Disappointed with my Tiffany ring....opinions please?

[MTHealthyLiving]

Yes I will never part with my original engagement eternity ring! To this day, I’m eternity ring junkie.

Not only will I not part with my wedding band, but my mind tells me I should wear it all the time too. Like I seriously feel like I’m crazy! I really want separate bands or a custom made ring guard to enhance the beautiful ring my husband bought me for my birthday/anniversary. But nothing looks good with my wedding band. How do I get past the thinking that I need to wear the wedding band all the time?

 

[distracts]

Not only will I not part with my wedding band, but my mind tells me I should wear it all the time too. Like I seriously feel like I’m crazy! I really want separate bands or a custom made ring guard to enhance the beautiful ring my husband bought me for my birthday/anniversary. But nothing looks good with my wedding band. How do I get past the thinking that I need to wear the wedding band all the time?

Does it fit on your other hand, or could you wear the other rings you want on your other hand? Or could you wear it on a necklace? That way you'd still be wearing it but it wouldn't interfere with whatever you want to do with the other rings. (However, I'm a person who wears whatever rings I want wherever I want and doesn't attach much sentiment to my wedding band in particular. All my sentiment is in the engagement ring but I don't feel the need to always wear it. People know I'm married. My husband knows I love the ring... but he also knows I love all my rings and want to give them equal time in the sun. Even if I love my engagement ring most.)

OP, I think your comment that the solitaire looks almost the same size as your OEC is probably the root of the problem - going from an illusion setting to a solitaire is a pretty big change, and you might be happier with a halo, bezel setting, another illusion setting, or something like a three-stone. Maybe you can try on different setting varieties at a jewelry store to see if you find anything that narrows it down.

 

[motownmama]

FWIW

 

[motownmama]

FWIW, we all have our individual esthetic sensibilities, and the ONLY opinion that matters in your OWN, but your Tiffany solitaire with the etoile is TDF. I love the look and the fact that it's a genuine Tiffany. If it's not working for you, though, sell it and move ahead - tallyho!

 

[Miki Moto]

I own a Tiffany ring and decided on it after a lengthy review of vendors including GoodOldGold, HOF, and TIffany. In the end, I chose Tiffany, but they were not even on my list ot choices. I only looked at Tiffany to prove to myself Tiffany was a waste of money.

I looked at many diamonds. I flew to NY to visit Jonathan at GoodOldGold, I went to the Diamond District. I looked at HOF (I own two loose HOF 1ct earrings that I had made into earrings).

Last stop was Tiffany. I went there to prove to myself Tiffany was not worth it. I was wrong. I have my HOF earrings (each 1 ct), so I asked the Tiffany SA to bring in some diamond rings (I was looking at a 3ct). I also asked her to bring in a couple of 1ct Tiffany rings (same specs as my HOF) so I could compare them against my HOF earrings to do a 1ct to 1ct comparison. My HOF earrings are not the pre-set ones. I bought them loose, super ideal cut, triple X, GIA Certified, blah blah blah. I thought for sure my earrings would be the winner.

Wrong. The Tiffany diamonds popped and were amazing. No comparison at all. I then looked at the 3ct rings the SA brought in. They popped! Could I have found a non-branded diamond for cheaper? Yes, of course. There is no such thing as a perfect diamond because unless you are buying a Golconda Type IIa diamond, there will always be a diamond with better specs.

After months of research and trips to NY, I told myself I do not want a non-branded no name diamond. My brother, who is a big fan of Tiffany (yea... a guy who loves Tiffany.... his wife is lucky!), said it perfectly: No one is going to care you have a triple X, super-ideal perfectly cut no-name diamond. All you have to say is "It's a Tiffany" and that's enough.

After he said that to me, and after I saw the Tiffany rings. I was sold and bought my ring at Tiffany.
And yes, about my diamond, I want to say "It's a Tiffany". I do not want a no name diamond because in the end, no one cares about your specs. No one (unless it's a Golconda Type IIa)! The resell value for a Tiffany is far better than a no-name diamond with the same specs. No name diamonds are a dime a dozen.

Your Tiffany is lovely. You should not keep running math; it's a waste of time because there will always be a better diamond. Diamonds are an emotional purchase. For me, I love now that "I have a Tiffany!"

I hope my story helps with your decision.

 

[skypie]

Interesting first post. Clearly, for you, brand is very important - perhaps the most important attribute in a ring.

 

[Miki Moto]

Interesting first post. Clearly, for you, brand is very important - perhaps the most important attribute in a ring.

Yes, and I never thought it would be as Tiffany was not even on my list when I was searching. But it was after seeing so many diamonds and rings everywhere. So for anyone who has "always wanted a Tiffany", that's for sure the way to go.

 

[skypie]

It appears for the OP the Tiffany name alone is not enough though. I think she values performance above brand.

 

[Miki Moto]

It appears for the OP the Tiffany name alone is not enough though. I think she values performance above brand.

Yes that's obvious as she is looking at non-Tiffany. But she has a Tiffany which is why I shared my experience to see both sides. I too thought I only wanted performance and had all my charts and formulas and tools. Tiffany was the last on my mind, and I was biased against it. Yet, that is what I ended up with, a Tiffany.

I get it... it seems you do not like name-brands and want to go generic. But others may like name brands, hence that is why I shared my story. I myself have converted, and I am so happy I have.

 

[skypie]

Oh, not at all. I bought a WhiteFlash diamond myself, and the "brand" was a part of my decision. Just saying that the OP doesn't seem like the type that would say "It's a Tiffany" so I can stop worrying about the scopes, performance, etc.

 

[Miki Moto]

Oh, not at all. I bought a WhiteFlash diamond myself, and the "brand" was a part of my decision. Just saying that the OP doesn't seem like the type that would say "It's a Tiffany" so I can stop worrying about the scopes, performance, etc.

I am not the OP and cannot speak for her. Nor can anyone guess what type she is. It is completely her decision. OP has a Tiffany ring, and I have a Tiffany ring. I shared my experience, from being a non-lover of Tiffany to a big fan of their diamonds.

OP, apologies for this petty sub-thread here in your thread. I wish you good luck and hope my input helps in your decision.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I am not the OP and cannot speak for her. Nor can anyone guess what type she is. It is completely her decision. OP has a Tiffany ring, and I have a Tiffany ring. I shared my experience, from being a non-lover of Tiffany to a big fan of their diamonds.

OP, apologies for this petty sub-thread here in your thread. I wish you good luck and hope my input helps in your decision.

Miki, we would love to see your Tiffany ring! There is always something so special about them - the name brings almost universal recognition. I hope you will share pictures with us!!

 

[Weecam]

FWIW, we all have our individual esthetic sensibilities, and the ONLY opinion that matters in your OWN, but your Tiffany solitaire with the etoile is TDF. I love the look and the fact that it's a genuine Tiffany. If it's not working for you, though, sell it and move ahead - tallyho!

Thank you very much!

 

[Weecam]

I own a Tiffany ring and decided on it after a lengthy review of vendors including GoodOldGold, HOF, and TIffany. In the end, I chose Tiffany, but they were not even on my list ot choices. I only looked at Tiffany to prove to myself Tiffany was a waste of money.

I looked at many diamonds. I flew to NY to visit Jonathan at GoodOldGold, I went to the Diamond District. I looked at HOF (I own two loose HOF 1ct earrings that I had made into earrings).

Last stop was Tiffany. I went there to prove to myself Tiffany was not worth it. I was wrong. I have my HOF earrings (each 1 ct), so I asked the Tiffany SA to bring in some diamond rings (I was looking at a 3ct). I also asked her to bring in a couple of 1ct Tiffany rings (same specs as my HOF) so I could compare them against my HOF earrings to do a 1ct to 1ct comparison. My HOF earrings are not the pre-set ones. I bought them loose, super ideal cut, triple X, GIA Certified, blah blah blah. I thought for sure my earrings would be the winner.

Wrong. The Tiffany diamonds popped and were amazing. No comparison at all. I then looked at the 3ct rings the SA brought in. They popped! Could I have found a non-branded diamond for cheaper? Yes, of course. There is no such thing as a perfect diamond because unless you are buying a Golconda Type IIa diamond, there will always be a diamond with better specs.

After months of research and trips to NY, I told myself I do not want a non-branded no name diamond. My brother, who is a big fan of Tiffany (yea... a guy who loves Tiffany.... his wife is lucky!), said it perfectly: No one is going to care you have a triple X, super-ideal perfectly cut no-name diamond. All you have to say is "It's a Tiffany" and that's enough.

After he said that to me, and after I saw the Tiffany rings. I was sold and bought my ring at Tiffany.
And yes, about my diamond, I want to say "It's a Tiffany". I do not want a no name diamond because in the end, no one cares about your specs. No one (unless it's a Golconda Type IIa)! The resell value for a Tiffany is far better than a no-name diamond with the same specs. No name diamonds are a dime a dozen.

Your Tiffany is lovely. You should not keep running math; it's a waste of time because there will always be a better diamond. Diamonds are an emotional purchase. For me, I love now that "I have a Tiffany!"

I hope my story helps with your decision.

Miki, we would love to see your Tiffany ring! There is always something so special about them - the name brings almost universal recognition. I hope you will share pictures with us!!

Thank you for your opinion! I would love to see a picture of your Tiffany ring!

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @Weecam -

I have a number of Tiffany pieces, and a number of non-Tiffany pieces. So to give you my impression on the compare-and-contrast....

1) Tiffany sells a range of diamonds to suit various wallets. They're not all super ideal. They're not all ideal. Some, on the other hand, are. The name does not automatically guarantee you a great diamond. If you don't feel your diamond is performing to the level you'd like - then it probably isn't.

2) On the other hand, if it looks beautiful to your eye, then it is beautiful! Even the famed Golconda IIA's the above poster referred to were generally poorly (or, at very best, 'idiosyncratically'!) cut - which was considered part of their charm. It has to appeal to YOU - stats or no stats.

3) Tiffany designs are, on the whole and to my taste, rather beautiful.

4) Tiffany's prong work, on the whole and to my taste, is average.

5) The diamonds that posters here are discussing with you - predominantly ACA's - ARE NOT 'no-name' brands. To use this expression for a WhiteFlash ACA is hugely misleading and a complete misnomer.

Personally, I like your ring very much and would keep it. If you want something larger or if you feel you could get a marked improvement in performance from a different diamond - that's different and I'd say - go for it. But if you're going to swap like-for-like I'd stay with what you already have. Re-sale always involves a loss and you have to be sure the improvement you get is worth the money you lose.

Good luck!

 

[MarionC]

Very true !seems like you cannot stop and never satisfied before you reach best of the best of the best . But in real life everything has imperfections,even our own faces are not perfectly proportional and symmetrical , should we all run and do plastic surgery?hmm with time and age you are learning to love this imperfections and that makes you distinct ,different from other ppl, makes you unique

Well said.

 

[Weecam]

So here’s a couple of pictures of my 1.18ct diamond Tiffany ring and my .88 old European cut diamond ring side by side. As I mentioned above, the Tiffany diamond doesn’t look much bigger...
I think I was disappointed with that as well as I was expecting it to sparkle more. However, on a positive note, I do love the Tiffany solitaire setting. Because I have small (4.5), short fingers it works well for stacking.
I haven’t had time to go to Helmsley’s yet to look at the HOF diamonds. I will definitely post pictures when I do go.

 

[Weecam]

Hi @Weecam -

I have a number of Tiffany pieces, and a number of non-Tiffany pieces. So to give you my impression on the compare-and-contrast....

1) Tiffany sells a range of diamonds to suit various wallets. They're not all super ideal. They're not all ideal. Some, on the other hand, are. The name does not automatically guarantee you a great diamond. If you don't feel your diamond is performing to the level you'd like - then it probably isn't.

2) On the other hand, if it looks beautiful to your eye, then it is beautiful! Even the famed Golconda IIA's the above poster referred to were generally poorly (or, at very best, 'idiosyncratically'!) cut - which was considered part of their charm. It has to appeal to YOU - stats or no stats.

3) Tiffany designs are, on the whole and to my taste, rather beautiful.

4) Tiffany's prong work, on the whole and to my taste, is average.

5) The diamonds that posters here are discussing with you - predominantly ACA's - ARE NOT 'no-name' brands. To use this expression for a WhiteFlash ACA is hugely misleading and a complete misnomer.

Personally, I like your ring very much and would keep it. If you want something larger or if you feel you could get a marked improvement in performance from a different diamond - that's different and I'd say - go for it. But if you're going to swap like-for-like I'd stay with what you already have. Re-sale always involves a loss and you have to be sure the improvement you get is worth the money you lose.

Good luck!

Thanks very much mrs-b! I’m still debating what I’m going to do. I don’t want to regret selling my Tiffany ring but if I want an ACA, I will have to....

 

[skypie]

You could always get the ACA (or another diamond) and compare it in person to your Tiffany during the return window and then choose the winner.

Thanks very much mrs-b! I’m still debating what I’m going to do. I don’t want to regret selling my Tiffany ring but if I want an ACA, I will have to....

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I just had to say that your OEC is dreamy

 

[Kbell]

So here’s a couple of pictures of my 1.18ct diamond Tiffany ring and my .88 old European cut diamond ring side by side. As I mentioned above, the Tiffany diamond doesn’t look much bigger...
I think I was disappointed with that as well as I was expecting it to sparkle more. However, on a positive note, I do love the Tiffany solitaire setting. Because I have small (4.5), short fingers it works well for stacking.
I haven’t had time to go to Helmsley’s yet to look at the HOF diamonds. I will definitely post pictures when I do go.

I just want to say I think your Tiffany ring looks fabulous on you & I think it looks bigger than the OEC ring. I have always loved Tiffany & have several pcs. Go with your heart & Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[Miki Moto]

Thank you for your opinion! I would love to see a picture of your Tiffany ring!

Hi, since you asked, here is a photo. I am sure you are wondering... what's with the emeralds? I just went to my first gem show, the Tucson Gem and Mineral show and was looking at emeralds. Being new to pricescope, I also found an emerald thread, so I posted this photo in that thread. I'm reusing the photo and posting here, so please bear with me on sharing the same photo.

The wedding band is their knife-edge band, 2mm. It's super thin and plain which is what I wanted, nothing fancy.

Hope this helps. Good luck in your decision!

 

[leukolenos]

So here’s a couple of pictures of my 1.18ct diamond Tiffany ring and my .88 old European cut diamond ring side by side. As I mentioned above, the Tiffany diamond doesn’t look much bigger...
I think I was disappointed with that as well as I was expecting it to sparkle more. However, on a positive note, I do love the Tiffany solitaire setting. Because I have small (4.5), short fingers it works well for stacking.
I haven’t had time to go to Helmsley’s yet to look at the HOF diamonds. I will definitely post pictures when I do go.

Is there an estate jeweler near you as well where you could see some larger old cuts too?
It might also be a useful exercise to watch some of the old Good Old Gold youtube videos comparing AVRs and MRBs.

 

[canuk-gal]

I am not the OP and cannot speak for her. Nor can anyone guess what type she is. It is completely her decision. OP has a Tiffany ring, and I have a Tiffany ring. I shared my experience, from being a non-lover of Tiffany to a big fan of their diamonds.

OP, apologies for this petty sub-thread here in your thread. I wish you good luck and hope my input helps in your decision.

Thank you (MM) for this observation. +1.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Any chance you would like some ACA for your ears? You have two gorgeous rings--both different flavors that you can enjoy.

ACA's for your ears? Pendant? Spread the love? hhehehee

cheers--Sharon

 

[MissGotRocks]

Hi, since you asked, here is a photo. I am sure you are wondering... what's with the emeralds? I just went to my first gem show, the Tucson Gem and Mineral show and was looking at emeralds. Being new to pricescope, I also found an emerald thread, so I posted this photo in that thread. I'm reusing the photo and posting here, so please bear with me on sharing the same photo.

The wedding band is their knife-edge band, 2mm. It's super thin and plain which is what I wanted, nothing fancy.

Hope this helps. Good luck in your decision!

Your ring is beautiful - love the simplicity of the solitaire with a plain band - thanks so much for sharing with us!!

 

[SimoneDi]

Your ring is beautiful - love the simplicity of the solitaire with a plain band - thanks so much for sharing with us!!

Ditto! Gorgeous ring and band classic combo! Those emeralds are pretty nice as well

 

[Weecam]

Hi, since you asked, here is a photo. I am sure you are wondering... what's with the emeralds? I just went to my first gem show, the Tucson Gem and Mineral show and was looking at emeralds. Being new to pricescope, I also found an emerald thread, so I posted this photo in that thread. I'm reusing the photo and posting here, so please bear with me on sharing the same photo.

The wedding band is their knife-edge band, 2mm. It's super thin and plain which is what I wanted, nothing fancy.

Hope this helps. Good luck in your decision!

Gorgeous! Thanks so much for posting a picture.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I was looking back and I will say that I don't think I'd bother with the change unless you are going higher than 1.3 on the new stone. Because you'll find there's little visual difference in 1.18 and 1.3. WF sometimes has 1.4ct stones that are a great buy because they are close to 1.5 but don't carry the price premium. Miki's ring is beautiful and so is yours. I just think the change would need to be more significant to make it worthwhile.

I probably said this way earlier in the thread, I do have some Tiffany pieces. But never once has someone complimented me and I have said anything but "Thank you!". I'd never tell someone the brand of any of my jewelry unless they recognized something and asked. So the brand satisfaction has to be personal to me, and that is usually because I like the particular piece of jewelry. For a non-Tiffany example, my favorite branded piece is my gold VCA Alhambra bracelet. Only people familiar with VCA would know what it is, and no one else would have any idea. I love the bracelet because of it's design and beauty, not because of the brand. And related to Tiffany, I have been asked before in Tiffany if I wanted them to clean my ring, because they assumed it was Tiffany! So I think I have had the best of both worlds, great cut diamonds in the classic Tiffany style setting that even Tiffany employees think is Tiffany! I certainly correct them if they ask. I never try to misrepresent my jewelry.

One more note. Hearts and arrows diamonds are within the top 3% of diamonds, so absolutely not a dime a dozen. They'll be in a higher range than high end branded stones, because the cut is more perfect. That said, your ring looks beautiful to me and again, I wouldn't bother changing it unless you are going to increase size closer to 1.5 cts.

 

[Weecam]

I was looking back and I will say that I don't think I'd bother with the change unless you are going higher than 1.3 on the new stone. Because you'll find there's little visual difference in 1.18 and 1.3. WF sometimes has 1.4ct stones that are a great buy because they are close to 1.5 but don't carry the price premium. Miki's ring is beautiful and so is yours. I just think the change would need to be more significant to make it worthwhile.

I probably said this way earlier in the thread, I do have some Tiffany pieces. But never once has someone complimented me and I have said anything but "Thank you!". I'd never tell someone the brand of any of my jewelry unless they recognized something and asked. So the brand satisfaction has to be personal to me, and that is usually because I like the particular piece of jewelry. For a non-Tiffany example, my favorite branded piece is my gold VCA Alhambra bracelet. Only people familiar with VCA would know what it is, and no one else would have any idea. I love the bracelet because of it's design and beauty, not because of the brand. And related to Tiffany, I have been asked before in Tiffany if I wanted them to clean my ring, because they assumed it was Tiffany! So I think I have had the best of both worlds, great cut diamonds in the classic Tiffany style setting that even Tiffany employees think is Tiffany! I certainly correct them if they ask. I never try to misrepresent my jewelry.

One more note. Hearts and arrows diamonds are within the top 3% of diamonds, so absolutely not a dime a dozen. They'll be in a higher range than high end branded stones, because the cut is more perfect. That said, your ring looks beautiful to me and again, I wouldn't bother changing it unless you are going to increase size closer to 1.5 cts.

Thank you for your insight. I didn’t really purchase the Tiffany ring because of the name. I certainly don’t go around saying it’s Tiffany...
I loved the solitaire setting and I felt safer buying it because I knew their diamonds were good. I also knew that if I wanted a +1 carat stone I had to buy preloved. I was a SAHM for 14 years so money is tight....
Had I know that I could have purchased an ACA stone and setting for about the same price, I would have gone that route. The sparkle factor is the most important.

Maybe one day a 1.5ct...
I agree that selling the Tiffany ring and purchasing a diamond below 1.3ct is not worthwhile. For now I’ll drool looking at all of your rings here on PriceScope.