Questions about shopping at Tiffany

[fingerscrossed]

It looks like my bf and I are moving closer to a ring purchase. He is determined to buy at Tiffany. As I noted in a previous post, he is set on Tiffany even though I have tried repeatedly to sway him to look elsewhere for better values. So, we are past that argument now. We have settled on the classic six prong solitaire.

My question is for those who have bought or shopped seriously at Tiffany, how much examination and questioning did you do about the stone? Did you just assume the quality of the cut? I know Tiffany doesn''t sell below vs1, which should be eyeclean. Or, did you look at it through any scope, magnification, etc?

Basically, any advice about the shopping process or what to ask/do would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Before getting engaged, my husband and I looked at Tiffany''s seriously and although we ended up going thru a private jeweler, I''ll be happy to share my experience with you...hope it helps!

My husband was set on getting me a diamond above 2 carats. At T&Co they were very accomidating, and although some of the rings my husband wanted to see they wouldn''t show him because insurance reasons...they were more than happy to answer his questions concerning the quality of the diamond. My husband is very analytical...he is in the banking industry...and was all about the numbers! My husband loved the fact that they were strict about clarity and color, and was trusting of that because Tiffany is a well respected brand and he knew that should problems arise down the road, most likely T&Co would stand behind their product.

I think that if you''re sold on T&Co, you should spend some time in the store, looking and getting a good feel for their product. Look at several rings in your price range...ask to see them under a loup. You will pay a premium for Tiffany jewelry across the board...but I''ve never heard of anyone actually buying a ring from T&Co that was disappointed in the quality, brilliance or over all ring. I would bank on being safely within the eyeclean clarity of a diamond--regardless...and consider yourself lucky that you have such a wonderful and generous FF.

Good luck, can''t wait to see the ring!!

 

[sna77]

Date: 1/31/2008 1:18:20 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
Before getting engaged, my husband and I looked at Tiffany''s seriously and although we ended up going thru a private jeweler, I''ll be happy to share my experience with you...hope it helps!

My husband was set on getting me a diamond above 2 carats. At T&Co they were very accomidating, and although some of the rings my husband wanted to see they wouldn''t show him because insurance reasons...they were more than happy to answer his questions concerning the quality of the diamond. My husband is very analytical...he is in the banking industry...and was all about the numbers! My husband loved the fact that they were strict about clarity and color, and was trusting of that because Tiffany is a well respected brand and he knew that should problems arise down the road, most likely T&Co would stand behind their product.

I think that if you''re sold on T&Co, you should spend some time in the store, looking and getting a good feel for their product. Look at several rings in your price range...ask to see them under a loup. You will pay a premium for Tiffany jewelry across the board...but I''ve never heard of anyone actually buying a ring from T&Co that was disappointed in the quality, brilliance or over all ring. I would bank on being safely within the eyeclean clarity of a diamond--regardless...and consider yourself lucky that you have such a wonderful and generous FF.

Good luck, can''t wait to see the ring!!

They wouldn''t show him the rings he was thinking of buying??? He just had to look at them through a case???!!!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Sna77...

I am dead serious. We were at the T&Co on Michigan Avenue...my husband wanted to see a ring, and the sales girl said that she couldn''t show it to him...

That incident was the deciding factor in NOT purchasing a ring at T&Co....

We were very insulted because although we look young, the SA had no idea what we could/couldn''t afford...and how did she know my DH wouldn''t pull out his AMEX and buy it on the spot...

 

[Maisie]

Date: 1/31/2008 12:55:02 PM
Author:fingerscrossed
It looks like my bf and I are moving closer to a ring purchase. He is determined to buy at Tiffany. As I noted in a previous post, he is set on Tiffany even though I have tried repeatedly to sway him to look elsewhere for better values. So, we are past that argument now. We have settled on the classic six prong solitaire.

My question is for those who have bought or shopped seriously at Tiffany, how much examination and questioning did you do about the stone? Did you just assume the quality of the cut? I know Tiffany doesn''t sell below vs1, which should be eyeclean. Or, did you look at it through any scope, magnification, etc?

Basically, any advice about the shopping process or what to ask/do would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tiffany sell up to VS2

 

[zhuzhu]

I have a stupid question regarding Tiff also.... Are we allowed to take pictures of the items we try on in there?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

There was a recent thread on here about someone shopping at Tiffany and requesting the diamond grading certificates. It was clear that they were selling stones that ranged from very good to excellent. But I wouldn''t buy from Tiffany unless I was getting an ideal cut stone, period. You pay a premium for the name anyway, but it also needs to have the top quality cut to go along with it, in my opinion.

Here are some numbers to help you have an idea of ideal cut:

table: 54-57%

depth: 60-62%

crown angle: 34-35

pavilion angle: 40.6-41

girdle: thin, medium, slightly thick

If you want to check out optical symmetry, you can get an idealscope and see if you see arrows from the top of the stone. But since the stones will be set, you won''t be able to look from the bottom to see hearts. I think an idealscope is around $25.

I am sure Tiffany doesn''t sell bad looking stones, and in their lighting, I will tell you that I really could not tell any difference in cut or color. So that is why I would want to set parameters, because everything inside the store looks great!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 1/31/2008 4:56:55 PM
Author: zhuzhu
I have a stupid question regarding Tiff also.... Are we allowed to take pictures of the items we try on in there?

not stupid, but no, they won''t let you take pictures

honestly, none of the jewelers in my area will let me do it. I was blown away during a visit to pearlmans when Bill allowed me to take pics of anything I wanted.

 

[sna77]

Date: 1/31/2008 4:24:45 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
Sna77...

I am dead serious. We were at the T&Co on Michigan Avenue...my husband wanted to see a ring, and the sales girl said that she couldn''t show it to him...

That incident was the deciding factor in NOT purchasing a ring at T&Co....

We were very insulted because although we look young, the SA had no idea what we could/couldn''t afford...and how did she know my DH wouldn''t pull out his AMEX and buy it on the spot...

i would have been too... I''ve gotten the "we can only take one out at a time due to insurance reasons" but never "you cant even see it"

WTF

 

[turtledazzle]

Date: 1/31/2008 5:12:26 PM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 1/31/2008 4:56:55 PM
Author: zhuzhu
I have a stupid question regarding Tiff also.... Are we allowed to take pictures of the items we try on in there?

not stupid, but no, they won''t let you take pictures

honestly, none of the jewelers in my area will let me do it. I was blown away during a visit to pearlmans when Bill allowed me to take pics of anything I wanted.

Really, MrsS? When we were shopping for settings, almost everywhere we went in our area let us take pictures (including Village Jewelers). The only place I remember saying no was Genesis. Maybe it depends on the sales associate (or what manager is in-store)?
We didn''t go to Tiffany''s (not sure it was open yet), so I never tried to take pictures there -- but I don''t think they would allow them.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 1/31/2008 5:34:01 PM
Author: turtledazzle

Really, MrsS? When we were shopping for settings, almost everywhere we went in our area let us take pictures (including Village Jewelers). The only place I remember saying no was Genesis. Maybe it depends on the sales associate (or what manager is in-store)?

We didn't go to Tiffany's (not sure it was open yet), so I never tried to take pictures there -- but I don't think they would allow them.

that's really cool. i didn't even ask at Village Jewelers so I can't count them. but the few other places we looked said no. maybe i just look like a diamond nut who's just going to post pics on a diamond forum..lol.
I don't like Genesis for other reasons although their setting selection is probably the best around here.

 

[bee*]

When we went in to buy, we spent nearly three hours there before we went with the lucida that we bought. They looked up everything for us that we wanted to know and previously I had emailed them and they had sent me on specs on different rings. They were very helpful and let me take the ring over to the window as I wanted to look at it in natural light and they allowed me to try on any ring that I wanted to, including a 2.5 ct lucida. It''s up to you if you want to use a scope or anything like that, personally I picked with my eyes.

 

[Diamond Confused]

I''ve actually had nothing but pleasant experiences there. The first time I went in I was just browsing and without me asking, the sales lady said "do you want to try one on?"

I don''t think the people are rude or presumptuous, i think it''s all about what time of day you go. If you go at 2:00 pm on a Saturday they won''t be to eager to show you something with all the people crowding around the store but if you go early morning before the store get''s crowded they are very helpful.

 

[fingerscrossed]

Bee: Thanks for mentioning that you were able to look at it by the window. Lighting was one of the concerns I had. When I was there browsing the other day, all the stones were kind of blinding me and I couldn''t make any distinctions on color, etc. I wondered how much effect their lighting has on the stones. I am sure Tiffany has invested in lighting that maximizes sparkle and shine.

 

[Diamond Confused]

They did that with me to. They had us go over to the window to look at what it would look like in different lighting.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I was just at Tiffany yesterday to try on some Legacies and they wouldn''t take rings over $50k out of the case, but said I could see them in a private room. I think you can see any of their rings in a private room they just can''t show you in their main showroom.

 

[tberube]

Date: 1/31/2008 7:56:20 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
I was just at Tiffany yesterday to try on some Legacies and they wouldn''t take rings over $50k out of the case, but said I could see them in a private room. I think you can see any of their rings in a private room they just can''t show you in their main showroom.

NEL - Do I smell an upgrade???

 

[StarbuttsKoffee]

i felt dizziness after diamond shopping at the Tiffany, their lighting made the stones too sparkle no matter which angle you look at them, I agree with Diamond Confused about they might be more helpful in the a.m. period. The time I asked to look for a diamond solitaire was a busy Saturday afternoon, so been waited for a little while and had tried one on and asked a little specs on the stone.

I ended up had my ring from a private jeweler though. although my stone's specs looked like it is better than the one I tried on at Tiffany, I don't see it as sparkle as T's, so my friend who also works in one of the jewelry stores just a few steps next to Tiffany said I should bring my ring to her store to compare after it is finished! I can't wait! I wonder how Tiffany set up their lighting!!

 

[Deelight]

Date: 1/31/2008 4:09:04 PM
Author: sna77

Date: 1/31/2008 1:18:20 PM

Author: Italiahaircolor


They wouldn''t show him the rings he was thinking of buying??? He just had to look at them through a case???!!!

Thats insane

I know because the value of one of the rings I tried the SA I talked to had to notify the security guard that she was withdrawing it out of the case but flat out refusing is just rude and how are you meant to purchase it without trying it on?????

I have heard mixed reviews on Tiffany''s sometimes they treat you nice and other times they don''t from my experiences have been pleasant enough, I just personally don''t like that they only take one ring out at a time I prefer lots of baubles around me to compare.



One thing about tiffany''s diamonds that I have noticed over other even better cut gems is the higher appearance of rainbows in their rings it is fairly mesmerizing

, whether that is their special lighting or they way they cut I don''t know

 

[bee*]

Just from reading the last note now, the NY store seems to be a bit different as I had up to 6 different rings out in front of me when I was picking as I wanted to compare and contrast them to each other and there was no problem with that. Any ring that I pointed out she would go and get them for me.

 

[Deelight]

Bee it might well be, Tiffany''s is the only upscale jewelery store that has ever done that out of all the ones I have visited. It might be there location (fairly busy shopping district) or just store policy, I just thought it was a little annoying but the sparklies are still mesmerizing and the SA''s nice

 

[bee*]

Yeah it's strange if they don't allow it as I wanted to compare all of them! I had the SA run around the whole store as I wanted to try on so many

But she put them all out in front of me to pick up and try on as I pleased.

ETA-there are quite a few security guards in the NY store so maybe that's why they allow you to have a good few rings out.

 

[merricks_girl]

Date: 1/31/2008 4:24:45 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
Sna77...


I am dead serious. We were at the T&Co on Michigan Avenue...my husband wanted to see a ring, and the sales girl said that she couldn''t show it to him...


That incident was the deciding factor in NOT purchasing a ring at T&Co....


We were very insulted because although we look young, the SA had no idea what we could/couldn''t afford...and how did she know my DH wouldn''t pull out his AMEX and buy it on the spot...

Oh that''s just outrageous. I''ve also gotten the "we can only take one ring out at a time" thing, but to say you can''t look at a ring at all? I hope you talked to management! By now, SAs should know that you absolutely can''t judge a book, yanno? A lot of very wealthy people don''t look it. Tsk tsk. (we''re friendly with the owner of a multi-billion dollar computer company and his wife. They are completely down to earth, drive normal-nice cars, and her ering? A very small simple solitaire that was her first ring! Now her RHRs are something else, of course, but they always make me laugh because they have none of the pretention that''s so prevalent with that sort of wealth. TIffany would probably look askance at them too! )

 

[newringgirl70]

Just before Christmas I was at the Tiffany store outside of Detroit. The salesperson pulled some rings out of the case, but others she said we would have to get a conference room for insurance reasons. She was willing to do it, but it seemed like a hassle. It appeared to be based on how they valued the ring, i.e. over about $40,000 retail she needed a room.

Good Luck.

 

[fingerscrossed]

Date: 1/31/2008 9:03:26 PM
Author: Deelight

Date: 1/31/2008 4:09:04 PM
Author: sna77

Date: 1/31/2008 1:18:20 PM

Author: Italiahaircolor


They wouldn''t show him the rings he was thinking of buying??? He just had to look at them through a case???!!!

Thats insane

I know because the value of one of the rings I tried the SA I talked to had to notify the security guard that she was withdrawing it out of the case but flat out refusing is just rude and how are you meant to purchase it without trying it on?????

I have heard mixed reviews on Tiffany''s sometimes they treat you nice and other times they don''t from my experiences have been pleasant enough, I just personally don''t like that they only take one ring out at a time I prefer lots of baubles around me to compare.



One thing about tiffany''s diamonds that I have noticed over other even better cut gems is the higher appearance of rainbows in their rings it is fairly mesmerizing

, whether that is their special lighting or they way they cut I don''t know

I noticed that also. I thought it made them look less white (or maybe it was just the magnitude of the rainbow effect). Anyway, I thought it made it more difficult to analyze and compare. Or maybe my eyes were just shot at the end of a day spent staring at a computer.

 

[Gypsy]

At a GTG a group of us went to Tiffany''s and when we asked to see a high ticket item them asked us to go to a private room. We all (there were MANY of us) shuffled in (it was a large lucida) and passed that puppy around among us. The SA got a serious kick out of us. It was the SF store. Cartier just took out stuff and handed it to us, no problems. At one point Neatfreak had a gorgeous east west set EC with side stones on her finger, and right next to her I was wearing a (stunning) 300K ruby ring, and asscher girl was three feet away trying one their pave rolling rings and necklaces from that collection.

I would have complained too if I were seriously shopping and they didn''t take something out to show me or at least offer to take it into a different room. That''s obnoxious.

 

[Ty Cobb]

To see any item over a certain value, Tiffany''s policy requires that you setup an appointment. No they don''t pull the $50k plus rings out of the show box for people who just walk into the store. Look at Cartier and Harry Winston and you will find the same thing. you have to understand, 95% of the people who come into these stores on a given day to look at engagement rings are not looking to buy on that trip. Therefore to prevent damage, their insurers mandate that the rings only be taken out of the case for people who are definitively looking to make a purchase. Seriously, the insurance companies don''t want a bunch of lookie loos looking at rings they have no intention of buying.

As for other things on Tiffs:

My SA allowed me to photograph the 4 rings I compared at the store in Houston so I could have something to look at while I pondered which one I was going to go with over the next week. Main reason was I was deciding between the channel set and the bezel set for the then GF.

They also allowed me to look at it in the window light.

As for cut: Tiffany''s literally does cut their diamonds to their own standard. Their rings always ere on the more fire side of the HCA. This makes them sparkle more and I believe that is Tiffs direct intent. If you are buying from Tiffs, judge by your eyes. My FI has had her ring since Nov, and she has repeatedly remarked to me how her ring sparkles so much more then the rings other girls she knows who are engaged have. My suggestion is again to find a ring that looks good to you.

I called them and they brought in 2 rings as well as had 2 rings already in the store. You are going to have more to look at in NY as that is THE STORE and flat out has more inventory then other locations.

 

[scarlet16]

Date: 2/1/2008 7:39:05 AM
Author: bee*
Yeah it''s strange if they don''t allow it as I wanted to compare all of them! I had the SA run around the whole store as I wanted to try on so many

But she put them all out in front of me to pick up and try on as I pleased.


ETA-there are quite a few security guards in the NY store so maybe that''s why they allow you to have a good few rings out.

This is true. The NY store lets you try on anything they have in the cases (without going into a back room) and most of the associates are accommodating even if they realize you''re just browsing. I tried on 3 stones that were over $100,000 and he had NO qualms letting me try on a 5 carat D VVS1 stone that was $450,000+.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 1/31/2008 7:56:20 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
I was just at Tiffany yesterday to try on some Legacies and they wouldn't take rings over $50k out of the case, but said I could see them in a private room. I think you can see any of their rings in a private room they just can't show you in their main showroom.

Yes. That is the policy. They'll certainly let you look at absolutely anything you want...but you have to go into a private room usually. They can't just pull it out of a case. Maybe when IHC went to the one in Chicago they didn't have a room available?

And Gypsy, I STILL think about that gorgeous ring at Cartier! I still can't believe they just took everything out of the case for us to try.

 

[Hera]

Date: 3/4/2008 4:19:39 PM
Author: Ty Cobb
To see any item over a certain value, Tiffany''s policy requires that you setup an appointment. No they don''t pull the $50k plus rings out of the show box for people who just walk into the store. Look at Cartier and Harry Winston and you will find the same thing. you have to understand, 95% of the people who come into these stores on a given day to look at engagement rings are not looking to buy on that trip. Therefore to prevent damage, their insurers mandate that the rings only be taken out of the case for people who are definitively looking to make a purchase. Seriously, the insurance companies don''t want a bunch of lookie loos looking at rings they have no intention of buying.

As for other things on Tiffs:

My SA allowed me to photograph the 4 rings I compared at the store in Houston so I could have something to look at while I pondered which one I was going to go with over the next week. Main reason was I was deciding between the channel set and the bezel set for the then GF.

They also allowed me to look at it in the window light.

As for cut: Tiffany''s literally does cut their diamonds to their own standard. Their rings always ere on the more fire side of the HCA. This makes them sparkle more and I believe that is Tiffs direct intent. If you are buying from Tiffs, judge by your eyes. My FI has had her ring since Nov, and she has repeatedly remarked to me how her ring sparkles so much more then the rings other girls she knows who are engaged have. My suggestion is again to find a ring that looks good to you.

I called them and they brought in 2 rings as well as had 2 rings already in the store. You are going to have more to look at in NY as that is THE STORE and flat out has more inventory then other locations.

So based on this observation, their stones may appear more sparkly in lower light conditions but in other lighting conditions, a brilliant ideal cut may outperform the stone?