Tiffany 0.67-70 pricing

[flexicitus]

Dear all,
I am looking to purchase an e-ring from Tiffany Toronto this weekend. It would be helpful to know some price parameters before I go in. That said, would any of you happen to know the prices for a nearly 0.70 or a 0.70 on the Tiffany setting in platinum? The Canadian site says a 1 ct starts at $12,000. I was considering a 0.50 but if 0.70 seems to be nicer, isn''t it?

Any help will be wonderful!!

Fl

 

[hoorray]

I have always heard that Tiffany''s does not negotiate on prices. Thus, the price is what they say it is. However, if you want to get familar with what internet pricing would be for a comparable stone, you can do some searches here on the prices link above. The prices will be lower than Tiffany''s. You pay for the name, the blue box, and the retail markup with Tiffany''s, but it is a comparison that you can use, knowing the differences in markup. Keep your search specs to an H/I color or better and your clarity to VS2 (which is PLENTY) or better, and your cut to premium or ideal. Tiffany is vague about the cut parameters at this size, but their cuts are good or better. Whether they are as good as the super ideals you can find here is up for debate, but I''m not trying to go there. I just want to give you a comparison.

Net net, this search won''t tell you what Tiffany''s will charge, but it will tell you what you can get with slightly more leg work, sans the blue box and brand name. It''s a fair comparison that you then need to factor in those 2 things.

 

[flexicitus]

Many thanks for your advice. I absolutely understand the vast alternative vendors besides Tiffany but my heart is set on it. My question is rather how to combine the 3 C (considering that I am going for excellent cut/symmetry) for a good 0.67-0.7. From my experience with a Tiffany salesperson, their first selection is often made up in such a way to test my criterion for the diamond. The second selection then has a few diamonds of similiar qualities within a very skillfully designed range of prices in which the second highest (to me) would often seem to have the best combination of value and quality. Since I don''t know all their diamond inventry I like to know some tips on asking the right question from the start. The worst I suppose is to give them my budget from the start, or is it? I am thinking of going as high as E/F and as low as G. But is I acceptable, really? In terms of clarity I am considering VS2 but would VVS2 adds some more fire and brilliance? Any tips?

Fl

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Clarity has nothing to do with fire and brilliance, except maybe in a very included stone. Considering there is such an extreme price premium for the Tiffany name, I'd certainly be looking at G and H color stones unless your budget is unlimited. And VS1 and VS2 are perfectly fine. Tiffany does not sell bad diamonds. It all boils down to the size you really want and the price you're willing to pay. What size stones do her friends and family have? What size is her finger? I'd certainly rather have a .70 over a .50. But there are some areas of the world where anything above .50 would be large. Then there are other places, like Beverly Hills, perhaps, where anything under 2 carats is very small. You do need to have some ideas of size, color, clarity, and price before you go in. But since they do have fixed prices, there is nothing wrong with telling them your budget up front. The prices are right there on the rings.

 

[flexicitus]

Wow how much I just love how quick the responses here are!! The kind of your helpful advice is what I am looking for!! Do you think a G-H VS2 would not look as nice as an E-F VVS2 of the same quality in cut and symmetry? I would be pretty happy to find a 0.67-70 G-VS2 Ex/ex/ex for the price of a 0.50 E/F VVS2 at Tiffany, wouldn''t I?

Fl

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yes, I think you are correct that you can get closer to .70 if you stay near the G VS2. Most of us would not be able to tell an F from a G or even an H in an ideal cut diamond. And most VS2 diamonds are completely eye clean and most VS1''s are hard to see inclusions even with a loupe. So VVS is really totally unnecessary unless you just have the extra money to do it...same with higher color. The ideal cut G VS2 will look as good as an E-F VVS, so you can just get a larger stone for the money by going with the G.

 

[flexicitus]

This forum has been a most wonderful companion to me in my quest for this ring. Buying an e-ring seems to be such a touchy topic and socially isolated experience among friends especially if they know or would meet my fiance. Just the opportunity to discuss my heart''s concerns is already a tremedous source of support. I very much look forwards to getting the ring and to focusing on the rest of the ''picture''. One has to know that while the ring is important it is not everything. I have spent countless hours of many sleepless nights to think on it. My conclusion is that the perfect ring is the one that she wants. I also think to learn about what she wants and what I want is one of the most valuable parts of the ring, an experience which no brand could ever offer me in full.

Now back to the technical specs: a G VG2, ex/ex/vg-ex. Does anyone have any ideas as to how much it would cost? Should I just go for this spec at the store from the start?

Fl

 

[JulieN]

http://www.signedpieces.com/item.cfm?item_id=4065

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/1/2006 10:14:42 PM
Author: flexicitus
This forum has been a most wonderful companion to me in my quest for this ring. Buying an e-ring seems to be such a touchy topic and socially isolated experience among friends especially if they know or would meet my fiance. Just the opportunity to discuss my heart''s concerns is already a tremedous source of support. I very much look forwards to getting the ring and to focusing on the rest of the ''picture''. One has to know that while the ring is important it is not everything. I have spent countless hours of many sleepless nights to think on it. My conclusion is that the perfect ring is the one that she wants. I also think to learn about what she wants and what I want is one of the most valuable parts of the ring, an experience which no brand could ever offer me in full.

Now back to the technical specs: a G VG2, ex/ex/vg-ex. Does anyone have any ideas as to how much it would cost? Should I just go for this spec at the store from the start?

Fl

You are a very wise man! I love all that you said above!

I just did a search and it looks like here, a .70 G VS2 ideal cut stone would run close to $3000. The Tiffany reproduction setting is about $1400 in platinum. So we are talking about $4400 from these vendors. My rough estimation would be to expect the same ring to be around $6000-7000 US. But that is a rough guess based on the prices I saw when I went there. Tiffany rings are very classic and beautiful. I don''t think you can go wrong there. If this price range looks acceptable to you, I think you can go in and tell them you want to look at rings around .70, around G VS2 and excellent cut. Be open to look at others close to that. You''ll see the prices on the tags, so you can eliminate those that are too high. But it will be good to look at several, if possible.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/1/2006 10:29:28 PM
Author: JulieN
http://www.signedpieces.com/item.cfm?item_id=4065

Oh my goodness Julie!!! This was not posted when I was writing my last post! I really nailed the price estimate!

Wow Flexicitus, I think I''d strongly consider the ring at Signed Pieces since it is almost exactly what you want with a very nice discount! Would she like the idea of saving some money or would she insist on a brand new ring?

 

[flexicitus]

Many thanks for your thoughts and kind words!! The ring on signed piece is one I have looked at for days and nights. Their salesperson told me that it would not come with the original box nor with a GIA nor with the replacement valuation report. Knowing her I think the much safer course of action would be to get a brand new one. Needless to say this beautiful piece is extremely tempting and the cut seems good as well. Your valuation is absolutely brilliant!! If $6800 is for a G VVS2 perhaps a GVS2 which is near 0.70 would be a bit less. What do you think?


Fl

 

[firebirdgold]

Oooh, that''s nice!

 

[Oleander]

I haven't priced Tiffany stones in your targeted size range in a long time. I would guess based on other carat weights I saw recently, that the figure of $6,000 is about on target, with some being more based on color and clarity, and some less.

Tiffany carries D-I and IF-VS2. After seeing stones here on Pricescope in the I-K range and SI1 that look spectacular, I would not hesitate to choose an H, maybe even I, VS2 from Tiffany. No hesitation at all, if the stone looked gorgeous to me. You may even make it to a larger stone in that range, depending on inventory.

Depending on the store set up, you may be able to bring the ring(s) by a window--this is a nice thing to do to see its performance in more natural light. Just ask the sales associate--hopefully they will be helpful in that regard.

I have an "H" myself, and can't see any body color, except the slightest hint from the side. Remember: if you have a "D" and an "H" next to each other, you may see a difference in color; but when it's just the stone alone, in a ring, not in a side-by-side contest, you will likely not see the color at all.

I can't wait to hear what they had for you to look at!

 

[flexicitus]

I was counting on my luck and the generosity of many here when I posted my Tiffany question. And many of you have shown me as many insights as kindness! I am of course tempted to spend a little less for a beautiful ring, if I can. That said, I wonder what you, especially ladies, would think of H or I. How does that look on paper and/or in the company of other ladies usually? I also read that the difference between excellent/very good symmetry isn''t big enough to be important. Is that true, too? My main concern of course is ''light performance'': brilliance, fire, and the sparkles under normal light. She doesn''t seem to care much for the H&A patterns ... so I bet she would likely have a great appreciation for a Tiffany diamond. So I hope ..!


Fl

 

[Small]

I was in Tiffany this weekend browsing as I do when we hit Michigan Ave in downtown Chicago and I have to say that I looked at a few of the Tiffany classic solataires (just for comparison to my Infinity cut) and I would without hesitation take an H or an I to save money. They still face up very white (I have a G and really couldn''t tell the difference face up) and the diamonds looked amazing. I was shown a 1.5 VS1 I and it was stunning...ofcourse the price wasn''t stunning LOL

I love their diamonds and the classic tiffany setting...I''d say she''ll love an H or an I and so will your pocket LOL Good luck!

 

[flexicitus]

WOW! This is an extremely encouraging and helpful piece of information!! Merci beacoup!! Did you come cross any prices of the size of my interest? How about the 1ct? Were you shown any GIA reports for the stones you saw? Any H&A by any chane? H or I eh? INTERESTING! Thanks so much for the info!


Fl

 

[flexicitus]

By the way is it better to walk in or to make an appointment for in-store consultation? What is the difference?

Fl

 

[Oleander]

On my last visit to Tiffany, I asked to see (for fun):

1.5-something ctw, F, VVS1 for $24,900
1.97 ctw G, VS2 for $28,900

Both were stunning.

A 1.0 carat hovers around $10,000-12,000 depending on characteristics, I believe.

 

[flexicitus]

My word!! I hope the rock of my interest won''t come with those long numbers!!


Fl

 

[firebirdgold]

A GVS2 will be less. Although I find that dropping in color grade tends to impact price more. Probably because without a loupe there's no way to tell the difference between a VVS and a VS. But if you put an otherwise equal D next to an H in the right light most people call tell there's a difference, however no one looking at her ring will notice if it's a G or an H. The graduations on the color scale are not even and I feel that I's do have a detectable slight warmth. (I have an I SI1 in an antique cut and love it, btw.)
When I looked at Tiffanys I couldn't tell the difference between an D and a G. It seems to me that all their diamonds are lovely, but I'd still concentrate more on the cut and less on the color and clarity. Sparkle is what other women notice, and it's what causes them to ooh and aah over my ring!

 

[flexicitus]

IndieJones, you have made a very important point about personality which is something I need to see for myself. Thank you. The top specs don't automatically make the perfect diamond for an engagement ring. I think that's what makes the experience of seeing the rings in person all the more personal and meaningful. Granted I would have easily got a nice ring from one of the online vendors whose collections are simply quite wonderful. If I could afford or find an affordable F I would likely go for it, but the priority now is, as you put it, CUT. Hopefully I would be able to find something a bit lower than $6000 for a near 0.70 ct in the range of G-H VS2. Is it a good idea to make an in-store consultation appointment?


Fl

 

[susi]

Hello...and yes, making an appointment for a consultation can be a good thing. Before I found my Tiffany ring on SignedPieces, I had made an appt with a consultant to see rings of my specifications. She was going to bring in rings from other Tiffany stores for me to see within a quality and price range.

She was very nice and I feel this is a great way to see pieces with your specifications.

eta: In my research, I found that lowering clarity affects pricing less than the color grades. Lowering color has a bigger impact on the price you will pay.

 

[firebirdgold]

Um, not to make life more confusing, but have you also considered a Tiffany Lucida? I know they tend to look a bit smaller face-up for their carat weight than a round, it's a truly gorgeous ring. I can't remember if they're more, less, or about the same per carat weight as a classic Tiffany, though.

ETA: if you make an appointment and they ask your budget, remember to lowball it by several hundred. They'll always try to sell you up, so this way it'll not go over your budget.

 

[Oleander]

I agree with the statement that color seems to affect price more heavily than clarity, so _definitely_ look at some "H" and "I" stones while you are there. You may love them or hate them, but it''s worth an open mind to try to get close to your goal of 0.7 ctw.

I don''t know the size of the Toronto store, but you may have to have some rings brought in from other stores, all depends on what''s in inventory that day. Hopefully you won''t have to wait for rings from another location, but you may have to be flexible. At the location I go to, there are always many many many rings in the 0.5-1.0 ctw range as I am sure that''s their best selling sizes.

As for the Lucida cut, it''s very pretty, but totally different from the classic solitaire. It''s a much heftier-looking ring than the classic: wider band, more substantial prongs (but still elegant)--a more modern ring to my eyes, and bolder. The stone faces up a little smaller than a round for the same carat weight, and _I_ personally don''t notice as much sparkle and life in the Lucida as I do in Tiffany''s rounds, but that''s just my opinion. I like its design as a piece of jewelry, but nor for me personally as an engagement ring. Be sure to ask your future wife if she likes such a style, since you know she has already asked for a tiffany classic-style setting and round cut stone.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Date: 10/2/2006 12:06:26 AM
Author: flexicitus
I was counting on my luck and the generosity of many here when I posted my Tiffany question. And many of you have shown me as many insights as kindness! I am of course tempted to spend a little less for a beautiful ring, if I can. That said, I wonder what you, especially ladies, would think of H or I. How does that look on paper and/or in the company of other ladies usually? I also read that the difference between excellent/very good symmetry isn''t big enough to be important. Is that true, too? My main concern of course is ''light performance'': brilliance, fire, and the sparkles under normal light. She doesn''t seem to care much for the H&A patterns ... so I bet she would likely have a great appreciation for a Tiffany diamond. So I hope ..!


Fl

To answer your question on what I would think of an H or I color...I have an I color pear that is my original e-ring stone and an H emerald cut that is an anniversary upgrade and I have to say that both stones are gorgeous! They look pretty white to me!

 

[gailrmv]

I know you said you were already considering the signed pieces ring and had rejected it, but the financially conservative side of me would be all over it!! It sounds like just what you are looking for at a great price. Diamonds are "recycled" ALL THE TIME so there is no guarantee that you are getting a "new" diamond at Tiff either. And this way you would have $ left over for the wedding band, earrings, vacation, savings, house downpayment, or similar!

 

[Beacon]

Hmmm, the signed pieces Tiff ring does come with the original Tiffany cert, according to the ad.

If you asked them for a GIA cert they won''t have one because Tiffany uses their own lab, not GIA. I would not let that rule out this ring at the good bargain it is.

 

[Oleander]

Date: 10/2/2006 2:35:00 PM
Author: Beacon
Hmmm, the signed pieces Tiff ring does come with the original Tiffany cert, according to the ad.


If you asked them for a GIA cert they won''t have one because Tiffany uses their own lab, not GIA. I would not let that rule out this ring at the good bargain it is.

I received a GIA certification with my Tiffany stone. Did they stop doing this?

 

[firebirdgold]

Date: 10/2/2006 2:42:38 PM
Author: Oleander

Date: 10/2/2006 2:35:00 PM
Author: Beacon
Hmmm, the signed pieces Tiff ring does come with the original Tiffany cert, according to the ad.


If you asked them for a GIA cert they won''t have one because Tiffany uses their own lab, not GIA. I would not let that rule out this ring at the good bargain it is.

I received a GIA certification with my Tiffany stone. Did they stop doing this?

Doesn''t mean the previous owner knows what the heck the did with it!

I think the bigger problem is the lack of a tiffany box, imho.

 

[Oleander]

IndieJones: I didn''t mean it was a problem with the prior owner that they may have lost the GIA paper. I inferred from this statement:

Date: 10/2/2006 2:35:00 PM
Author: Beacon
Hmmm, the signed pieces Tiff ring does come with the original Tiffany cert, according to the ad.


If you asked them for a GIA cert they won''t have one because Tiffany uses their own lab, not GIA. I would not let that rule out this ring at the good bargain it is.

that Tiffany no longer gives GIA papers to stones purchased in their stores. Nothing to do with Signed Pieces. I only asked out of curiosity.

As a Tiffany lover, the box means nothing to me. <-------opinion only