T&CO .45 for 5.200$. What do you think?

[asdasd]

Hello,

I'm about to buy a T&CO princess cut .45 H IF engagement ring and they have given me a (non negotiable) 5.200$ price.

Since my gf really likes T&CO I am not considering other options, It has to be a T&CO and princess cut.

What do you think about the price, is it good or am I being ripped off? How much more am I paying just for It been a T&CO?

I'm a total diamond newbie, so don't assume too much on your answers.

Thanks!

 

[grace7672]

I'm a newbie and no expert at all. I can't really answer your question from professional point of view. but...since your gf really likes T&CO and this is the only thing that can make her happy, you don't want to know how much you are being ripped off right?...it makes no difference, and only makes you feel uncomfortable...Just go with what her heart desires

Hello,

I'm about to buy a T&CO princess cut .45 H IF engagement ring and they have given me a (non negotiable) 5.200$ price.

Since my gf really likes T&CO I am not considering other options, It has to be a T&CO and princess cut.

What do you think about the price, is it good or am I being ripped off? How much more am I paying just for It been a T&CO?

I'm a total diamond newbie, so don't assume too much on your answers.

Thanks!

 

[RhubarbPie]

I don't know all of the specs on the diamond (besides what you gave) but I just quickly built a ring on James Allen that is similar:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-ri ... ete&cid=57 (hopefully that link will work)

I'm assuming its a Tiffany solitaire in platinum. For the same thing on James Allen (although I couldn't find .45 ct, so I went with a full half carat H color IF) you would pay 1,720.00. So since the diamond you have is smaller, you're paying over 3,480.00 for the blue box. For some people its worth it as they have their heart set on a Tiffany ering. If it were me I'd rather have a bigger stone with a better color grade than the blue box. But that's me.

 

[yssie]

Hello,

I'm about to buy a T&CO princess cut .45 H IF engagement ring and they have given me a (non negotiable) 5.200$ price.

Since my gf really likes T&CO I am not considering other options, It has to be a T&CO and princess cut.

What do you think about the price, is it good or am I being ripped off? How much more am I paying just for It been a T&CO?

I'm a total diamond newbie, so don't assume too much on your answers.

Thanks!

Brand and the satisfaction of ownership is difficult to put a price on... that said, you most definitely do not need an IF stone.

 

[asdasd]

I'm a newbie and no expert at all. I can't really answer your question from professional point of view. but...since your gf really likes T&CO and this is the only thing that can make her happy, you don't want to know how much you are being ripped off right?...it makes no difference, and only makes you feel uncomfortable...Just go with what her heart desires

Hello,

I'm about to buy a T&CO princess cut .45 H IF engagement ring and they have given me a (non negotiable) 5.200$ price.

Since my gf really likes T&CO I am not considering other options, It has to be a T&CO and princess cut.

What do you think about the price, is it good or am I being ripped off? How much more am I paying just for It been a T&CO?

I'm a total diamond newbie, so don't assume too much on your answers.

Thanks!

Awesome answer, I already went through that stage ("If that's what she wants why care about the over price") but I can't keep It off my head... I'm the kind of person that can spend lots of time searching for a better price and feel great when I think I beat the system by spending less, but I think I will not be able to do that this time and I don't feel very good about It.

In the other hand, I think this moment is one in a lifetime, and I find the "blue-box" may be worth It...

 

[amc80]

I agree with Yssie- no need for IF. I would pick something a little lower on the scale, and either up the ct weight or lower the price.

 

[asdasd]

I don't know all of the specs on the diamond (besides what you gave) but I just quickly built a ring on James Allen that is similar:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-ri ... ete&cid=57 (hopefully that link will work)

I'm assuming its a Tiffany solitaire in platinum. For the same thing on James Allen (although I couldn't find .45 ct, so I went with a full half carat H color IF) you would pay 1,720.00. So since the diamond you have is smaller, you're paying over 3,480.00 for the blue box. For some people its worth it as they have their heart set on a Tiffany ering. If it were me I'd rather have a bigger stone with a better color grade than the blue box. But that's me.

Wow, I would have preferred not to read the numbers you give...

I don't know any more specs than what I already gave you, what else should I ask about it? I don't even know If the ring is platinum or not... The lady at the store didn't mention anything about It...

I do know Its a princess cut and just one stone a very standard ring I gues...

Although the numbers you gave me for the James Allen are better I want to think that the Tiffany one is better quality right? I'm not familiar yet with the H, IF thing...

 

[RhubarbPie]

Awesome answer, I already went through that stage ("If that's what she wants why care about the over price") but I can't keep It off my head... I'm the kind of person that can spend lots of time searching for a better price and feel great when I think I beat the system by spending less, but I think I will not be able to do that this time and I don't feel very good about It.

In the other hand, I think this moment is one in a lifetime, and I find the "blue-box" may be worth It...

That is what matters! If you know that having a Tiffany ering is what she has been dreaming about and she might not feel the same excitement with anything but that (and you have the budget to do it), then go for it!

However, I would take Yssie's advice and ask for a lower clarity stone (VS1 or VS2) as you could either save money that way OR if your budget is about 5200.00 you could get a bigger stone with a lower clarity. Are you just getting a solitaire? I just looked on the Tiffany website and chose a .5 princess cut solitaire and it came us as priced "from $2,550". You have a .45 so if you go down in the clarity you'll definitely save money and you could get a bigger stone.

 

[grace7672]

I can totally relate and I am one of those people just like you. I like searching for deals. that's why I've been so torn in my diamond searching process - going back and forward between T and reputable online sources. Finally I found out only a T ring can make my heart sing. As someone put it: do you feel special when putting it on your finger? If you do that's what you want and that's worth the price. I'm searching for an upgrade. My husband can't care less about diamond. He won't be paying anything for it if it's for himself...but he supports me go ahead to get a T to satisfy my heart's desire. (I think what he really thinks is that I can stop whining the rest of my life and ruin his life as well..but whatever, what he really thinks makes no difference to me. )

I'm a newbie and no expert at all. I can't really answer your question from professional point of view. but...since your gf really likes T&CO and this is the only thing that can make her happy, you don't want to know how much you are being ripped off right?...it makes no difference, and only makes you feel uncomfortable...Just go with what her heart desires

Hello,

I'm about to buy a T&CO princess cut .45 H IF engagement ring and they have given me a (non negotiable) 5.200$ price.

Since my gf really likes T&CO I am not considering other options, It has to be a T&CO and princess cut.

What do you think about the price, is it good or am I being ripped off? How much more am I paying just for It been a T&CO?

I'm a total diamond newbie, so don't assume too much on your answers.

Thanks!

Awesome answer, I already went through that stage ("If that's what she wants why care about the over price") but I can't keep It off my head... I'm the kind of person that can spend lots of time searching for a better price and feel great when I think I beat the system by spending less, but I think I will not be able to do that this time and I don't feel very good about It.

In the other hand, I think this moment is one in a lifetime, and I find the "blue-box" may be worth It...

 

[asdasd]

Hello,

I'm about to buy a T&CO princess cut .45 H IF engagement ring and they have given me a (non negotiable) 5.200$ price.

Since my gf really likes T&CO I am not considering other options, It has to be a T&CO and princess cut.

What do you think about the price, is it good or am I being ripped off? How much more am I paying just for It been a T&CO?

I'm a total diamond newbie, so don't assume too much on your answers.

Thanks!

Brand and the satisfaction of ownership is difficult to put a price on... that said, you most definitely do not need an IF stone.

Please elaborate, why don't I need and IF (and what does IF mean... I guess best quality?).

Thanks for your help guys. I find your answers more helpful than the hour I spent at the T&CO store where I think they only wanted me to buy the most expensive ring in my budget....

 

[grace7672]

From my limited research, there are two things about a diamond called eye clean and mind clean. For clarity, anything above VS2 should be eye clean, and there are a good portion of eye clean in the SI category. but still, some people prefer VVS or even FL to get mind clean.

Personally, yeah I would want to get everything for my bucks. However, with Tiffany price, eye clean is good enough to make my heart sing! I can learn to be mind clean. Actually, my mind could be more occupied by the joy of getting a Tiffany than thinking of what inclusion it can have under a microscope. And as time goes by, all I remember is I have a T, and all I see is the size of it, together with it's sparkle. So, if your gf has similar thinking, within your budget, get the biggest size with above VS clarity. If she is a perfectionist...then I can't speak for her really...




Brand and the satisfaction of ownership is difficult to put a price on... that said, you most definitely do not need an IF stone.[/quote]

Please elaborate, why don't I need and IF (and what does IF mean... I guess best quality?).

 

[asdasd]

Awesome answer, I already went through that stage ("If that's what she wants why care about the over price") but I can't keep It off my head... I'm the kind of person that can spend lots of time searching for a better price and feel great when I think I beat the system by spending less, but I think I will not be able to do that this time and I don't feel very good about It.

In the other hand, I think this moment is one in a lifetime, and I find the "blue-box" may be worth It...

That is what matters! If you know that having a Tiffany ering is what she has been dreaming about and she might not feel the same excitement with anything but that (and you have the budget to do it), then go for it!

However, I would take Yssie's advice and ask for a lower clarity stone (VS1 or VS2) as you could either save money that way OR if your budget is about 5200.00 you could get a bigger stone with a lower clarity. Are you just getting a solitaire? I just looked on the Tiffany website and chose a .5 princess cut solitaire and it came us as priced "from $2,550". You have a .45 so if you go down in the clarity you'll definitely save money and you could get a bigger stone.

Definitely I think she is dreaming about that blue box every night but at the same time thinking ("no, It is too much, I don't want him to spend that kind of money") so It seems I can't buy anything but that. 5000$ was my top limit, and I feel like the girls at the store just keep pushing me until they showed me that one. They started offering me .30, .35 and then up to the .45. The say there is nothing in between...

The thing is I can't ask for lower clarity, It seems like they have a little stock on that cut (Im not in the US, Im converting to $ from €) or at least thats what they said. In the store I went (I prefer not to give too many details) they only had 3 or 4 princess cut rings and they told me that If I wanted something else they would have to search in London, but that only got me like 3 or 4 more options...

Definitely I can't ask them for the same .45 but in lower clarity, it seems like they just don't have It or that they just want me to buy that one as fast as possible... (I told them I need It more sooner than later and fell like they are taking advantage of that...)

 

[RhubarbPie]

I don't know all of the specs on the diamond (besides what you gave) but I just quickly built a ring on James Allen that is similar:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-ri ... ete&cid=57 (hopefully that link will work)

I'm assuming its a Tiffany solitaire in platinum. For the same thing on James Allen (although I couldn't find .45 ct, so I went with a full half carat H color IF) you would pay 1,720.00. So since the diamond you have is smaller, you're paying over 3,480.00 for the blue box. For some people its worth it as they have their heart set on a Tiffany ering. If it were me I'd rather have a bigger stone with a better color grade than the blue box. But that's me.

Wow, I would have preferred not to read the numbers you give...

I don't know any more specs than what I already gave you, what else should I ask about it? I don't even know If the ring is platinum or not... The lady at the store didn't mention anything about It...

I do know Its a princess cut and just one stone a very standard ring I gues...

Although the numbers you gave me for the James Allen are better I want to think that the Tiffany one is better quality right? I'm not familiar yet with the H, IF thing...

I don't really think that Tiffany diamonds are better than other diamonds (although Tiffany would say that they are). I believe they have their own grading system and certification (meaning they don't use GIA or other similar labs). The quality of a diamond is determined by things like cut, color, clarity, etc. This is a good article which kind of helps explain what you're paying for in a Tiffany diamond: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Moms/story?id=1197202

As far as the clarity, Tiffany suggested to you a diamond that is Internally Flawless (IF) meaning there are no inclusions of any kind, the highest clarity grade...its completely clean. However, you can get a diamond that is a much lower clarity grade (such as VS - very slightly included), meaning that there are some small inclusions, however they are not visible just using your eyes (you may be able to see them with a loupe...like a microscope). This will bring the cost down tremendously.

It really is all about what is important to you and her. For me, I wanted to maximize size, I wanted the diamond to be completely eye clean and I wanted a very white diamond. My engagement ring at Tiffany's would probably be a 40-50,000 ring (thats just a guess but I think its close as my center stone STARTS at around 20,000 at Tiffany's, and my ring is a 3 stone ring). 40-50,000 is not within our budget at the moment so Tiffany was out. But if its SO important to her, then the extra 3500 or whatever perhaps is worth it.

 

[yssie]

Please elaborate, why don't I need and IF (and what does IF mean... I guess best quality?).

Thanks for your help guys. I find your answers more helpful than the hour I spent at the T&CO store where I think they only wanted me to buy the most expensive ring in my budget....

To some high colour and high clarity do indicate 'best' quality, to others it's unnecessary.

A well-cut H IF will sparkle. A well-cut H VS2 will sparkle just the same.
A poorly cut H IF won't sparkle, and neither will a poorly cut H VS2.

So if you're looking for same-amount-of-sparkle for less go for the VS2. If the high clarity means better quality to you then dropping to a poorer quality probably isn't the wisest venture.


IMO cut, then carat, then colour, then clarity have the most impact on how the diamond appears and performs, except in the extremes of low-clarity

 

[RhubarbPie]

Awesome answer, I already went through that stage ("If that's what she wants why care about the over price") but I can't keep It off my head... I'm the kind of person that can spend lots of time searching for a better price and feel great when I think I beat the system by spending less, but I think I will not be able to do that this time and I don't feel very good about It.

In the other hand, I think this moment is one in a lifetime, and I find the "blue-box" may be worth It...

That is what matters! If you know that having a Tiffany ering is what she has been dreaming about and she might not feel the same excitement with anything but that (and you have the budget to do it), then go for it!

However, I would take Yssie's advice and ask for a lower clarity stone (VS1 or VS2) as you could either save money that way OR if your budget is about 5200.00 you could get a bigger stone with a lower clarity. Are you just getting a solitaire? I just looked on the Tiffany website and chose a .5 princess cut solitaire and it came us as priced "from $2,550". You have a .45 so if you go down in the clarity you'll definitely save money and you could get a bigger stone.

Definitely I think she is dreaming about that blue box every night but at the same time thinking ("no, It is too much, I don't want him to spend that kind of money") so It seems I can't buy anything but that. 5000$ was my top limit, and I feel like the girls at the store just keep pushing me until they showed me that one. They started offering me .30, .35 and then up to the .45. The say there is nothing in between...

The thing is I can't ask for lower clarity, It seems like they have a little stock on that cut (Im not in the US, Im converting to $ from €) or at least thats what they said. In the store I went (I prefer not to give too many details) they only had 3 or 4 princess cut rings and they told me that If I wanted something else they would have to search in London, but that only got me like 3 or 4 more options...

Definitely I can't ask them for the same .45 but in lower clarity, it seems like they just don't have It or that they just want me to buy that one as fast as possible... (I told them I need It more sooner than later and fell like they are taking advantage of that...)

I guess I'm also wondering - does your girlfriend have an idea of or has she indicated what size diamond she ideally would like? I know shes dreaming of Tiffany, but is she dreaming of a Tiffany ring with a stone that will cover like half of her finger that you can see from 3 miles away (ie like in the movies? I think that is where a lot of our Tiffany dreams come from...the movies)? For some, .3 or .4 or .5 ct is a very small stone. But perhaps she doesn't realize that for your budget, she will most likely get that size stone from T&Co. Maybe you should ask her how big of a diamond she is expecting or dreaming of. If she is thinking that she will only love a Tiffany ring but she will ALSO only love a 2 carat diamond, then you probably need to have a down to earth talk with each other.

Edit: Additionally, Tiffany is known for customer service (which is partially what your paying for with such a high price), and so don't let them push you into something that you don't feel comfortable with. Part of that is arming yourself with information. You should read up on the different attributes that effect diamonds and their prices, and you should tell them what you want (but you have to know what you want, so go to the knowledge section of pricescope and START READING!! )

 

[grace7672]

Good point!I will ask her to find out. To me the size of the stone also depends on the girl's finger size, her personality, and what kind of friends she hangs out with etc.

Awesome answer, I already went through that stage ("If that's what she wants why care about the over price") but I can't keep It off my head... I'm the kind of person that can spend lots of time searching for a better price and feel great when I think I beat the system by spending less, but I think I will not be able to do that this time and I don't feel very good about It.

In the other hand, I think this moment is one in a lifetime, and I find the "blue-box" may be worth It...

That is what matters! If you know that having a Tiffany ering is what she has been dreaming about and she might not feel the same excitement with anything but that (and you have the budget to do it), then go for it!

However, I would take Yssie's advice and ask for a lower clarity stone (VS1 or VS2) as you could either save money that way OR if your budget is about 5200.00 you could get a bigger stone with a lower clarity. Are you just getting a solitaire? I just looked on the Tiffany website and chose a .5 princess cut solitaire and it came us as priced "from $2,550". You have a .45 so if you go down in the clarity you'll definitely save money and you could get a bigger stone.

Definitely I think she is dreaming about that blue box every night but at the same time thinking ("no, It is too much, I don't want him to spend that kind of money") so It seems I can't buy anything but that. 5000$ was my top limit, and I feel like the girls at the store just keep pushing me until they showed me that one. They started offering me .30, .35 and then up to the .45. The say there is nothing in between...

The thing is I can't ask for lower clarity, It seems like they have a little stock on that cut (Im not in the US, Im converting to $ from €) or at least thats what they said. In the store I went (I prefer not to give too many details) they only had 3 or 4 princess cut rings and they told me that If I wanted something else they would have to search in London, but that only got me like 3 or 4 more options...

Definitely I can't ask them for the same .45 but in lower clarity, it seems like they just don't have It or that they just want me to buy that one as fast as possible... (I told them I need It more sooner than later and fell like they are taking advantage of that...)

I guess I'm also wondering - does your girlfriend have an idea of or has she indicated what size diamond she ideally would like? I know shes dreaming of Tiffany, but is she dreaming of a Tiffany ring with a stone that will cover like half of her finger that you can see from 3 miles away (ie like in the movies? I think that is where a lot of our Tiffany dreams come from...the movies)? For some, .3 or .4 or .5 ct is a very small stone. But perhaps she doesn't realize that for your budget, she will most likely get that size stone from T&Co. Maybe you should ask her how big of a diamond she is expecting or dreaming of. If she is thinking that she will only love a Tiffany ring but she will ALSO only love a 2 carat diamond, then you probably need to have a down to earth talk with each other.

 

[Yimmers]

Personally, I think it's a travesty that they "can't" find you princess cut stones that are lower in clarity - IF is total overkill, and you haven't expressed anything that tells me that you need to have high clarity (eg, some cultures value higher clarity). I feel this sales person is making a hard sell on you to buy this ring, and since you really don't know much about diamonds, cut, color, clarity, etc., she's taking full advantage of it. That's what makes me upset about this.

Go through this website, learn more about diamonds, and when you go back to Tiffany's, I'd be much more pushy about getting your gf a better value for your $5,000. You may have to wait, but I think it's worth it. Yes, we will all tell you your $5k will go much further elsewhere. But if the blue box is what makes her happy, then go get it. Just arm yourself with more information to make the most of your money there.

 

[luvshinyrocks]

I can't really answer your question from professional point of view. but...since your gf really likes T&CO and this is the only thing that can make her happy, you don't want to know how much you are being ripped off right?...it makes no difference, and only makes you feel uncomfortable...Just go with what her heart desires

I REALLY disagree with this. I'm a woman and appreciate the notion of "I want what I want," but I can't see paying $3000 for a name unless it's a really unique setting. I think that T&Co has a good reputation for quality, so you can probably at least know that what you're getting there is not going to be horribly included or yellow or anything like that. However, if you take some time and do some research you can get a stone that's twice that size for the same price.

What is your gf's desire for Tiffany based on? I guess - to me - it would be one thing if you were just getting a plain platinum or gold setting with no frills, no one is even going to be able to tell the difference. If you were talking about copying a Tacori or something I could understand paying more for the name b/c those rings are incredible detailed and I'm not sure I'd trust most jewelers to duplicate it exactly. If the setting she likes is really hard to duplicate then I get why she'd want the exact thing. If not, you might try explaining to her that if she REALLY wants the Tiffany ring she's going to get half the stone that she otherwise would. I think that's enough to change most women's minds.

It really sounds like you would benefit from doing a lot more research. Read some of the materials on this site (and others). An IF diamond (IMO) is a waste of money for most people. I have a VS2 - significantly down the clarity scale from IF - and I can barely see the inclusions under 10x magnification. If you get an IF you're basically paying a LOT more for something you can't even see. Try going to a jeweler that will bring in some loose stones that are within your budget, and tell them you want to look at things in a range of clarity and color ranges. I think you'll see that you REALLY can't tell the difference in most cases.

 

[yssie]

Rhubarb makes a very good point about clarifying brand vs budget vs size expectations..

 

[Dreamer_D]

Rhubarb makes a very good point about clarifying brand vs budget vs size expectations..

Ditto. She might love Tiffany, but she might not love it as much if she knew she could get a diamond almost double the size for the same price!

If Tiffany is the end choice, then I would look for an H VS2. Insist they find you one. You pay a lot for IF clarity and it is not needed.

 

[oldminer]

You can do the purchase any way you want, but I suggest you purchase a diamond equal in quality to the Tiffany diamond and mount it in a high quality ring of similar design. Then hand it to your fiance' with a check or cash for all the money that was saved for her to spend any way she wishes. You can find a Tiffany box easily enough for a few dollars and the ring will look as good or better on the finger since no one can tell. I'm not suggesting not to tell her, but if the blue box is important, they can be bought to show you really care.

I often use the analogy of choosing to go to a fine restaurant for an expensive dinner versus going to the local hangout where similar food can be eaten for less than 1/2 the cost. What is the rest of the money spent for? Ambiance, tablecloth, cloth napkins, a fresh fork with the main course, a somewhat more attentive or skilled wait person. Is it worth double? Yes, but only if you appreciate what you are getting and if it is done right. It is not worth the double price if you do not appreciate what you are getting that is "special" or if they deliver the services so poorly that it is a wasted effort.

 

[slg47]

If Tiffany is the end choice, then I would look for an H VS2. Insist they find you one. You pay a lot for IF clarity and it is not needed.

ditto this.

here is a 0.738 ct G VS2 AGS0 princess for $2700.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 327041.htm

the tiffany-style solitaire setting is $650 in platinum

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-ri ... ut-428.htm

 

[Yimmers]

Rhubarb makes a very good point about clarifying brand vs budget vs size expectations..

Ditto. She might love Tiffany, but she might not love it as much if she knew she could get a diamond almost double the size for the same price!

If Tiffany is the end choice, then I would look for an H VS2. Insist they find you one. You pay a lot for IF clarity and it is not needed.

ditto ditto.

Or, get her a bigger non tiffany e-ring and a tiffany wedding band as a compromise so she can get that box.

 

[RhubarbPie]

Rhubarb makes a very good point about clarifying brand vs budget vs size expectations..

Ditto. She might love Tiffany, but she might not love it as much if she knew she could get a diamond almost double the size for the same price!

If Tiffany is the end choice, then I would look for an H VS2. Insist they find you one. You pay a lot for IF clarity and it is not needed.

ditto ditto.

Or, get her a bigger non tiffany e-ring and a tiffany wedding band as a compromise so she can get that box.

In all likelihood this is what we're doing. I'm not obsessed with the idea of s Tiffany e ring, but I would love a Tiffany wedding band. And for religious reasons, my wedding band can't have any diamonds or anything in it (has to be a solid band of gold) and there is a Tiffany band that I love. Because of the no diamonds, mine will probably only be 1000 and his will be 1800 or so. I think it's a great compromise!

 

[grace7672]

I mean no offense Oldminer, I appreciate all the professional help and viewpoints...but as a women, if my husband did this to me (find a high quality stone, put into a blue box, and show me the difference in check), I will feel insulted...Maybe it's just me.

But I agree going H VS2 for the biggest bang for the buck

You can do the purchase any way you want, but I suggest you purchase a diamond equal in quality to the Tiffany diamond and mount it in a high quality ring of similar design. Then hand it to your fiance' with a check or cash for all the money that was saved for her to spend any way she wishes. You can find a Tiffany box easily enough for a few dollars and the ring will look as good or better on the finger since no one can tell. I'm not suggesting not to tell her, but if the blue box is important, they can be bought to show you really care.

I often use the analogy of choosing to go to a fine restaurant for an expensive dinner versus going to the local hangout where similar food can be eaten for less than 1/2 the cost. What is the rest of the money spent for? Ambiance, tablecloth, cloth napkins, a fresh fork with the main course, a somewhat more attentive or skilled wait person. Is it worth double? Yes, but only if you appreciate what you are getting and if it is done right. It is not worth the double price if you do not appreciate what you are getting that is "special" or if they deliver the services so poorly that it is a wasted effort.

 

[Sizzle]

I mean no offense Oldminer, I appreciate all the professional help and viewpoints...but as a women, if my husband did this to me (find a high quality stone, put into a blue box, and show me the difference in check), I will feel insulted...Maybe it's just me.

But I agree going H VS2 for the biggest bang for the buck

You can do the purchase any way you want, but I suggest you purchase a diamond equal in quality to the Tiffany diamond and mount it in a high quality ring of similar design. Then hand it to your fiance' with a check or cash for all the money that was saved for her to spend any way she wishes. You can find a Tiffany box easily enough for a few dollars and the ring will look as good or better on the finger since no one can tell. I'm not suggesting not to tell her, but if the blue box is important, they can be bought to show you really care.

I often use the analogy of choosing to go to a fine restaurant for an expensive dinner versus going to the local hangout where similar food can be eaten for less than 1/2 the cost. What is the rest of the money spent for? Ambiance, tablecloth, cloth napkins, a fresh fork with the main course, a somewhat more attentive or skilled wait person. Is it worth double? Yes, but only if you appreciate what you are getting and if it is done right. It is not worth the double price if you do not appreciate what you are getting that is "special" or if they deliver the services so poorly that it is a wasted effort.

Yeah, I'd be insulted by the check thing, but I would also like the bigger non Tiffany diamond because I'm a size girl!

 

[septsparkle]

It's likely that your gf hasn't seen the actual price difference between T&Co. and other vendors. I also think it's unlikely that she realizes that she can get a stone approximately 2x the size for the same price elsewhere. I do think that in your situation it would be wise to talk with her, or even take her to a store and SHOW her the difference between the .45 ct and say a .80 ct stone so she can decide herself what is more important to her, the T&Co. brand or the stone itself. I wouldn't do any more searching until you ultimately know what her preference is...the bigger rock, or the blue box.

 

[shihtzulover]

When my boyfriend and I first started looking at e-rings, we went to Tiffany. We discovered that their website will tell you that a specific size diamond 'starts at' a certain price, but when you get into the store, that's not always the case (the website also states that this price is 'subject to availability' - I'm pretty sure that they are not available very often!).

Anyway, their website said that their 1 carat princess cuts start at a bit over $8000. That seemed fairly reasonable to us (considering that it is Tiffany & Co.), so we decided to drop in. The store that we went to had one 1 carat in stock - and it was over $14,000! Sure, it was gorgeous, but that is just way too much to spend on a 1 carat diamond. I don't really remember what the specs were on it, because we were pretty new to the diamond shopping process at that point - so we didn't really pay attention as much. Looking back though, it probably was an IF.

I loved it soooo much at first, because it did seem to sparkle more than the other diamonds that I saw. We thought about it for awhile, and decided to go back in and see if they could bring in a 1 carat one with lower specs. The salesgirl brought us back and showed us the computer listings. She did find some that had lower specs, but in order to get the price down to $10000, we would have had to go down to .91 carat.

I really don't see how they start at less than $9000 when they couldn't find anything in that price range available in the system, even when we went a bit smaller. I guess they do have them occasionally, but probably not too often.

I really had my heart set on that Tiffany diamond for awhile, but then I discovered that you CAN find some that are just as sparkly in other stores, as long as you are looking at high-quality cuts. My boyfriend and I continued to go to other jewelry stores while keeping the Tiffany diamond in mind - but we did discover that we could find a diamond with the same beauty, and for much less money. We actually found a beautiful 1.53 carat diamond that we truly love at another store for $12000, and we had it set in a band that looks like the Tiffany-style one. It is an SI1, but we could not see the flaws without the loupe. It is also very sparkly and in the colorless range.

When I was going through my "Tiffany stage" and loved everything from TIffany, I got a couple of necklaces from them. They were sterling silver, and $100 each. I also have a couple of sterling silver necklaces from Wal-Mart, and I got them for about $20 each. I was really shocked to see that my Tiffany necklaces looked tarnished MUCH more quickly than the Wal-Mart ones, and I wore them all the same amount of time....and Wal-Mart isn't exactly known for having the highest quality goods.

In any case, I do suggest that if she MUST have a Tiffany diamond (I still definitely understand that many women dream of this), you should ask to see if they have any other better options available to be brought in for you to look at. They just look it up on a computer and see what is available. You really don't need an IF diamond - VS diamonds look exactly the same (you won't see any flaws at all when looking at them with your eye)s, and even many SI1s do.

Also, as has already been suggested, I really think that you should find out what size diamond she wants. She might not realize how small the Tiffany one will be, and you can find something larger (but still just as beautiful) somewhere else.

Good luck!

 

[Daisi2112]

I agree, don't go for the IF diamond - you can't tell the difference with your naked eye between that and a VS diamond.

When I first looked at engagement rings I went to Tiffany's with my (then) boyfriend (now husband!) and saw some great beautiful rings there, but the sticker price was astonishing to us. For me personally, it was a dream to get a Tiffany's ring, but until we found stones at other places that were just as nice (where I could get BIGGER stones for less money or the same amount - and the quality was just as good, if not better) I decided that it wasn't worth getting the ring in the Tiffany's blue box.

I realize each person has their own preferences, but if you're someone (or if she is someone) who does care about size, I would not go for the Tiffany ring - you'll end up getting less stone for more money just to have it all come in a blue box - and I'm one who believes the contents in the box is more important than the box itself.

But best of luck in your ring shopping, I'm sure you will find something nice! (whether it be at Tiffany or another vendor)

 

[CharmyPoo]

I have nothing new to add but I guess I will just agree with the above ...

1. IF is a total overkill. Don't pay for something you can't see. Suggest going with VS1 or VS2 for clairty.
2. No problem if she loves T&CO but need to confirm if she would rather have a bigger diamond.

For myself, I would much rather not get the Tiffany e-ring especially when I can get a ring that is almost double the size and better cut if going another route plus a nicer setting to boot. Ok .. nicer setting is pretty personal .. I am not a fan of the T&CO e-ring designs although I do love their other designs.