Tiffany''s vs. Blue Nile

[surfcityrjc]

The question I have is whether it is worth the huge mark-up - $4-5,000 - to buy the classic solitaire setting engagement ring at Tiffany''s when it seems like, for much less money, you get a better diamond in the same setting at www.bluenile.com or some other place.

 

[oldminer]

Few people would tell you to pay a lot more than necessary for a mounting, or a diamond, for that matter. The truth is that only a relatively few individuals do shop and buy at Tiffany & Co for diamonds and/or mountings. Those who do shop there would likely not shop elsewhere. To them, the money is well spent and they are content. Just look at the success Tiffany & Co. enjoys.

For the majority, the opposite might well be true. Saving a buck and buying right are smart options for nearly everyone to look at. A small minority do not need to examine these options or choose not to. That is real freedom of choice.

Is a BlueNile purchase the equal of Tiffany & Co? I think the answer would very much depend if you consider yourself a part of the majority or of the minority I have mentioned above.

 

[homer_j]

Well put oldminer. You have to figure out what is most important to you, not us, nor anybody else. Except her, of course. Having that mark may make a huge difference, or not. Good luck.

 

[DiamondOptics]

Many things to consider when purchasing from big name companies.

One thing to consider might be, "Price is not the subject."

What does that mean?

It simply means, that when you purchase from tiffanys,
you are purchasing from a 100 year tradition and business
practice, which for some is worth every penny.

Does that make their diamonds any better or more beautiful
than some of the branded and non-brandeds?

I'll let the consumer decide...

kirk

 

[surfcityrjc]

Thanks for the reply. The issue is not so much the diamond but the setting. My assumption is that the diamond I can choose in bluenile is better, the question is whether the classic solitaire 6 prong setting from Tiffany's is in any way better than from blue nile or other places other than the "Tiffany & Co." engraved on it.

 

[Rook]

Can you buy better quality diamonds from vendors other than Tiffany's? Yes. Can you find better deals on diamonds from other vendors than Tiffany's? Absolutely.

Tiffany's is not the place for someone who has taken the time to research diamonds and is confident that they can pick out a high quality diamond at a reasonable price from another vendor. Tiffany's major asset though, is for the customers who know they want a high quality diamond, but they do not have the time or desire to figure out what a "high quality diamond" is. Then of course there is that reputation and prestige that comes with that blue box.

I don't think I have ever seen a bad diamond at Tiffany's (I don't think anyone would say that about BlueNile or most vendors.) They are all beauties and with Tiffany's name sake and tradition you can be quite certain you will be happy with your purchase. If you have the time and desire to do the research and shop elsewhere to find a possible higher quality diamond or a better deal then go for it. If not and you can afford to Tiffany's is a great place to buy.

IMO.

 

[Love Street]

Hi! I've been eavesdropping here because I have the same question I think Surfcityrjc has, regarding the SETTING at Tiffany's versus some other place like the web. I LOVE the quality and cleanness of the Tiffany setting (for me it's the three stone I like), as well as Cartier settings. Is it possible to find settings of the same caliber on the web?

I know I would rather have a DIAMOND from the web than from Tiffany's or Cartier, because it seems you can get so much more for your money. But it seems the quality of the SETTINGS at those two places is hard to match. I went to one jewelry store looking for a Cartier-type pave ring, but it just didn't look as spectacular as the real thing - for one I think the little "windows of light" underneath were polished poorly because they were black. Am I not looking in the right place?

Could anyone reccommend a place on the web that has fantastic quality settings? Or are the "designers" like Cartier, Tiffany etc. the way to go if you really care about the craftsmanship of the setting?

 

[shurikt]

To answer the poster's questions: Yes, you can get an accurate replica of the tiffany 6 prong solitare setting from many other vendors. Is the Tiffany & Co. maker's mark worth the markup? That's hard to say. Most on this list would probably say no, but a few would disagree.

To provide a counterpoint to the esteemed Oldminer, for whom I have the utmost respect (and trust, as I've sent him diamonds to appraise in the past!)

Whether or not Tiffany diamonds depends very much on your frame of reference:

For the typical Pricescope participant, the comparison is generally between a 7 out of 10 Tiffany diamond or a 9+ out of 10 diamond from elsewhere for much, much less. In other words, NEVER Tiffany.

For your typical consumer (the other 99.9%), a 7 out of 10 Tiffany always beats a 3 of 10 typical "maul" diamond, but the tradeoff becomes price vs. quality. And with Tiffany vs. Zales, for instance, the Tiffany diamond is probably better and therefore might be worth that extra markup for the perception of quality. Never mind that the average consumer has no perception of quality and is probably being lied to at every step of the process...

So given the choice between Pricescope diamond & Tiffany diamond? Pricescope all the way.
Between Zales & Tiffany? Probably Tiffany.

But the bottom line is, the more you know about what you're going to buy, the better deal you're going to get no matter where you shop.

 

[PoopEater]

If you want a high quality setting, go with one of the many ring designers. Tacori, Ritani, Verragio, Vatche, Scott Kay all come to mind. Their rings are just as high quality, if not moreso, than Tiffany.

 

[surfcityrjc]

I am back with this direct question. Has anyone compared the 6 prong classic solitaire setting from Tiffany with the equivalent from blue nile or mondera.com? If so, what were your conclusions?

 

[sh101392]

we're looking at a diamond ring (a great quality diamond!) from tiffanys that is around $33,000. we did research and saw a similar diamond at bluenile for 22,900+1000(setting)= 24,000. the difference is about $9,000 (27% markup, not 50% to 75% markup as some people may think) i think it's worth it if you have the money to spend. of course you could buy even a better color/clarity diamond and/or a bigger diamond with the same cost at somewhere else. however, unless the "size" is an issue, diamond is a diamond, and that's it. what are you going to do with it later when you're still happily married to the man you love -- sell it and not wear the ring? absolutely nothing but wear it, right? so, wearing a tiffany ring that has the brand stamped on the band and the real, original ring setting to feel good and brag about for the rest of my life is worth the extra 27% markup! my two cents.

 

[eyesoftexas]

If the Tiffany's ring is only marked up 27% (are you sure you compared an equivalent diamond - especially from the cut perspective) then go with your heart and get the Tiffany ring. I found that if I tried to build an equivalent of Tiffany's new legacy ring I would only be saving about $3k at the most and that would not inlcude the hassels and worry of the custom made ring. I also know that in the USA name brands are important - look at the success of BMW, Ralph Lauren or even prestegious private universities - It means a lot to most (I did not say all!!). Is the product any better - no, but people think it is (and that includes Harvard!- please no flak on this unless you went there-then we can talk).

 

[limey]

What about keeping the budget the same as it would be from Tiffany's, and getting a better diamond, (not necessarily from Blue Nile but someone like GO, WF, DCD, NI) AND a better setting. There are dozens of setting alternatives from Tiffany copies that are very close, some are actually cleaner IMHO or you can get a craftsman to make you are a one of a kind piece. Why put a $23k stone in a $1k setting when you have such a budget? Why not put a $30k stone in a $3k setting. Same money and a lot more to show.

Tiffany markup. You can only judge by comparing apples to apples. I found there markup to be unacceptable with similarly spec'd diamonds.

Check out some of these designers: http://weddingband.com/designhub.html and search these forum for plenty of others.

Good luck

 

[valeria101]

I would compare the respective Tiffany's ring with a nice one 'assembled' of ideal cut round diamond and a top quality custom made setting - I suspect that most popular 'designer' settings out there would not be by far as well made upon close scrutiny. Maybe 2k for the setting plus the stone? If this still leaves a large price difference compared to the Tiffany ring, this is it!

Also, Tiffany does no carry some lower color and clarity grades which make sensible buys and you might go for otherwise...

I have no special sympathy for Tiffany's. Great jewelry should not need a name stamped on to back up it's value, I suppose.

As for BN... well, they do not have Tiffany's name - for what that's worth in a pretty standard model - and still charge more than most online sellers. Their guarantee for 'ideal cuts' or 'signature' diamonds comes with less explanation (so, I imply, less strict standards ?) than others. I am not sure one would go around saying "you know, this is a BN ring". At least Tiffany's pieces are recognizable and some would value this.

 

[ShopDiva]

Blue Nile should be just fine!! Tiffany's is great don't get me wrong, I would love to say "my rings from tiffany" but the prices are crazy!! If that doesn't matter to you then do it, but when we looked into it buying my ring from them the size diamond to $$ ratio was outrageous (your paying for the name)not to say it's not good quality..it is, but it's your choice. I'd rather get max quality plus max quanity for my money. My ring is Scott Kay and I'm very happy with it! Good Luck, let us know!!

 

[aljdewey]

Folks, it's nice you want to help and all, but this thread is more than a year old now!




SH101, is there some reason you're pulling up outdated threads and answering them?

 

[ShopDiva]

WHOOPS YOUR RIGHT! OH WELL

 

[sevens one]

Hey surfcityrjc, there was a post from someone who got their setting from Lazare Kaplan. It looked very similiar to the Tiffany setting. I'll try to find the post.
Nan

 

[sevens one]

Here's the link.https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ring-for-soon-to-be-fiance.8985/

Hope this helps. He even commented that when looking for diamond bands in Tiffany the employee thought his ring was an actual tiffany ring.
nan

 

[AlbanBerg]

Does anyone know where I can get a picture to SEE the Tiffany legacy engagement ring? I don't have a Tiffany's within many miles of where I live, and it's not in their online catalog.

Many thanks!

Alban B

 

[69gm]

aljdewey,

you are sooo observant. i must admit, if you hadn't mentioned it, i would've never noticed.

 

[soontobeengaged]

Did anyone ever post a picture of the Tiffany's Legacy ring and matching wedding band? I don't live near a Tiffany's and would really love to see it.
Thanks

 

[reena]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/tiffany-legacy-ring.17588/

 

[diagem]

I have no idea, but i dont understand why it cant be seen on the Tiffany web site. If people want to see this ring and they cant, then how will Tiffany sell this gorgeous ring?