ring shopping

[fire&ice]

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On 10/16/2002 5:17:27 PM

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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I have a Vatche setting - who is the producer of tiffany's lucinda. It's true quality. I have also seen Soltice setting that were of great quality also.

IMHO, with Cartier & Tiffany - you are soley buying a name. If that is the only thing important - then go for it.

 

[IF]

Another thing to consider is that 1ct tiffanys are probably the most common ring to come out of there. If its about exclusivity a 1.5ct and higher diamond ring will say it more. If you go tifanys go big, if not go for the bang for the buck. How about get her a huge internet ring and get her a relatively cheep tiffany matching necklace or earing set, or watch or something.

I.F.

 

[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."


Welcome to the internet Mustang! It is truly a bargain-shoppers paradise. You should never have to pay retail for anything and with the internet you don't ever have to, as long as you are willing to do the research beforehand. If you stick with reputable merchants you will be OK whether you are buying an MP3 player, an automobile or an engagement ring.


"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?"


That's a good question. AGS certified diamonds are graded on a 0-10 scale, with 0 being the best, or most "ideal." To further confuse matters there are different parameters of what constitutes "ideal" cut, depending on who you ask. The GIA does not grade cut at all, but if you can get a Sarin report for a GIA diamond it will give you a better idea of its cut quality.

The philosophy of the EightStar company is that there is no single "ideal" cut, and that each individual diamond has its own "ideal" cut which can only be detemined using a FireScope hundreds of times during the cutting process. Perhaps a little extreme, but you certainly get what you pay for.

I've found that A Cut Above is close to attaining this ideal, and at their prices this makes them a great value (particularly with the PriceScope discount!).

If you decide not to get any of the above and go with a "regular" ideal, be sure to use the HCA and IdealScope in dtermining your final choice. There are many Ideal and even Hearts & Arrows stones that turn out to have terrible light return when examined under an IdealScope, so be careful. On the other hand, there are some non-Ideal stones that have great light return, and those are the best bargains if you are willing to find them.

Be sure to read the tutorial section of this website, it is VERY educational. Good luck.

 

[Diamondchic]

I could care less where my diamond came from as long as it's beautiful, fits, is eye clean, and as long as it's a diamond. Tiffany or no Tiffany, be smart, shop around. Is she gonna smile and put the box from Tiffany's on her finger??? How is anyone going to know where it came from unless she tells them?

 

[MathWiz579]

I will never understand women who would want a smaller stone if the box said "Tiffany's" on it. 30 years down the road, will anyone, including your wife, care if you got the diamond from Tiffany's? The answer is no. Say you pick up an 1 ct. F VS1 from Tiffany's for 10 grand and you could have picked up the exact same stone on the net or just somewhere else for 6 grand (for example)... it is the SAME stone! Nothing makes it better because it says "Tiffany's" on the box. Diamonds are diamonds, and if you feel you need to get something just because it is from Tiffany's then go ahead, waste the $$$, but rather you should be thinking about the STONE, not the STORE, and make sure the stone is something she would like. Just my two cents, I may be wrong.

 

[sherman]

what is IMHO

 

[fire&ice]

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On 10/17/2002 10:21:16 AM

what is IMHO
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In my humble opininon.

 

[gmg]

I have to say a big THANK YOU Pricescope & Whiteflash.com who helped me learn everything about buying a diamond. I just recieved my diamond from Whiteflash.com 1.02 IF E color 61.6%depth 57%table 15%pavillion, EX EX and no culet.$7,000. It was appraised two hours after i got it at Baily Banks & Biddle which is where she wanted her ring from, with a Scott Kay designer setting, platinum, of course. This store would have wanted $17,500.00 if i bought it there. Hey i was born at night but not last night. You are not cheap buy buying a stone online...you are being savvy. My diamond and the setting were appraised at almost $20,000.00...19,700 to be exact. Whitflash.com was excellent to deal with THANK YOU so much. Oh by the way the diamond i bought was certified by EGL and to me the money i saved from not buying a GIA is worth it to me. Thanks again Pricescop and Whiteflash.com
Greg G.
New York

 

[IF]

Wow, thats what its all about. You like saved 10k+? Imagine what you could do with that money saved. You could fly your woman to paris first class and propose to her on top of the Eiffel tower. wouldn't that be more romantic and memorable than the tiffany logo on the ring box?

 

[peterchristopher]

GMG, did you get an appraisal in addition to the one that WhiteFlash provided? Just curious.

 

[Snufkin]

Thank God my girlfriend doesn't care about brand names... She is more likly to be impressed by the uniqueness of the ring and the amount of money I have saved by shopping around, which means a bigger (or higher quality) diamond for the same budget!

But if you cam make your g/f happy by giving her what she wants, why not? After all, she is the one who wears it.

 

[rocksrock]

Hi I'm new to this forum, but I had to reply to your question. I have to say if i was in your girlfriend shoes a Tiffany ring would mean a WHOLE lot more to me that a slightly bigger rock. It's many a girls dream to own a Tiffany's ring. There is just a look you get from all your peers when you say yes it's a Tiffany's. Me, myself I purchased a designer ring, a Whitney Boin Post Collection ring that i absolutley fell in love with. For me, it was the setting that captured my heart then i went diamong shopping w/ my then boyfriend, now hubby. But i can tell you from all the girlfriends that have gotten enganged and married either a designer ring or a brand name ring gets the most 'oohhh's and 'aaaahhh's.

good luck on whatever u choos.

 

[TheRing]

I am a lady who is about to receive an engagement ring...

My opinion is that the ring has to look nice with the bare eyes, and the size of the diamond makes a big difference. When you see a 1.0 and 1.5 that look around the same size, it is most likely that the 1.5 is cut deeper, and it is NOT worth getting. You want to be able to tell that the ring is 1.5 when it is indeed 1.5.

Most women do care about what other people think - whether it be her family, her friends, as well as HIS FRIENDS. One of my co-worker had to point out that her ring was from Tiffany. To be honest with you, I couldn't tell, and I personally wouldn't want to have to remind my friends that I am wearing a Tiffany ring for the rest of my life. If you can't visually see it, it is not worth investing assuming that the quality is one of the factors that are also taken into consideration.

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As for me, here is my situation:
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My boyfriend makes 6 figures and has no debt nor savings. He was expecting to spend about $7500 on my engagement ring and wedding ring (including the 1.25 carat diamond that he initially wanted to get me). I told him that I wanted a 1.5 carat which totalled the set of rings to be around $12,000.

I got him a $4000 platinum diamond wedding band that he wanted, and I would have gotten him anything he wanted - even if it costs $10,000 for a band. Money is no object to me when it comes to getting someone I love something that he loves and that I can afford, of course.

The thing is, he complains on and off. He would make remarks like "since you only spent $4000 on my ring, I should be spending $5000 on yours" or "what are you going to get me that is worth $10,000?". It really hurts to hear that from him, and it seems to me that it is all about how much I spent on him. After many weeks of on and off discussions, he still said that he would get me what will make me happy even though he can't understand spending $10,000 on a diamond. The thing is he would go out and spend over $200 on a lunch (1 meal) on himself.

I am about to just tell him to get me whatever he wants so that we can stop talking about how much he is spending on me and that I am not spending on him from here on. He can't seem to accept the fact that this is a lifetime purchase, and I don't believe in upgrading on the diamond in the future. Am I being too materialistic? The thing is, if I were to be dating another guy, I know I could get a 2 carat without any complaints.

When people said 2-month salary, do they mean - 2 month salary BEFORE tax or AFTER Tax?

 

[mrmarius]

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Am I being too materialistic? The thing is, if I were to be dating another guy, I know I could get a 2 carat without any complaints.

When people said 2-month salary, do they mean - 2 month salary BEFORE tax or AFTER Tax?
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IMHO, you are both being too materialistic. Him because he is comparing what he is spending to what you are spending and you because you are concerning yourself with before/after tax as to how much he should spend on your ring.

If you are getting engaged and your username is "IsHeBeingCheap" ... well, I would seriously consider why exactly you are considering getting married to this person at this point in time. This will be most likely the first of many battles you will fight over money, which is the #1 thing married couples fight about.

 

[catatonic]

Ok, I am a girl....28....and my boyfriend is shopping for a ring. If he was actually silly enough to waste money on a name that could be better spent on a bigger, better stone...or put toward a house downpayment... I think I might wonder about his mental condition.

Hey, every girl loves the little blue box...and that is great....buy her an Elsa Peretti alphabet necklace for $98 and put it in her stocking. Be a man, show her your smarts and buy her a big flashy rock that will sparkle her friends jaws into dropping! Thats what will really count. Tiffany and Cartier do not speak for themselves....she'll have to run around saying..."Yippee ....Its Tiffany!" Exactly how materialistic will the people around her begin to think she is?

Truth is, I'd much rather have a fantastic sparkler, and make people ask where he got it, than have an average ring that no one will ask about!

Honestly....how much fun would it be to hear her say, "He did his homework and made sure that my stone would shame any retail store!"

By the way, I've polled my friends and my office on this many times....every one always answers the same...."what a giant waste of money it is to buy Tiffany."

Above all though, if she loves you....any ring that you pick out with love in your heart should make her happy (JUST MAKE SURE IT SPARKLES!)

That said..Good luck to you!

 

[PoopEater]

lol...if some girl demanded I buy her a 1.5ct diamond in order for her to accept my marriage proposal, I'd be sure to lock the door after I was finished kicking her out.

 

[golfer]

I have two things to add to this fairly ridiculous discussion.

First, IMO if you get your ring from Tiffany's you are a complete idiot. Hey, I pay for name all the time in tv's, computers, cars. But this is a diamond. 99% of what you need to judge the stone is on the cert and Sarin. It's not going to break in 10 years because it's not a Tiffany. It's not about being cheap. Even if you have budgeted $50,000 and don't want a ring bigger than 2 carats (for size reasons), you can always get a better ring elsewhere -- get a flawless, ideal cut D if you want. You're getting a better stone for the same money. In my situation, I had budgeted more than necessary for my girlfriend's engagement ring. The highest I can go is 1.5 because of her tiny fingers. Should I spend the extra on a Tiffany ring? No, I am getting her an E VS1 with a fantastic cut. You probably could barely (if at all) tell the difference between an F or G SI1, but hey, I can afford it and why not. It's a good value. And I will take the Pepsi challenge with her E VS1 ideal cut and a Tiffany's H VS2 (or SI1) any day of the week. You're not being cheap if you don't pocket the savings, but put it into her ring quality. Diamonds are unlike virtually every other consumer good because (1) they are quantifiable by measureable statistics -- 4c's, etc. and (2) there is almost an unlimited amount you can spend on a diamond. Therefore you should buy whatever you feel comfortable with in getting the best value based on the 4c's. You can measure an E vs. a H, or a IF vs. a VS2. You can't measure Tiffany's vs. internet. You lose that value you paid for the second you buy it. Just like a car when you drive it off the lot.

As far as the quote: "The thing is, if I were to be dating another guy, I know I could get a 2 carat without any complaints."

That's possibly the stupidest quote I ever heard. 99.999999% of the happiness (or sadness) that results from your marriage has to do with who you marry, not your ring. .000001% is the ring.

And, yes, this comes from a guy who would like to buy his GF a two carat, but it would look like a basketball on her pencil fingers.

 

[golfer]

Amen poop eater. (Never has that sentence been uttered before).

 

[fire&ice]

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On 11/11/2002 4:00:22 PM

lol...if some girl demanded I buy her a 1.5ct diamond in order for her to accept my marriage proposal, I'd be sure to lock the door after I was finished kicking her out.

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O.K. O.K. You & Golfer have a point; but, the two of you have put some thought into the diamond ring to please your lady. May I ask why? ....let me venture an old ladies point of view....BECAUSE YOU CARE. Would either of you ever ask your financee to purchase an equal "gift" to you to become engaged.

Would either of you measure how much you spent against what your too be spent on your ring? I can't remember poop eater's exact situation....but Golfer - you did think about WHAT SHE wanted. If fact, obsessed about it. I see this as caring what the other wants - sort of a basis of a relationship. In defense of the 1.5c lady, it seems her soon to be *DOESN'T CARE* the way you do. Am I making sense?

That said, the 1.5 girl & future to be need to have a serious talk about money. Most of the time financial agruments come down to control, selfishness or both. GOOD LUCK!

FOR THE LAST TIME....Tiffany is NOT A DESIGNER. Tiffany is a retailer - period! So, it is a person's choice whether they buy a $6,000 H VS2 or a $10,000 H VS2 w/ Tiffany inscribed on the interior of the band..........Or a 10K non tiffany 1.75 carat HVS2. This is a no brainer in my mind.

 

[Mara]

I'm responding from the girl's perspective..I'm about to receive a ring in the next 2 months, and am doing most of the research and shopping myself (since I'm super picky!).

I love Tiffany's and own a few pieces of jewelry from there, but they have a superior markup. I love the robins-egg blue box and little bags, in fact sometimes I bring my lunch to work in the bag just for fun! But when it comes to buying a diamond and spending TEN THOUSAND dollars (which is around our total budget for setting and stone), I'd much rather have a quality stone with a superb cut than a Tiffany diamond chip. It's all about preference, I have girlfriends who adore Tiffany and won't take anything but. However, I'm not going to be driving my diamond ring around like I would a Mercedes, so no one is going to know in the long run. Plus I love a good deal and am an avid internet shopper, so I would love to have my boyfriend get a superb deal AND stay within budget AND give me a super sparkler.

That said, its again all about preference, and if the brand name means enough for the markup, then go for it. Or you can just get her the best ring you can afford from a click and mortar or etailer jeweler, buy a Tiffany box off eBay for $3 (or I'll sell you one of mine!) , and she'll never know the difference!

Best of luck! She will love whatever you give her I am sure.

Oh and also--to the girl who was complaining about her boyfriend being cheap about a 1.5 or 2 carat ring..diamonds are super expensive and they are luxury items. Yes you are being materialistic on requiring a certain size (okay requiring a 1c I could see but a 2 as a condition?), and also your comment about 'If I was dating someone else I could get a 2c easily' is disturbing. You aren't dating anyone else..THIS guy is going to be your husband. Some people have different ideas of what is acceptable for a luxury item. Have you taken him into the stores to see typical pricing? This might help him face up to reality if you are really serious about the 2c. My boyfriend was like '10k are you insane' when we first started discussing rings, but after visiting a few shops he realized for a good cut/quality, etc that was a good amount. Then I realized we could find a better deal online most likely. So now he is grateful I am taking the time to help out his pocketbook (and my hand in the long run), and taking some of the guesswork out of it for him. Anyway--stop obsessing over size and what he is giving you vs. what you give him. Marriage is about compromise and communication. Plus you can always upgrade later! Just my two cents!

 

[sylvesterii]

all the competitiveness and discussion about how big it should be, should it be from tiffany's, what I BETTER* get etc... makes me want to puke. i can't hardly stand to read anything on diamond talk because the rampant "i got mine" mentality is sickening. every time i read about a post discussing what size is necessary, or how a diamond "shrinks" next to someone elses, it makes me love my girl even more(direct quote "man 1 carat diamonds look bulky and lame." i hope to get an 8*, not because i can say: "look what i got, aint it grand. my girl's diamond is better than your girl's diamond." hell, if they sold 8* quality at target, and it came in a red and white bulls eye box i would buy one from there. quality goods are quality goods. i have only seen PICTURES of high quality diamonds, and can tell you it is what is important.

 

[fire&ice]

Sylvestri, I am truly sorry that you feel that way. And, you have to understand that *women do* get excited to talk about their ring - something that is inappropriate in *real life* - hence DT.

I maintain my point. A man- who within his budget- seeks out the *best* thing for he & his soon to be has a financee who should be very lucky. Keep in mind, that has nothing to do w/ size, $ - just THOUGHT. I shutter at the man who indiscriminately picks a ring. I, also, shutter at the women who says "it's not good enough". IMHO, the two need to have a serious conversation.

I've been married for a very long time. Thinking about the other persons needs within your own "person" is key.

 

[sylvesterii]

i think you misunderstood a couple of things that i said. My reference to a "I got mine" mentality has nothing to do with being excited about getting engaged, about the stone, or even about where it came from or what it is like. It is a reference to a trend in the US to be very shallow and base many things upon the appearance of wealth and status. "He's got his, I've got mine, we've got decline." is the true statement, and it is a reference to the decline of america, much like the end of the roman empire. I do enjoy when people talk about how much they love their ring, or how excited someone is to give a ring. that is great.

it is when people chime in about what is necessary. i.e. 1.5 carats, or even 1 carat. hell even a diamond. I too agree with you that anyone who begins a relationship in a competitive way regarding money is stepping on very thin ice. i very much agree with all of your post really.

of course it is ok to post pictures and be happy, to discuss and analyze, i just hate the afformentioned qualities in both men and women.

 

[TheRing]

MrMarius and Poopeater, Thanks for being so honest with me. All I needed is another perspective and I got it.

Fire&Ice, I really appreciate you seeing both sides.

After I read MrMarius's and Poopeater's replies, I evaluated my boyfriend's financial situation. Although he might be doing very well financially, but he doesn't have any savings for the ring. We recently purchased a new home and it is scheduled to complete in March of 2003. I told him that I wanted to be engaged before we moved in. This gives him very little time to save for the ring. I have come to realize that it would be ridiculous for him to have to "finance" the ring for a long period of time, and from now to March, there isn't much time to save a large sum of money. I am already unhappy with the thought of getting a ring - even if it is a 1.5 carat - knowing that he would suffer financially to make the payment each month. Also, knowing that the ring may come up again in future arguments, I'd rather not have it at all.

I talked to my boyfriend tonight and I expressed to him that I wanted him to get me the ring that he wants to get me as well as one that he will be happy and comfortable purchasing. I expressed to him the reasons (started above), and we had a nice talk.

I want to thank you all (whether you were supportive or not) for taking the time to express your view. It was nice to hear them from someone who is not bias. My friends are all on my side, and I am sure Fire&Ice knows what I mean - you know how girls are. Anyway, I am happy that I found this site, and I am very thankful for all your inputs. You have made me so much happier, and brought my boyfriend and I a lot closer, and you didn't even know it

My boyfriend and I, both in our mid-30s, need to accept the fact that we both have each other to think about now, and there is no longer a "me" - it's "us" now. It will take some work, but I am confident that as long as we are willing to work together, which we are, things will work out at the end. Every hurdle that we jumped, it just brings us closer. That's a fact.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

[diamondsman]

You should really shop and research over the net, and see what is the most you can get for your budget, most internet diamond sites have information in which you can learn about the right proportions and the most brilliancy,
these days alot of these sites offer great prices,they work on a very low mark up , and believe in making a big turnover,and that is where you would benefit.

diamondsman

 

[tavz]

TheRing,

forget the ring, by the sounds of things you should be shopping for a new man , the marketing men must love you!

 

[snoopy]

Mustang,

When I first started looking for a ring,I wanted a Tiffany's, 6 prong and D colour. As I learned more about diamonds the hard way (through retail stores), through forums (like this one) and research (this is one of the best places to learn), I am realizing that Tiffany's branding costs a lot and that is what is probably going into the price; their diamond quality is alright but there are a lot of better priced, better quality diamonds out there.

What I am trying to say is, I think you should do your own research and know what it is you want and look for it both ways (retail stores and online). When she sees the brilliant stone you get her, I think it really does not matter whether it is Tiffany's or not. I have given up on a Tiffany's, not because of price (it does affect though) but because I know I will find something that is what I truly want, not just a marketing image.

Good luck!

 

[diamond1]

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On 10/16/2002 5:17:27 PM

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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Mustang, are still looking for one? I have a ring that you may be interested in. It is a Tiffany & Co Ring with a round brillant setting. Weight: 1 ct. Clarity VVS1. Color Grade F. This is a serious offer -> in other words no BS. I have all supporting documentation. Lets say 8K.

 

[giftgoddess]

ok, what is driving me crazy about all these 'tiffany' conversations...is that everyone who would never buy their ring from tiffanys, is acting as though there is aboslutely no difference btwn a ring from tiffany- and a ring from anywhere else. Maybe they mark up their prices alot (i realize they do) BUT the settings are one of a kind. i can tell a tiffany setting from a mile away, and i think they are so breathtaking- every other setting looks like a bad knock off to me. that's just me- everyone has their own subjective opinion i know. BUT to act as though there is NO difference is crazy! the only reson i am even considering a tiffany diamond, is for the setting. i don't give a 'hoot' about the name- but i certainly care about the setting that is holding the diamond, and ultimately creating the look of the ring.

 

[fire&ice]

I repeat, Tiffany & Co. is a retailer. PERIOD. They do not design nor manufacturer their rings or anything. Years ago this was somewhat untrue.

Having been in the Art & Antiques business for 15 years & a collector for years prior...You can get better elsewhere. I am certain that a mastercraftsman could improve upon any Tiffany setting. They aren't that unique. As stated before, Vatche makes at least one of the Tiffany settings.

If you want to buy the Tiffany setting, more power to you. Your same effect could be achieved elsewhere. A craftman may even have an idea to make *your* ring unique in it's own right.