Tiffany classic, Tiffany harmony, Cartier 1895

[kittensandcupcakes]

I'm going to be purchasing an engagement ring for my girlfriend in the very near future. We've done some shopping around, and we've narrowed our choices down to these three rings. Both she and I are in agreement that we're going to have a simple, inexpensive ceremony, so I'm open to spending a bit more to get her a "brand name" ring. Size will be somewhere in the 1-1.5 carat range.

Initially we were thinking that it was definitely going to be the Tiffany classic setting. But when we went to actually have her try it on, she found the knife edge very uncomfortable. The Tiffany salesperson said that it's probably because all their rings start at size 6, but once resized to the individual, it would become more comfortable. Doing some research online, it seems like it's a mixed bag. Some people say they get used to the knife edge; others say it continues to be uncomfortable. My girlfriend's hands are small too - somewhere between 4 & 4.5, which I think might contribute to the discomfort.

So we tried a few other ones, and she seemed to like the Tiffany Harmony (paved) as well, and the Cartier 1895 too. Strangely she didn't really like the Tiffany classic with paving.

She's also a big fan of the Cartier love rings and wants to get a pair as our wedding rings. If that were the case, I guess the 1895 would match better with it? Is having a Tiffany e-ring with a Cartier love ring weird?

My mother is all in favor of the Tiffany, saying she wants the best for her future daughter-in-law, and in her opinion, for e-rings that means the Tiffany. I think she's a bit influenced by the fact that one of her close friends' son was also recently married, and they had a Tiffany ring.

What to do? Is a Cartier ring as "classic" as a Tiffany one? (I do think the 1895 is gorgeous too) Anyone with a knife-edge ring find they couldn't live with the discomfort? I think my girlfriend will be happy regardless of what I give her, but I do want to make a choice with no regrets, since this is a huge expenditure.

 

[Skhii]

I think the Tiffany classic solitaire and Cartier Love band will look very good together, especially if they're contrasting metals (e.g., platinum Tiffany, yellow gold Cartier)! Her discomfort could be due to sizing since she probably has to close her fingers tightly together to hold the ring in place, which would make the knife edge more noticeable. Are the Tiffany knife edge wedding bands the same shape as the shank on their classic solitaires? They look sharper than the e-ring in photos, but if they aren't, have your SA find one in your girlfriend's size to try on to see if it is still uncomfortable.

Between the Tiffany Harmony and the Cartier 1985 (Are you considering with pave or without?), I like the Tiffany Harmony because the shank looks more elegant than than the Cartier 1985. You should definitely compare the actual rings you're considering in person though, because I find rings vary a lot, even within the same manufacturer and model.

I am not sure about Cartier, but another factor to consider is that Tiffany has an upgrade policy.

Whatever you and she decide, please come back to share your experience and photos! ^^

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Many of us here have close reproductions to the Tiffany solitaire setting because we chose to go with higher quality diamonds than Tiffany (and Cartier) sell. I like Tiffany jewelry and have some, but I don't buy the diamond rings or studs because I can get a better quality diamond for less elsewhere. Just want to be sure you realize that paying for that brand does not equal the best diamonds. But if brand is what she wants, then by all means do it!

To answer your question, once a wedding band is worn with the engagement ring, you can't feel the knife edge shank because the wedding band should be the same height off the finger.

I think if I wanted the Cartier Love ring for a wedding band, I'd go with the Cartier engagement ring. I love the Tiffany ring best with Tiffany bands (which I do have). I personally would not want a pave shank on my e-ring as I prefer a diamond wedding band. I do love the Cartier Trinity bands for wedding bands, though, and think they are more timeless than the Love.

The thing you can do to get the best possible diamond is to get copies of the GIA reports and post them here for feedback on the cut measurements before you buy. GIA Excellent cut is a very broad range, and some are much better than others. I'll post the best measurements here for you so you will have them when you are looking at rings. Cut is the most important factor in the beauty of a diamond. I would never pay the premium for a branded engagement ring unless it was a diamond that is a top excellent cut.

These are measurements to help you stay in ideal cut territory with a GIA excellent cut stone.

table: 54-58

depth: 60-62.3

crown angle: 34-35.0 (up to 35.5 crown angle can sometimes work with a 40.6 pav angle)

pavilion angle: 40.6-40.9 (sometimes 41.0 if the crown angle is close to 34)

 

[kittensandcupcakes]

Thanks for the advice!

If we go with the 1895, it would be the non-paved version - she didn't like the paved version. In contrast she didn't like the unpaved version of the Harmony...but whatever she likes =P.

Her hand is tiny, so she feels it would be awkward to get anything bigger than 1.5 (even that would be pushing it), which is why we're looking at the brands.

I know Cartier gets their certification from GIA and Tiffany does not. Do they have an equivalent to a GIA cut rating though?

 

[Niel]

Thanks for the advice!

If we go with the 1895, it would be the non-paved version - she didn't like the paved version. In contrast she didn't like the unpaved version of the Harmony...but whatever she likes =P.

Her hand is tiny, so she feels it would be awkward to get anything bigger than 1.5 (even that would be pushing it), which is why we're looking at the brands.

I know Cartier gets their certification from GIA and Tiffany does not. Do they have an equivalent to a GIA cut rating though?

are you buying a brand name because you feel that she is a girl who cares about brand names or are you buying a brand name because you feel they are the best quality and this more expensive?

 

[kittensandcupcakes]

I completely understand I can get a bigger/better stone from a non-name-brand jeweler, and that I'm paying a premium for the luxury brand name.

She's not demanding a Tiffany/Cartier/etc. ring, but I know she'd appreciate it. We're also both pretty frugal, so for these rare, once in a lifetime things, I don't mind splurging a bit. Our wedding is also expected to be small (<50 people, church wedding, minimalist no-alcohol/no DJ party reception).

All that said, we went with the Tiffany Harmony. Very tough decision between that and the Cartier (had to rule out the Tiffany Classic early due to comfort issues she couldn't get over - unfortunate since we both thought it was the prettiest).

I proposed, and we're going to visit the Tiffany store to get it resized soon

Thanks for all the advice!