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mustang

Rough_Rock
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Oct 16, 2002
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I am new the site, but have read numerous posts and have found the info to be very helpful. Thank you.

I have been shopping for an engagement ring for the past month or two. I have hit Tiffanys, Cartier, and some of the local stores. Agreeing with the reps I've spoken to, I am looking for a diamond G or better, VS2 or better and around 1 - 1.25 carats. I've seen most opinions about paying the premium for Tiffany, etc, but does anyone have an opinion about Cartier?

Also, my diamond education has now taken me into an area I don't readily understand. What effect do the diamond's dimensions have and further, what do the depth and table percentages reflect? Is there an ideal dimension and/or percentage?

Lastly, the ring is going to be a surprise. I think she likes the single stone setting, but is there something about side stones that I should take into account. Please note that she has slender fingers.

Thank you in advance.
 
YOU CAN GO TO THE ACCREDITED GEM APPRAISERS SITE AND LOOK AT THE CHARTS THEY HAVE THAT TELL YOU HOW TO DETERMINE THE CUT GRADE.
http://www.gemappraisers.com/chrt.htm

ITS A BIG HELP!!
JASON
 
I would like to know as well how Cartier is? I am in the same boat with the same specifications, I already checked out Tiffany's. Any comments on Bailey Banks & Biddle or J.E. Caldwell.
 
I haven't looked at those. Same type of settings/same prices?
 
what was the price range that you found at Cartier. At Tiffany's it was 8000 to 13000
 
About the same. Was at the NY store in Sept and saw a 1 ct F VS1 for $12K. (At the time I hadn't discovered the importance of dimensions, etc.)

Have you decided whether the name is worth it? I keep looking at the fact that given a $12K budget, you could buy a better diamond elsewhere. Had dinner with a buddy last night who bought a three stone set from Tiffany (1ct center and .5 cts on the side). He swears its worth the extra cash.
 
Thanks. I'm on the site now.
 
My budget is 10K and I think it might be worth it to spend 2 or 3 more to make her really happy. I can imagine the smile I'll get from her when she sees the the little box and knows immediately that it's from Tiffanys.
 
I agree as long as the difference in price is limited to 2-3. Anything beyond that is tough to look over.

Do you have any specifics for what 10 will get you at Tiffany's?
 
1 I VS1
 
Is there a significant difference between the American Ideal Cut and the International Fine Trade Cut? I'm afraid the numbers just don't mean a whole lot to me.

Thanks in advance.
 
I am not sure on that one. Have you ever hear of the superideal cut (A cut above, hearts and arrows)
 
I would suggest trading up for a better color at the sacrifice of clarity (if necessary), particularly if you are setting it on platinum.
 
There is a lot of info on this site about Hearts & Arrows. The best branded H&As are Hearts on Fire and A Cut Above.
 
Will upgrading from G to F make a big difference in appearance?

I read the information re: hearts and arrows. Are these commonly used terms throughout the industry?

Thanks for your input.
 
I am not an expert but I think it's very difficult to tell the difference between a G and an F, which is why Gs are such a good value.
 
You say you can get a 1 I VS1 for 10k, you really would pay that for the name Tiffany when you could get the same thing on the net for a lot cheaper?? Blue Nile had a 1 I VS2 for 4900 thats a big difference just for a name!!!!
 
I thought the markup would be more than the 2-3K mentioned earlier. However, is there a better shot at getting a better cut at Tiffany's and the like?
 
I belive that many people on this sight will agree that you can get a diamond online that is of great quality for a very good price. If you know what you are looking for of course! Just b/c it has some cool name attached to it does not mean you have to pay a big price for it.
 
Above it is stated that she'll have a big smile b/c it is from Tiffany's, but if it is a 1 I VS1 and one of her gf's has a 1.5 G VS1 for the same price of the internet it would be a mute point that it is a Tiffany b/c the other is gonna look better and probly be cheaper or the same price. I think you could probly go bigger and get a better color for a whole lot less.
 
I would like to hear some opinions from any girls out there. After speaking to a couple of the girls here at the office I have come to the conclusion that they would prefer a ring from Tiffany but would want their fiancee to stay within their budget. I told them that I was looking to spend 10-12K on a ring and they said that a nice one carat would be fine from Tiffany's. I mentioned that for that price I could probably get a two carat off the internet. One of the girls said "I would prefer a one carat from Tiffany than a two carat from the blue nile".

That was just her opinion though. I would like to hear what others have to say since I can't just ask mine.
 
That's a very good point. For $10k you can even buy a 1-carat Eight-Star of similar color and clarity (although a G VS2 is a much better bet). Those suckers will blind you from a hundred yards away!
 
Jonathan doesn't think 8-Stars are worth the money, but he does have one in stock: http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_23ct_g_si1_eightstar.htm
 
Sherman, it really depends on the girl. I've found that a lot of girls are into size, but I think there are just as many who are into name. I only wish there were more that were into cut!

You need to find out how your girl feels about this. It's possible to bring it up casually in conversation without giving the secret away if you play your cards right.
 
PeterChristopher - do all ideal cut diamonds have 8 stars? (I would assume so.)

Another question: I will be back in NY in a few weeks. Would you suggest I try to deal with the wholesalers, or am I safer with retailers (on and off-line)?

Thanks
 
Mustang,

Eight Stars are a branded cut of diamond. They are the best possible cut (no light leakage, excellent light return, good spread for it's weight) available today and have been around only since the 80s. They are made using a FireScope (which measures light leakage) and take twice as long to cut as other "ideal" diamonds. Check out their website: http://www.eightstar.com.

Unfortunately they are very expensive, especially at bricks and mortars strores. Only a handful of stores around the country carry them. They are VERY hard to find on the internet. I have only found one during weeks of searching.

I ultimately decided to go with A Cut Above Hearts & Arrows diamond because it offered a cut that was close to perfect without the 40-100% markup.

Be careful with "ideal" cut diamonds. That term can mean a lot of things because the AGS is only beginning to implement an accurate cut grading system, and the GIA does not grade cut at all. Because there are instruments now available that measure light return the bar has been raised, and you should expect more. Even a 000 ideal grade from AGS or a Hearts & Arrows cut does not guarantee good light return, so it's your job to make sure that it does. Use this website. Learn about HCA and buy an IdealScope.

I don't know much about wholesalers other than what I've heard--a lot of "wholesalers" are in fact retailers trying to convince you they have good prices. There is a HUGE markup at most brick and mortar stores, so make sure you know how much you should be paying, it is often possible to negotiate the price. If you do find a store with reasonable prices bring along an IdealScope and you could get lucky. Request a Sarin report if you find one you like.

I went the internet route and can't complain. It seems easier to obtain a lot of info about the diamond for some reason, which is ironic since you can't actually see the stones until you get them.

Peter
 
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On 10/16/2002 1:13:22 PM

My budget is 10K and I think it might be worth it to spend 2 or 3 more to make her really happy. I can imagine the smile I'll get from her when she sees the the little box and knows immediately that it's from Tiffanys.
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HI - I answered from a womens point of view on the other thread.

Have you done a price check on what you could get for 10 K on pricescope?

I'm a practical sort and am VERY familiar w/ Tiffany & Cartier - you can find better quality for a better price elsewhere.

Educate yourself here and some other websites and you will discover that you can find a LARGER, better stone from other sources.

Given a choice - many women would go w/ a 1.5c non Tiffany stone as apposed to a 1c Tiffany stone.

Your money will buy a whole lot more. 10k is a healthy budget to get the ring of her dreams.
 
PeterChristopher -

Thanks for the advice. Coming from someone who just made his first internet purchase a few weeks ago, the idea of spending that much money on something I haven't even seen yet is somewhat bothersome. Who knows, I may come around though.

As a follow-up to your advice, if all ideal cuts aren't 8 stars or H&As, what kind of cuts am I probably seeing at the the highend stores?

Thanks
 
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On 10/16/2002 3:45:53 PM

I would like to hear some opinions from any girls out there. After speaking to a couple of the girls here at the office I have come to the conclusion that they would prefer a ring from Tiffany but would want their fiancee to stay within their budget. I told them that I was looking to spend 10-12K on a ring and they said that a nice one carat would be fine from Tiffany's. I mentioned that for that price I could probably get a two carat off the internet. One of the girls said "I would prefer a one carat from Tiffany than a two carat from the blue nile".

That was just her opinion though. I would like to hear what others have to say since I can't just ask mine.
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Show them the two diamonds (1c tiffany - 1.5-2c non tiffany)- their tune will change quickly

Another thing - the women you asked - Do they know the difference in size between 1c & 1.5c - are they aware you can get an equal if not better LARGER stone by not going to Tiffany's?

At the end of the day, it's the preference of your lady.
 
A question somewhat unrelated to budget: How do settings compare (quality, not appearance) between Tiffanys, etc and bluenile, pricescope, local stores? I know that my question calls for a great deal of speculation, but a generalized answer would be great.

Thanks
 
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