost just a bit more at $68k I don't mind stretching my budget a bit.

With that budget I think I can get a 3-3.2ct G VS2 super ideal cut diamond incl platinum setting.

thanks for your recommendation the 3ct H looks amazing but we have agreed to stick at G color max as both of us are color sensitive.

 

[lovedogs]

I would consider a cut to order stone if I were you. CBI, WF, and BGD don't always have stones that large in their inventory, so I would contact them with your preferred budget/specs and see what they say.

 

[bmfang]

Some options. Inventory at sizes above 2.5 cts seems to be a little thin on the ground atm. Particularly at VS2+ clarities and D-G colours

Some options however:
https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...2.656-g-vvs2-round-diamond-ags-c-104103128014 - 2.656ct G VVS2 $58k Brian Gavin Black

https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10403 - 2.54 E VS1 Crafted By Infinity Round $69k

Nothing at Whiteflash

Nothing at Victor Canera

https://www.bluenile.com/au/build-y...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true -2.53ct E VS1 Astor Ideal $64k

 

[bmfang]

Numbers on this regular GIA XXX at James Allen look ok too:

https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...g-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4373052
3.01ct G VS1 $63k, 58T, 61.1D, 34CA, 40.8PA

 

[rockhoundofficiando]

Get her what she wants, the Tiffany branded ring. There are settings that are quite close to the iconic Tiffany setting but they aren't exact. Nor do they come with the Tiffany blue box and service.

 

[skydiamond88]

tough choice

 

[Dancing Fire]

Get her what she wants, the Tiffany branded ring. There are settings that are quite close to the iconic Tiffany setting but they aren't exact. Nor do they come with the Tiffany blue box and service.

. The blue box worth that much premium ?