Jewelers

[diamondmike]

Can someone help me out. I''m trying to find out who the top jewelers are in the u.s. Is tiffany one of the biggest? Anyone know of any others that are well known and sought after? Thanks in advance. Mike

 

[sumi]

Yes, I would have to agree that Tiffany & Co. is one of the largest. There's also Cartier, Mikimoto, Harry Winston, etc, etc.

Are you looking for something specific? If you are looking for an e-ring, I suggest you look around at other places as well. In my opinion, with a solitaire the main focus is on the stone and you can find very beautiful stones anywhere. If you are looking for any other type of jewellery, then I don't see the problem in purchasing from Tiffany or Cartier. They do charge a premium, but you are paying for the design of the piece as well as the materials (and of course, the name).

I used to think that I HAD to have a Tiffany e-ring.....until I got something better. My e-ring is absolutely georgeous, as good as (if not better) than the stones at Tiffany. However, I love Tiffany pieces for my everyday jewellery. You have to admit that they have great design and craftsmanship. I'm willing to pay a little extra for the design.

 

[diamondmike]

Thank you. I'll check them out. It is for an engagement, but my girlfriend is very into designer names, so I know its important to her, but I know nothing about who the top jewelery designers are (except tiffany). I'm going to be in New York a lot in the next month (and maybe Los Angeles), so I thought I'd check out some jewelers, but I have no idea where to go. Harry Winston is a good suggestion...anyone know of any others like that? Thank you again. Mike

 

[sumi]

Also, Van Cleef Arpels. If your girlfriend is very interested in brand names, I am sure she will love a ring from any of these design houses.

 

[fuffi]

Bulgari, Fred Leighton, and Asprey & Garrard are also in NY.

 

[mike04456]

Mikimoto is mainly pearls (though excellent pearls). If you're going for designer names and want to impress her, I would look at places besides Tiffany--they're too easy and they're getting a bit overexposed.




Harry Winston or Fred Leighton would be a great choice if you think she'll appreciate the movie star connection. If she's into European fashion, Cartier or Bulgari are the way to go.




You might try asking one of her friends if she likes a particular jewelry designer, as long as you're sure she can keep the secret.

 

[fire&ice]

The other issue - since diamonds at the big places are fairly generic - there are many settings that are designer.

 

[sumi]

yes, I'm a big fan of Mikimoto...I just threw the name in there because I wasn't sure what he was looking for. If you are looking for a diamond engagement ring, you will not find one at Mikimoto.

 

[niceice]

Top jewelers in the realm of Brick & Mortar or on the internet?

Tiffany, Harry Winston, Cartier, etc. have made names for themselves over the course of time, but the quality they offer is available from quite a few of the internet dealers here on Price Scope who also carry many of the popular designer lines that are popular today. The fact is that your girlfriend might be name conscious but we seriously doubt that she would like to see you pay up to twice as much for her diamond just for the name of a store... Wouldn't she rather have a larger or better quality diamond? Tiffany sells round brilliant cut diamonds with a proportions range of AGS-2 Very Good to AGS-0 Ideal cut and simply will not disclose the proportions information necessary for you to determine whether you are purchasing an AGS-2 or an AGS-0 ideal cut, now how does that make them a great jeweler? It doesn't, but people tend to overlook this lack of disclosure and complete failure of customer service because they are one of the longest standing jewelry stores in America. Does "it's a Tiffany diamond" really make it better when you don't really know what it is in terms of proportions? Your girlfriend deserves the best, purchase her diamond from a vendor who discloses all of the pertinent information to you without a hassle... Until people start to demand this type of information from the Big Guys, they're not going to offer it, they'll just keep riding on the history of their name.

The major designers today in no particular order are Jeff Cooper, Judy Evans, Tacori, D. Vatche, Viachi, Judith Conway, ack, Michael somebody - drawing a blank... Come on people, how about posting some pictures of your favorite designer rings here to give Diamond Mike a hand?

 

[chris-uk04]

If you want a name, Harry Winston is probably the biggest for those who have the slightest clue about jewellery and diamonds. Otherwise, everyone and their mother knows Tiffany’s or Cartier. I hear Bailey, Banks, and Biddle has overprice crap. (Tiffany’s will have overpriced good jewellery.) The other name “route” you could go is to get a brand name diamond, such as a “Leo.” Diamonds like these are well cut, but they are overpriced (because of the name) and all you are usually guaranteed is a SI2 –I diamond… with a 1 carat costing $10K.

The other thing you can do is try to educate your girlfriend a little. Perhaps if she learns more about diamonds, she won’t want you to waste your money on a big name like Tiffany’s … or she will realize she can get a bigger & better diamond for the same price. Something like a good watch is better with a good name. It’s on the watch and everyone can see it. It’s also a lot harder to get a good watch without the name brand. A good diamond is different. You can get a good quality diamond from many different sources. Try spending a couple of weeks educating yourself about diamonds and what makes a good quality diamond, and then perhaps try to educate the misses a little to see if she is still bent on a big name. Remember to take into account her preferences, but ultimately the ring is your money and your decision, so try to get something she will appreciate in 5 years instead of regretting spending money on a big name instead of a big stone.

 

[valeria101]

Nothing against big names here... and VCA may be my favorite for their exotic designs, but no idea what their engagement rings are like. Buccellati? Not sure what you can see online, but their diamond bands and rings are quite intriguing.

It is always worth hunting for vintage pieces from all the makers mentioned on this thread: and Tiffany e-rings are not rare encounters on the "secondary market" ( EX. ). However, there are quite a few jewelry houses specializing in top pieces but without the amount of hype world brands have amassed and/or created; David Birnbaum (at rare1) anyone?

 

[pqcollectibles]

----------------
On 1/14/2004 3:56:06 AM chris00nj wrote:

The other name “route” you could go is to get a brand name diamond, such as a “Leo.” Diamonds like these are well cut, but they are overpriced (because of the name) and all you are usually guaranteed is a SI2 –I diamond… with a 1 carat costing $10K.

The other thing you can do is try to educate your girlfriend a little. Perhaps if she learns more about diamonds, she won’t want you to waste your money on a big name like Tiffany’s … or she will realize she can get a bigger & better diamond for the same price. Something like a good watch is better with a good name. It’s on the watch and everyone can see it. It’s also a lot harder to get a good watch without the name brand. A good diamond is different. You can get a good quality diamond from many different sources. Try spending a couple of weeks educating yourself about diamonds and what makes a good quality diamond, and then perhaps try to educate the misses a little to see if she is still bent on a big name. Remember to take into account her preferences, but ultimately the ring is your money and your decision, so try to get something she will appreciate in 5 years instead of regretting spending money on a big name instead of a big stone.
----------------

Personally, I would run away from a Leo Diamond. There has been much discussion on the Leo Diamond. Basically it has not been proven that the extra facets add to the performance of the diamond. And if you see one in person, it tends to look like a golf ball.

Chris made a very good point with the brand name comparison,.... The diamond won't have the name emblazened on in for name recognition. And you can find non-branded diamonds that are good performers. But if your gal is into name dropping you might consider an A Cut Above from White Flash, an Eight Star, or a Hearts on Fire diamond. Pricing on the ACA's is very competitive to non-branded H&A's. White Flash both cuts and sells their ACA line. 8* and HOF are somewhat pricier, but have "THE" name.

You could also work with a nationally renowned designer to fabricate the ring. Check out the Show Me the Ring portion of the Forum. There are many unique designs pictured there by some of the best in the country. A top notch diamond in a designer set is much more unique than an off the shelf from Tiff, or other top name Vendors.

 

[hoorray]

A good solution might be to get a high end designer setting, rather than going for the store brand. Maybe a custom made Mark Morrell or something like that, with a top notch diamond from one of the online vendors. That way she can say it's a "whatever" ring, and you will have a much better stone in it, which, in the long run, you'll both probably care about. Unfortunately, some of the big brand stores won't sell you just the setting without the diamond, but maybe some of the people here could steer you towards some of the top brands in settings.

 

[diamondmike]

These are all great ideas and suggestions. I'll have to think through my options, and educate myself more on what's out there. I don't want to talk to my girlfriend about it because it's going to be a complete surprise to her. I know it's important to her that a name is involved for whatever the reason. It'll make her like it more, that's just how she is. But I will look into A Cut Above and Eightstar and see about designer settings. The question is, how many top jewelers would be willing to set a stone that was purchased elsewhere? Does anyone know if Harry Winston would? Also, does anyone know of a jewelery store in New York or Los Angeles (or online even) that sells a bunch of these designers? Does that kind of store exist? Thank you again. Mike

 

[sumi]

The top design houses won't put a diamond in their setting, you'd have to buy the entire ring. If brand names are very important to your girlfriend, then you should look around at those places. However, I hope you keep an open mind about other stones.

I was the kind of person who said that ONLY a Tiffany ring will do. I told my now-husband (then-boyfriend) countless times that I want a Tiffany ring. I am so happy that he did not listen to me! He went through a jeweler and found an amazing stone. Seriously, the stone is prettier than those that I've seen at Tiffany. He even custom-designed a beautiful shank. When I was asking for the Tiffany ring, I didn't know that better stones were out there. Now, I am so proud of him that he found a better stone for a better price. I love my ring......without the Tiffany name.



Don't get me wrong, I love jewelery from the top design houses. I think those kind of places are great for designed pieces. Those places wonderful for fashion pieces.

Chris00nj mentioned the difference between a brand name watch and a brand name ring. I really like that analogy. Hey, you can always get her a brand name watch to go along with the ring!

It's just something to think about as you search for the perfect ring.


(valeria101: I LOVE VCA also! I love the organic feel to their design. Unfortunately, I can't really pull off any of their pieces. I tried on a few rings and they are really huge. I tried the Socrates ring, but it's too huge. It looks silly on my small hands. The mechanics of the ring are SO COOL!)