Tiffany''s "I

[rosy]

Hi,
Has anyone seen, own, or know of Tiffany's "I" color diamonds? Are they generally very white? Seeing as Tiffany prides themselves on their stricter standards would you say their "I" colored diamonds are very white & that I wouldn't have to worry if I bought an "I" from them? Thanks!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 11/6/2004 1:28:16 AM
Author:rosy
Hi,
Has anyone seen, own, or know of Tiffany''s ''I'' color diamonds? Are they generally very white? Seeing as Tiffany prides themselves on their stricter standards would you say their ''I'' colored diamonds are very white & that I wouldn''t have to worry if I bought an ''I'' from them? Thanks!

rosy
their" I" color stone probably cost more than H color that vendors sell on here.if you buy a nice stone is a nice stone no matter who you buy it from.tiffany''s diamond don''t come from mars ,they just want you to think that so they can charge more.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It is just a personal opinion - but why would anyone wanting to establish a brand sell I colored diamonds?

The reason no one sells I1 damonds as branded stones - the reason is that people will occsasionally see the imperfection.
Most people will see the body color in an I color some of the time.

 

[rosy]

Date: 11/6/2004 2:13:56 AM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 11/6/2004 1:28:16 AM
Author:rosy
Hi,
Has anyone seen, own, or know of Tiffany''s ''I'' color diamonds? Are they generally very white? Seeing as Tiffany prides themselves on their stricter standards would you say their ''I'' colored diamonds are very white & that I wouldn''t have to worry if I bought an ''I'' from them? Thanks!

rosy
their'' I'' color stone probably cost more than H color that vendors sell on here.if you buy a nice stone is a nice stone no matter who you buy it from.tiffany''s diamond don''t come from mars ,they just want you to think that so they can charge more.

Can I be honest with everyone? I would love to buy a stone off the internet but the truth is there is still a negative stigma to it. I''ve mentioned to several people that I might buy a stone off the internet & I get nothing but very bad responses. I know that I shouldn''t let what other people think bother me but in real life it does. Any thoughts?

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Have you seen the new Pricescope service Rosy?

The B&M vendor service - you can search for a stone AND a local jeweler to have call it in for you.
the link is at the top of the page.
The prices are only a shade higher than e-vendors (to cover the cost of having a real person face to face.
Just enter your post zip at the same time as you search for the stone you like.

Try it and let us know what you think - we are Beta testing it

 

[rosy]

Thanks Gary, I would definitely feel more comfortable doing that. Although it would be nice if Whiteflash or Good old gold participated since they are the two that get the most raves here. I guess you can''t have it all!

 

[reena]

i hear what you''re saying rosy, but once i figured out that i could get a much bigger, better cut stone for a lot less money than at tiff''s, i was sold. what''s going to impress people more (if that''s the concern)--having a bigger, sparklier rock on your hand, or having a smaller, less impressive stone from a brand name store?

not to mention, who''s really going to ask where you got it?

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

ring is a very personal experience! Don''t let what others think sway your decision. Most internet vendors have great quality guarantees. Reasonable inspection periods. Some have lifetime upgrades and trade-ins. Just like Tiffany''s. It depends what you want. A smaller stone and the tiffany''s name, which is great if that is what you want. Or a larger equally pretty stone that is higher in clarity, color AND carat and possibly and beautiful designer wedding band?

It is up to you but don''t let others dictate to you what you should do. I had a friend tell me.. Don''t buy off the internet.. Go to Costco? They may have had experiences with engagement rings; however, even if you have kids, will you tell someone else how to raise their kids?


Just a thought! I understand that it is scary to buy online.. but so many of these vendors will allay your fears with great service!

 

[Jennifer5973]

I'm already going straight to Halifax, so i am just going to say it--there is a solution to your problem: LIE.

If people ask you where your stone came from, you don't have to say Tiffany's but just say a local jeweler or whatever. Who cares? It would be a shame to dismiss some of the great stones found online just for that reason. if the reason is more that you would rather buy in person, then that's another story and totally understandable...I understand since I am the same way...but I also have a great local guy so i was lucky, but I'd buy from one of the reputable vendors here in a minute. If you don't have a local option, use the local vendor program to find one as Garry suggests...and if you aren't happy then try online. And scr*w what anyone else thinks!

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

LOL! Jennifer, I didn''t know that Canada was H*LL LOL!

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 11/6/2004 11:17:53 AM
Author: fortheloveofdiamonds
LOL! Jennifer, I didn't know that Canada was H*LL LOL!

Oops...

I just thought "Halifax" was an old-fashioned term for well, you know....

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

I thought it was cute!

 

[Jax172]

I''ve seen a Tiffany I, and yes they are pretty white.

But as far as internet purchasing goes, I wouldn''t rule it out because of what other people say. We got the same funny looks, but what is fun now is when people compliment my ring and I tell them we got it online they look shocked and amazed and want to know all about it.


You''ll be surprised how their attitudes will change when they see the gorgeous ring you found online and hear how much you saved.



Same thing happened with my wedding dress. My mom was so against me ordering it online, but when it came in perfect condition at half the price the bridal store wanted she couldn''t stop telling people about how smart her daughter was.

 

[rosy]

Okay I like the suggestion to LIE but would probably not feel good about doing that. Believe me, women will always ask "Where did you get it from?" Men probably not as much although I do have one super nosy male co-worker who would probably want to know the color & clarity as well. Plus, if they''re looking for a ring they might ask to go to the same place you went. A lot of the B & M''s offer the same drop shipped diamonds that Pricescope vendors carry. One B & M came very close to the Pricescope prices but after you add in tax it''s not so close anymore. In all honestly I would much rather buy from Nice ice or Whiteflash ACA, whose diamonds are in house & inspected. I don''t really like the idea of drop shipped diamonds from any B & M or online retailer. Perhaps I could tell a little white lie...........I got it from a store in New York that one of my friends visited on her trip there. They told her they could only ship diamonds to an appraiser & so they sent the ring to my appraiser to set.........How does this one sound?? Not bad huh?

 

[solange]

I saw an I color stone in Tiffany's. My husband said I should buy there. He was horrified when I said I was going to buy from an Internet vendor.

I bought an I color stone from Whiteflash and I am very happy with it. I got a 4.10 SI2. Whiteflash does not drop ship and Brian the cutter looks at every stone and will discuss it at length. Then you can have it sent to an appraiser where you can see it. My stone appraised very well. It is eyeclean from all angles. The appraiser said that because the stone was so well proportioned and lively, it faced up more like a G or H. It was less than half the price of the Tiffany 4.01 and I do not have to keep it in the vault or pay an enormous insurance premium in order to have the Tiffany name. Diamonds of this quality are a poor investment so I was just looking for a stone that looks great to me.

I have had it for a few months and cannot see the inclusions. I know where they are but cannot find them unless I look at it with a loop.


Tiffany's does not sell SI stones but I was not particularly concerned as long as the inclusions are not visible. The stone is very well cut and is very bright and sparkly. I went back to Tiffany's wearing my ring and felt the color was just as good as their I color.



After I saw the stone at the appraiser, I had it sent back to Whiteflash for a custom Tiffany style setting. I did not pay Whiteflash anything until the day before it was ready to be shipped by overnight Fed-Ex.


I know some people have a prejudice against buying on-line. People rarely ask me where I got my stone. I will tell friends but if someone asks me and I do not want to go into a whole explanation, I simply say I got it from a damond broker from Texas.

 

[rosy]

Wow, you lucky girl a 4 carat! Thanks for the reassurance about the Tiffany I diamond being white. I feel much better about getting that color now. Yes I would not be buying at Tiffanys but I''m doing an upgrade on a diamond I already own & I don''t need two diamonds in my closet & I don''t want to make my diamond into a pendant or anything like that. I really only like to wear a diamond ring & no other jewlery. If I wasn''t upgrading I would probably choose the Whiteflash ACA. It appeals to me the most.

 

[Hest88]

Whiteflash is in Texas. Niceice is in Oregon, and these are not robot people inhabiting a virtual world. It is no lie to say you got your ring from Texas or from Oregon. However, if more people shrugged off the stigma of Internet purchases someone no one will bat an eye when you say you bought your ring online.

 

[solange]

Date: 11/6/2004 2:30:59 PM
Author: Hest88
Whiteflash is in Texas. Niceice is in Oregon, and these are not robot people inhabiting a virtual world. It is no lie to say you got your ring from Texas or from Oregon. However, if more people shrugged off the stigma of Internet purchases someone no one will bat an eye when you say you bought your ring online.

This is true. However a number of people have had or heard of bad experiences buying on-line or have heard horror stories of rip-offs. Even my husband was against the idea of buying from an internet vendor.


This is not true if you buy from a reliable Pricescope vendor. However I really do not want to go into a whole explanation of where I got my ring and why it was worthwhile to do so. I just want to end the conversation and talk about something other than my ring and I find this is the easiest way to do so with people who are terrified or do not know how to buy on-line and then start asking all sorts of questions as to how and why. If it is a friend who is interested in buying a ring, I tell them where I got it.



There is no question that you can get a very bad deal if you buy from an unreliable on-line source just as you can when you buy a diamond from a B&M if you do not study the situation. Most of the people I know just go to a family jeweler and really haven't a clue as to what they bought.

 

[lmurden]

Solange, your ring was so gorgeous! It was one of the reasons why I bought an I color diamond.

As far as lying about where you purchased your ring I just don''t think it''s worth. Why would lie? It''s noboby''s business where you got your ring from besides they are not paying for it! I''d also be shocked if someone had something negative to say about a beautiful diamond ring. The only person who asked about my ring was the appraiser and he was quite impressed.

 

[solange]

I don't consider it a lie. If I think the person is really interested in buying a ring, I will certainly tell them. However buying on the internet takes time. You have to really know what you want and it is a waste of time explaining this to someone who has a closed mind and really does not want to know.

Of the first few people I told, I was asked how I knew it was a real diamond, how did I know that the stone was not switched, and all sorts of negative input. When I asked about their rings, they usually did not have any other information than the carat weight. Buying on line is not for everyone.



Thank you for your nice compliment about my ring Imurden.

 

[baltneu]

It has been some time, but I did look at Tiff, and I thought that "I" , SI1 was their lowest grade. Is this correct?

 

[lmurden]

Tiffany sells VS2 clarity or better and I color or better. You can go to their website and get that information.

One thing about buying diamond ring on the internet is that the next day after my ring arrived I got my ring appraised for a second opinion to make sure that I was getting what my fiance paid for. The average mall consumers just aren''t that savy, some people at work were shocked that I got my ring appraised and that it''s insured. I was shock that they never heard of insurance for their expensive diamond jewelry.

 

[Racer811]

Date: 11/6/2004 2:28

2 PM
Author: rosy
...Thanks for the reassurance about the Tiffany I diamond being white. I feel much better about getting that color now.

Sorry but I''m confused about the question: is a Tiffany''s I white?? I mean, an "I" is an "I" whether you pay 2x the price for the Tiffany''s name, or you get it online. Most people will say that a good cut will face up a bit whiter, and true, Tiffany''s (like many online vendors) has good cuts. But still, an I is an I !! And a Tiffany''s I will be yellower than a H from any online vendor.

 

[rosy]

I was just wondering if there was any truth to the "if a color is low it is automatically graded the lower color." I really wouldn''t want an I color that really should be a graded a J. Of course there are no miracles, certainly wouldn''t expect an I from Tiffany to look like an H elsewhere. That''s absurd.

 

[reena]

aren''t tiff''s stones graded by a lab such as GIA? if so, they''re going to be graded how they''re going to be graded, regardless if the stone is going to tiff''s or somewhere else.

if you ask me, what''s going to make a particular I stone look more or less yellow is the CUT of the stone you''re dealing with (better cut stones can mask color, especially in RBs), not the vendor.

 

[rosy]

Date: 11/7/2004 2:34:46 AM
Author: reena

aren''t tiff''s stones graded by a lab such as GIA? if so, they''re going to be graded how they''re going to be graded, regardless if the stone is going to tiff''s or somewhere else.

if you ask me, what''s going to make a particular I stone look more or less yellow is the CUT of the stone you''re dealing with (better cut stones can mask color, especially in RBs), not the vendor.

Are you saying that an AGS 000 that scores a 1.3 on the HCA & 1A on ACA would mask the "I" color?

 

[Racer811]

I think what he''s saying (like I mentioned) is that a stone with an excellent light return will mask the color to some extent, simply because what you see is a bunch of light reflections. OTOH, a stone that reflected no light would be easier to judge the color. Sounds like the stone you have in mind would be good candidate! You might be very happy with an I whereas others might be more sensitive to color.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

I think Tiff''s rings come with a GIA report. However, on the website it says that their diamonds are also inspected by the Tiffany Grading Lab, which "reserves the right to overule the existing certificates" such as a GIA. However, they do claim to assign the lower grade to a diamond that is borderline. So if the ''I'' is a high ''I'' it would be graded as an I and not a low "H"

Hope this helps.

 

[solange]

I inquired about a ring at Tiffany's. They gave me a Tiffany Gemological Laboratory Report that stated the stone was I color,VS1, Symmetry: Good, Polish: Very Good and Precision of cut:Excellent. The depth was 61.9% and the table was 59% and measurements 10.09x10.26 for a 4.01 stone. The price was $65,000 plus tax.

I did not feel that the salespeople there were particularly well informed about diamonds. They did not know what I was talking about when I mentioned a Sarin or angle measurements. Thiis was not an outstanding stone but I guess those who are intent on having the Tiffany name just assume their stones are special. I think Cartier, Van Cleef and Harry Winston have higher standards if you are willing to pay the price.

I bought an I color stone from Whiteflash. I went back to Tiffany's and my stone looked as good in color as theirs, in my opinion. My stone has excellent proportions and is very firey and bright. A well cut I color stone will look better than a poorly proportioned stone of better collor. My stone looks very white in some environments and not as white in others. But there is a post where people with G color and up seem to have this problem.

I am happy with the I color but if you are very sensitive to color you might want to go to an F or G. But the way the stone is cut makes a big difference in appearance and I do not think the I stones I saw at Tiffany's were any whiter in color than well cut I stones I saw elsewhere.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Solange:

Yes. I agree with you about the salespeople at Tiffany''s. They don''t know ANYTHING about diamonds and their properties. They are skilled salespeople that is all.

I bet your diamond looked fabulous in those Tiffany spotlights!! LOL!