Recreating Tiffany HardWear Bracelet

[catbird]

Hi PS Community,

I really love the Tiffany HardWear bracelet design, but I believe the collection is semi-hollow gold. The hollow nature is keeping me from buying from the company. They advertise this as a pro for comfort and wearability in South America.

https://www.tiffany.com/jewelry/bracelets/tiffany-hardwear-link-bracelet-GRP09549/

Additionally, resellers of the large 12mm bracelet list the weight as 40 grams. https://www.1stdibs.com/jewelry/bra...low-gold-hardwear-link-bracelet/id-j_4618323/

I've paid for brand name before, but I'm not sure about brand name and less gold.

I've asked a local jeweler for a quote to remake the bracelet in14k and after working with their bench, they offered these prices (after a 20% discount?):

9 mm - $5k, 47 grams
10 mm - $6.3k
12 mm - $7.2k, 66 grams

I'm just torn between buying the real deal versus taking a risk and remaking it with solid gold when the prices are pretty much the same. I can get a large bracelet from a wholesaler for much less but of course, it wouldn't be the same design and only the common curb chains, etc. Has anyone else been in a similar dilemma?

The big one in the CAD below is 15mm.

 

[Polabowla]

Would it even be comfortable in solid gold?
Seems like it would get heavy/unwieldy

 

[catbird]

Would it even be comfortable in solid gold?
Seems like it would get heavy/unwieldy

That's a good point! hmm I wear two Cartier loves already 24/7 on one wrist and they are supposed to be like 40 grams each so I might be used to wearing heavy stuff all day. Although I think this would be for my other empty wrist but that is my mouse hand so I move it all the time.

 

[Polabowla]

Would it hit the mouse & possibly get ruined? Or just feel clunky against the mouse?

Also how important is the brand to you- since you already have the Cartier ones? Will you regret not having the actual Tiffany bracelet?

It's a vastly different look & feel to the Loves, just wondering how they would look together.

 

[catbird]

Would it hit the mouse & possibly get ruined? Or just feel clunky against the mouse?

Also how important is the brand to you- since you already have the Cartier ones? Will you regret not having the actual Tiffany bracelet?

It's a vastly different look & feel to the Loves, just wondering how they would look together.

The regret about not having the real brand one is holding me back. Thanks for being up such good points. I contacted a local Tiffany's and they are going to bring in the 12mm and 5mm bracelet for me to try on. I'll post pics. Thanks for your thoughts in helping me think through this.

 

[LIGemzGal]

I love the Tiffany Hardware line and have their silver bead ball bracelet and earrings. I love bold and whimsical jewery pieces so I was instantly attracted to the weight and bold look of that line. Honestly, I don't think you'd be happy with a remake of a designer brand. I love my Bvlgari B.Zero ring and couldn't imagine trying to remake that. After all, the designer name is part of the attraction. Also, that Tiffany bracelet is in 18K and you're proposing to remake that in 14K. No comparison as far as I'm concerned. I only have 2 or 3 14K items in my jewelry arsenal because the ultimate value of gold is weight and carat. Should you need to let go of the bracelet for whatever reason, the Tiffany name and carratage will allow you to get a better return on investment. And personally, I ultimately view all of my jewelry as a wearable investment.

 

[Polabowla]

For sure post the pictures!

 

[Big Fat Facets]

this is interesting ....

is this a tiffany & co hardware collection inspired piece but solid instead of "semi hollow" and in 14k instead of 18k??

or

is this more of a tiffany & co hardware collection replica, solid instead of semi hollow and in 14k instead of 18k??

if it is a replica, for me, personally, i would rather have the tiffany co hardware version

if it is more of an inspired piece, im enthused for you!!

what size cartier love bangle do you wear for it to be 40 grams each??

 

[catbird]

I tried on the real Tiffany version today, so beautiful. SA confirmed it was semi hollow.

 

[catbird]

I love the Tiffany Hardware line and have their silver bead ball bracelet and earrings. I love bold and whimsical jewery pieces so I was instantly attracted to the weight and bold look of that line. Honestly, I don't think you'd be happy with a remake of a designer brand. I love my Bvlgari B.Zero ring and couldn't imagine trying to remake that. After all, the designer name is part of the attraction. Also, that Tiffany bracelet is in 18K and you're proposing to remake that in 14K. No comparison as far as I'm concerned. I only have 2 or 3 14K items in my jewelry arsenal because the ultimate value of gold is weight and carat. Should you need to let go of the bracelet for whatever reason, the Tiffany name and carratage will allow you to get a better return on investment. And personally, I ultimately view all of my jewelry as a wearable investment.

Thanks! You bring up a lot of good points about 18k and the Tiffany name if I needed to let the piece go.

 

[catbird]

this is interesting ....

is this a tiffany & co hardware collection inspired piece but solid instead of "semi hollow" and in 14k instead of 18k??

or

is this more of a tiffany & co hardware collection replica, solid instead of semi hollow and in 14k instead of 18k??

if it is a replica, for me, personally, i would rather have the tiffany co hardware version

if it is more of an inspired piece, im enthused for you!!

what size cartier love bangle do you wear for it to be 40 grams each??

I thinking I should just go for the real Tiffany version, even if semi-hollow. Yeah, my initial thought was to recreate it in solid 14k.

Hmm I just got 40 grams from a website online. I wear size 16 so it might not weigh that much.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

@catbird

it looks great on you! which size are you most interested in? i also really like your jade bangle. i'd love one but havent any clue where to begin. the information on jade overwhelms me

if you do decide to go custom, why not solid 18k? (besides the obvious which is cost.) are there other reasons?

i think i vote for getting the tiffany design from tiffany, though ...

i wear two cartier loves in size 16, also. i wear the 10 stones and they come in at just shy of 30 grams each. since yours are solid could be at 30 grams or a touch above

 

[Polabowla]

Honestly I would go with the actual Tiffany based on your other bracelets.

 

[catbird]

@catbird

it looks great on you! which size are you most interested in? i also really like your jade bangle. i'd love one but havent any clue where to begin. the information on jade overwhelms me

if you do decide to go custom, why not solid 18k? (besides the obvious which is cost.) are there other reasons?

i think i vote for getting the tiffany design from tiffany, though ...

i wear two cartier loves in size 16, also. i wear the 10 stones and they come in at just shy of 30 grams each. since yours are solid could be at 30 grams or a touch above

I'm only interested in the larger 12mm size. The 5mm stacked pretty but it was pretty thin and hard to see the details from far away.

Hmm yeah, I guess I can't guarantee the custom piece will look the same as the real deal even if I got the real mm length of each link. I'm going to let the bench jeweler know I'm going another direction.

I love jade. The purseforum has many threads on jade bangles where I learned about everything. I really wanted a grade A with no treatment. I went to Luxe Pieces in SF back in 2016. They signed UV lights to show that they bangles had no dyes or filler. They have an online store and Etsy shop now too.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

@catbird

yes, same here NO treatment. thank you! im going to peruse luxe pieces. your jade bangle looks like a nice medium to rich green. i think i favour a lighter hue to medium green

i think both sizes looked good on you. but the hardwear is such a bold striking piece. the larger size plays that up more. whereas the smaller size is just a touch too dainty delicate, even though looks good with your other bracelets BUT not as good as the bolder bigger one with your other bracelets. i hope that makes sense ...

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Is there no way of custom ordering the Tiffany in solid 18k? I don’t know if Tiffany would do that, but perhaps it’s worth asking? I know that VCA for example does allow you to order special orders of certain things in their regular line. Of course it would be really expensive, but maybe getting a quote would help you decide what you want to do either way (if they would be willing to do it at all)? I think the quote from the local jeweler for the solid 14k isn’t super comparable to the 18k semi hollow Tiffany unless you were to calculate how much pure 24k gold they each have... your 12mm quote from your jeweler works out at 38.5g of pure gold, for example.

I kind of get your point, I would also want it to be solid gold (though at 12mm it might be way too heavy for daily wear). At least you have a benchmark price (the semi hollow 18k) that you can use as a guide. I also like the bigger size as compared to the smaller. Best of luck with what you decide!

 

[LIGemzGal]

Most bracelets aren't solid gold simply because they'd just be too heavy and extremely costly. But they're designed in such a way that there's still a lot of heft to them. Over the years I've had many bracelets---links, bangles, cuffs, etc, The heaviest of which was 82 grams. And quite honestly, I felt the weight of that bracelet on my wrist every time I wore it, and it really became quite annoying over the years. I eventually sold it. I find that for link styles, 40 grams is good enough for me, and my preference is always 18k. With signed pieces (aka "designer branded" jewelry), you're really paying first and foremost for the designer name. And I've noticed that if the designer specializes in what's termed "high jewellery", then you can most times expect those pieces to have top quality diamonds and/or gemstones and a heavier gold weight. But there are times when the piece isn't weighty. So in those instances the designer name and uniqueness of the piece are what's driving the price. I feel like if you're going to wade into the waters of high end jewelry then just know to occasionally expect a hefty price tag for pieces that sometimes just don't seem to realistically quantify the price. I know it sucks but unfortunately that's the way it is. I often times think of Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry collection when I'm looking at or considering purchasing higher end jewelry. Her collection was nothing short of amazing. And it's auction at Christie's brought in far more than anyone ever expected. I've always viewed jewelry as an investment so I've always strived to buy the best I could afford. If you love the bracelet, then get it. It definitely looks great on and stacks up nicely with your other bracelets.

 

[catbird]

Most bracelets aren't solid gold simply because they'd just be too heavy and extremely costly. But they're designed in such a way that there's still a lot of heft to them. Over the years I've had many bracelets---links, bangles, cuffs, etc, The heaviest of which was 82 grams. And quite honestly, I felt the weight of that bracelet on my wrist every time I wore it, and it really became quite annoying over the years. I eventually sold it. I find that for link styles, 40 grams is good enough for me, and my preference is always 18k. With signed pieces (aka "designer branded" jewelry), you're really paying first and foremost for the designer name. And I've noticed that if the designer specializes in what's termed "high jewellery", then you can most times expect those pieces to have top quality diamonds and/or gemstones and a heavier gold weight. But there are times when the piece isn't weighty. So in those instances the designer name and uniqueness of the piece are what's driving the price. I feel like if you're going to wade into the waters of high end jewelry then just know to occasionally expect a hefty price tag for pieces that sometimes just don't seem to realistically quantify the price. I know it sucks but unfortunately that's the way it is. I often times think of Elizabeth Taylor's jewelry collection when I'm looking at or considering purchasing higher end jewelry. Her collection was nothing short of amazing. And it's auction at Christie's brought in far more than anyone ever expected. I've always viewed jewelry as an investment so I've always strived to buy the best I could afford. If you love the bracelet, then get it. It definitely looks great on and stacks up nicely with your other bracelets.

Thanks, it's helpful to know that the heavy gram bracelet bothered you and you eventually sold it.

I went to Cartier and their pieces made my heart sing, so I went home with a Cartier JUC.

 

[catbird]

I went to a Cartier appointment to make sure I didn't like any of their pieces better than the Tiffany Hardwear bracelet. Sure enough, I fell in love with the white gold diamond JUC and now it's sitting on my right wrist. My heart is set on the Cartier white gold diamond love for the next anniversary.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

cartier love bangle bracelets and juste un clou bracelets are solid and not hollow or semi hollow. which i really appreciate. i don't care for a hollow or semi hollow bracelets. @Gemstonesrock just had a custom bangle bracelet in platinum custom made and she specifically had it made to be solid.

 

[catbird]

The Sales Associate at Cartier was also a lot better (sold me my first love in 201. The Tiffany SAs kept saying "oh god" and scoffing as I deliberated between sizes so it was an easy choice to walk away from purchasing in person.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

it's beautiful on you! looks great. it's right at home on your wrist with your other bracelets. the option are limitless customer service is so important. it, really, can make or break a deal.

 

[LIGemzGal]

What a stunning choice. It's so perfect for you. Just a lovely bracelet. Wear it well.

 

[RosieR]

Stunning! Your new addition looks perfect with your tennis bracelet