Poll: Tiffany Engagement Ring or Not?

[glitterata]

Interesting...seems to have been holding pretty steadily at 15% or so pro-Tiffers and 85% or so anti-Tiffers; also, holding pretty steadily at 60% women answering the poll and 40% men.

I wonder what the demographics of PS members are like?

 

[Bagpuss]

Branded stuff actually puts me off. I always feel branded goods are always overpriced and often of lesser quality than the advertising would have us believe.

I want to pay for the best merchandise I can get, not some store's name on a box.

 

[PoopEater]

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On 9/22/2003 8:21:19 PM Mara wrote:

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On 9/22/2003 8:02:54 PM LawGem wrote:

A MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF DIAMOND EAR CLIPS, BY JAR

Yours for a mere (estimated) $125,000.

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That is 'exclusive'? You have got to be kidding. Those are the ugliest earings I have ever seen in my life. I wouldn't pay $20 for those abominations.

 

[mike04456]

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On 9/23/2003 7:40:35 PM PoopEater wrote:







That is 'exclusive'? You have got to be kidding. Those are the ugliest earings I have ever seen in my life. I wouldn't pay $20 for those abominations.

----------------

In truth those are not such good examples of JAR designs, which may be why the owner is selling them.

Other JAR stuff I have seen is truly breathtaking and original. They deserve their reputation, though you wouldn't guess it from those ear clips.

 

[69gm]

mara mara...leave it to you to take the plunge in the great tiffany wars.

sheesh, leave the forum for a bit and look what kind of trouble stirs up!

as always, very interesting stuff!

 

[weddingmooner]

I have to agree with the majority here. I bought a magnificent 1.29 ct I VS2 H&A diamond online for my sweetie and couldn't be happier. All I would have gotten at tiffany is a .25 ct chip and a purdy baby blue box.

I'll echo a previous poster in saying Tiffany is so "middle America." I can't walk ten feet without seeing some teeny bopper wearing a "Return to Tiffany" necklace.

 

[Mara]

Bump...for the new members to vote...

 

[Mara]

Bump again

 

[Mara]

hee and i know it''s only thursday but...this bump is for you F&I!

 

[carrot]

"You''re just paying for a name!"

I''ve heard this popular statement all of my life. The implication is that the purchase price includes a surcharge of sorts just because of the brand or name on the package and, more importantly, that this surcharge is a waste of money or that the buyer is somehow being cheated at least a little because they are being charged something extra to purchase something with a respected reputation.

This philosophy is worth examination because it can significantly influence some of life''s important decisions and can become a pattern of thought.

I hold what is probably a minority view on this notion. I will ALWAYS be willing to "pay for a name". (The essential caveat is that designer names hold no value for me whatsoever and will avoid them if possible because they appeal to and cultivate pride.) And I have found a corollary also true - cheaper is almost never less expensive.

I came across a verse in Scripture which says, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." Proverbs 22:1 While various applications can be made, the basic concept is that an earned, good reputation has greater value than money and that a person is a fool to sacrifice their reputation for financial gain.

A notable quote (I think is was from Franklin) says, "Reputation is like fine china. It is easily broken and doesn''t mend well." Perhaps he read the same verse, but again the concept is obvious. There is great value in a good reputation and even more value in a good reputation maintained over a long period of time.

Personally, I have a great deal of respect for Tiffany & Co. They have been a successful business for longer than anyone reading this has been alive. I have never heard anyone say, "I bought this from Tiffany and, boy, am I disappointed with it" or "I had a problem with this Tiffany item and they wouldn''t stand behind it."

Further, and more specific to this thread, I have never found any jeweler that has more beautiful diamonds to look at in one place than any Tiffany store. While such rare jewelers may exist, anyone who wants to get an idea what a beautiful diamond looks like would be well advised to visit Tiffanys. And the basic reason is that Tiffany focuses on well cut diamonds and nothing contributes to the beauty of a diamond more than cut quality. And, in my experience, the sales staffs at various Tiffany stores have been exemplary in their gracious demeanor. My only concern about Tiffanys is their designer appeal, and that fraction of their selling prices that reflect that appeal which is difficult to sift out from the quality of their merchandise.

Could a person find a similar or higher quality diamond than at Tiffany for less money? Probably. But their overall cost may not really be less in the end.

Consider the level of diamond knowledge in the general public. Consider how much there is to learn about diamonds. Think about how long that takes. Then comes the hard part. Think about how long it takes to find a well cut diamond that meets one''s other parameters.

Once, when visiting a maple syrup farmer, I was grumbling a bit about the cost of the syrup. He said, "Well, why don''t you go out and tap yourself a few dozen maple trees and haul the sap home and build a big fire and boil it for a few days, and then when your syrup is done, pay yourself minimum wage for the time you''ve spent and add up the cost of the fuel then see what your syrup costs you!" A little pondering of that scenerio (then and since) made the price seem a lot more reasonable.

The true cost of that special diamond that anyone of us finds (and congratulates ourselves for doing so) is much higher than the dollars we give for it. Folk without the time or inclination to embark on such a diamond adventure could just walk into Tiffanys and buy a diamond in one day. They would end up with a much better than average diamond nd their downside risk would be rather low. There is no shortage of buyers who have been cheated by what they thought was a clever transaction online,r in the diamond district or by the friend of a friend!

In the end, I expect Tiffany & Co. will be around long after this website has become history.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 6/17/2005 10:37:18 AM
Author: carrot
In the end, I expect Tiffany & Co. will be around long after this website has become history.

So what? So will McDonald''s. Doesn''t mean they serve the best hamburger.

Again, one does get a certain quality with Tiffany''s - but they don''t manufacture nor design their stuff. And, if you do a search here, there are PLENTY of Tiffany horror stories. I received a glass vase in the blue box. As a collector of Art Glass & Art Pottery, there is NO ART in this vase. It''s pretty poorly made and boring. Tiffany & Co. rests on their laurels of the past.

tee hee Mara - It IS Friday! Gotta love the classics!

 

[regalada]

This is my first post here, I wanted to share my Tiffany experience. My BF and I started looking at rings back in April. I looked online first and liked the bezel setting in yellow gold with platinum head. When I showed examples to my sweetie he didn''t like the idea of buying the ring unseen. I thought it was strange since we buy everything online these days but he was adamant. So I researched stores that carried bezel settings in the area and off we went ring shopping every weekend. Given that I want yellow gold, the pickings were very slim. What we found either surpassed the budget we had or the stores did not carry anything in yellow gold that met our needs.

So I found the Tiffany Etoile in this forum, went to the Tiffany website and that was it, love at first sight. I always wanted a small diamond that did not protude too high from my finger and the Etoile was just right. We went to the store, I fell in love with it all over again, and got quoted a price of less than $2000 for the gold ring with a .25 diamond. A .25 will make the shank thin enough for bf to be happy with it since he envisioned me with a classic solitaire in the first place and it''s taking him a while to get used to the idea of the width of the Etoile.

I had never set foot on a Tiffany store or visited their website, and this is our first big jewelry purchase ever. Given that buying online is not an option BF is willing to consider, I am counting my blessings that Tiffany has the Etoile for the price we were looking for. We are ordering it this weekend and I cannot wait to finally wear it.

 

[Mocha]

I always loved the look of the original Tiffany 6 prong solitaire...but didn''t want to spend the big bucks on it. So BF and I decided to design our own ering similar to the 6prong but with some changes. Wax is done and I cannot wait to see it. From the original Tiffany sample I changed the band, prongs will be more subtle and not stick out so much and added surprise stones. I am very excited about it. Oh and it will be in 18k palladium white gold.

Can''t wait...

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Wow, REALLY old poll, but I'll state my opinion. . .which is Tiffany has NEVER been my dream eng. ring brand, but if money was limitless - post powerball winnings - I'd most likely buy at least five or six eng. rings (not ALL Tiffany, but one by Michael B. and a few other designers) and interchange them (as I love so many styles

).

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 6/17/2005 10:37:18 AM
Author: carrot
I came across a verse in Scripture which says, ''A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.'' Proverbs 22:1 While various applications can be made, the basic concept is that an earned, good reputation has greater value than money and that a person is a fool to sacrifice their reputation for financial gain.

You''re quoting THE BIBLE and applying it to Tiffany and their products???? Wow, this has got to be the weirdest prospective I''ve seen here on PS. Would Jesus choose an unbranded H&A or a smaller branded stone from Tiffany? hmmmm. . .

 

[IrishEyes]

hehehe... that is weird. And no, I don''t think I would want a Tiffany ring. In reality they are nothing special, especially the solitaires. Not to mention you are paying WAAAAY more than you ought to. No, I don''t want one...

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Honestly, if money were no object, sure, I''d take a Tiffany e-ring. I''d also take a Fred Leighton, Harry Winston and all the other tony jewelry house products!

 

[Mara]

carrot wrote:

"Personally, I have a great deal of respect for Tiffany & Co. They have been a successful business for longer than anyone reading this has been alive. I have never heard anyone say, ''I bought this from Tiffany and, boy, am I disappointed with it'' or ''I had a problem with this Tiffany item and they wouldn''t stand behind it.''"

____________________

You should search the archives.

There was a gal a while back who had TONS of complaints about Tiffany''s after-purchase service, she noted how her husband always bought there because of the notion of quality and that she was disappointed each time when something had gone wrong with the item and they either would not stand behind it etc.

If I recall correctly, a few others chimed in with the same dissatisfaction re: Tiffany''s customer service.

Never say never. Even a company like Tiffany will have it''s customers who were not pleased. No one is perfect...and Tiffany is not an exception.

 

[Mara]

F&I...I felt a sense of happy deja vu responding to carrot's Tiffany post just a few minutes ago!

 

[elepri]

I don''t always mind paying for the name if that means that the product is truly superior. My wedding band is from a high end store but it''s beautiful and unique and was totally worth it. I just don''t particularly like Tiffany designs and their selection is quite limited. There are many other designers I like a whole lot more. But if someone loves one of their rings and money is no object, by all means get the original.

 

[moremoremore]

I suppose paying for a brand name anything is always foolish...and I'm guilty of that quite a bit...and not to offend anyone here (and I haven't read every response so if you have a Tiffany, congrats and wear it in good health)....

When I hear someone say "Oh, it's from Tiffany's" I think:
#1 How cheesy to say that
#2 I kind of giggle and think HOW FOOLISH

Many designer items have appeal to me..but not in jewelry. Doesn't make sense. But it is what it is

 

[hoorray]

I wouldn''t buy an expensive piece from Tiffany''s unless I found a design that I really wanted and no one else had it. If I was looking for a high end piece, I would check out other high end jewelers first -- I haven''t been overly impressed with Tiffany''s. If money was no object, to the point that I really didn''t care that I was paying a huge premium, then I would buy the piece that appealed to me the most, regardless of where it was from. I tend to value "value" tho, so wouldn''t be tempted to shop there for things I know I could get elsewhere for less.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 9/18/2003 6:48:56 PM
Author: Fuffi
Tiffany holds no cache for me. If I had the cash I''d shop at Cartier.

Me too, as it rhymes with my last name.

 

[icekid]

Date: 6/17/2005 10:53:16 AM
Author: fire&ice

Date: 6/17/2005 10:37:18 AM
Author: carrot
In the end, I expect Tiffany & Co. will be around long after this website has become history.

. Tiffany & Co. rests on their laurels of the past.

i DEFINITELY agree. their rings are of decent quality these days, but if i want the BEST, tiff''s is not it. i do own one piece of tiffany''s jewelry though, which was custom-made for my boyfriend''s grandmother.. back when tiffany''s really was something special. and i adore it! and it will probably be the only tiffany piece i will ever own

 

[solange]

The Tiffany jewelry of today does not compare with their older pieces, most of which were custom made by the finest jewelers in France. Even the Tiffany Legacy setting, which I think is quite beautiful, is readily available for anyone who wants to pay the price.

As to their diamonds, whereas you will not get a really bad stone, you can get better for much less from many of the Pricescope vendors. As an example, when I was looking for a stonein the 4 carat range, the selection was not great. I saw one 4.01 I color, VS stone GIA graded good polish and symmetry for $67,000, plus tax. They also had a G color for several thousand dollars more but the I looked better than the G, probably because the I was a better cut.

The salesperson did not seem very knowledgable and could provide little information about the cut. I bought a larger Ideal cut I color stone for far less from Whiteflash. My stone is SI2 but the inclusions are not at all visible to the naked eye. Diamonds of this quality are a poor investment. They are fun to wear and if I can get a great looking stone for less(SI2) in a larger size that is myh preference.

If I were inclined to buy investment quality jewelry, I would go to Sotheby's or Christies or one of the very upscale places such as Edith Weber, Fred Leighton, Hollis Reh, etc. and I would buy an estate piece that is truly one of a kind. Tiffany is not in that league anymore.

 

[carrot]

If memory serves me corrently, the subject of this thread is Tiffany engagement rings, a/k/a diamonds, with price left out of the equation. I didn't notice any questions about vases, earrings, custom jewelry, antiques, specialty pieces or where one can buy the best diamond possible.

One could do much worse than buying a Tiffany engagement ring, perhaps even at one of the vendors on this site. (I have had an experience with one of the featured vendors here that has lost them any potential for my business. But the details are not a subject for this thread.)

Had the original question simply been, "Would you buy a diamond from Tiffanys?", my answer would have been, "No, they are much too expensive. I would do the research necessary to find a quality diamond for less money." But that is not what was asked.

 

[fire&ice]

But, you lack the very knowledge - it''s FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!! and a Tiffany thread...

 

[Kaleigh]

 

[perry]

Lets see... I spent months to find and acquire the "perfect" sidestones. I watch for the occasional "perfect" centerstone that comes up (about once every 3 months) and then tell "D" that it is available, and have spent countless days looking for the "perfect" ring to highlight the stones in.

The answer to your poll is obvous....


Perry

Gender: Male

 

[solange]

Date: 6/17/2005 6:46:14 PM
Author: carrot
If memory serves me corrently, the subject of this thread is Tiffany engagement rings, a/k/a diamonds, with price left out of the equation. I didn''t notice any questions about vases, earrings, custom jewelry, antiques, specialty pieces or where one can buy the best diamond possible.

One could do much worse than buying a Tiffany engagement ring, perhaps even at one of the vendors on this site. (I have had an experience with one of the featured vendors here that has lost them any potential for my business. But the details are not a subject for this thread.)

Had the original question simply been, ''Would you buy a diamond from Tiffanys?'', my answer would have been, ''No, they are much too expensive. I would do the research necessary to find a quality diamond for less money.'' But that is not what was asked.

As I recall ,price was in the equation. The question was if price were no object, would you buy a ring at Tiffany.

My answer is still negative. If price were no object, I would certainly not buy at Tiffany. I would go to one of the high end auction houses or one of the many more prestigious jewelers who only carry the finest quality jewels. Tiffany does not fit into that category.