Should I buy the ring from Tiffany''s?
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peterchristopher
Rough_Rock
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Sherman,
I was in the same position as you a few months ago but after spending a lot of time on this site I finally decided to abandon Tiffany's and buy an A Cut Above Hearts & Arrows stone from WhiteFlash.com with a Vatche X-Prong setting. Interestingly, Vatche actually supplies the same ring to Tiffany's for their Lucida diamonds. I am getting a better stone and an identical setting for a lot less than I would have paid at Tiffany's.
What I have learned is that if you do your homework you can get a higher quality stone for a lot less than at Tiffany's. Furthermore, I have come to question the allegedly superior quality of the diamonds at Tiffany's--it seems you are mostly paying for the name and not necessarily getting the quality to match. You should also assume that the salespeople don't know what they are talking about because a lot of the time they don't. Educate yourself, don't let them do it for you.
Buy an IdealScope and go back to Tiffany's. It will tell you a lot more than anything the salespeople can tell you. If you end up buying online, get yourself acquainted with the Holloway Cut Adviser. I can recommend goodoldgold.com if you are comfortable buying online or if you live near Long Island. Jonathan, the owner (?), is very helpful. He supplies more information about his diamonds than you could ever hope to get anywhere else. The only reason I did not buy from him right away was that WhiteFlash.com happened to have exactly what I was looking for. In the end I'm glad I went with them, I can't say enough good things about them.
Hope this helps.
Peter
I was in the same position as you a few months ago but after spending a lot of time on this site I finally decided to abandon Tiffany's and buy an A Cut Above Hearts & Arrows stone from WhiteFlash.com with a Vatche X-Prong setting. Interestingly, Vatche actually supplies the same ring to Tiffany's for their Lucida diamonds. I am getting a better stone and an identical setting for a lot less than I would have paid at Tiffany's.
What I have learned is that if you do your homework you can get a higher quality stone for a lot less than at Tiffany's. Furthermore, I have come to question the allegedly superior quality of the diamonds at Tiffany's--it seems you are mostly paying for the name and not necessarily getting the quality to match. You should also assume that the salespeople don't know what they are talking about because a lot of the time they don't. Educate yourself, don't let them do it for you.
Buy an IdealScope and go back to Tiffany's. It will tell you a lot more than anything the salespeople can tell you. If you end up buying online, get yourself acquainted with the Holloway Cut Adviser. I can recommend goodoldgold.com if you are comfortable buying online or if you live near Long Island. Jonathan, the owner (?), is very helpful. He supplies more information about his diamonds than you could ever hope to get anywhere else. The only reason I did not buy from him right away was that WhiteFlash.com happened to have exactly what I was looking for. In the end I'm glad I went with them, I can't say enough good things about them.
Hope this helps.
Peter
peterchristopher
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That is a pretty silly reason IMHO. But if the name is really that important to her (or you) than go with what makes you feel comfortable. Just make sure that you are comfortable paying 25%+ more for the name alone. Make sure you buy an IdealScope and use it to evaluate whatever you end up buying. It will at least help you pick out a good stone at Tiffany's.
Be aware that there are stones out there that make Tiffany's look like cubic zirconium, such as the 8-Star. Maybe that's an exagerration, but I can't stress enough that you are paying for name, NOT quality. The reason I went with A Cut Above is that their quality approaches, if not equals, that of 8-star, without the 40% markup. Finally, I recommend that you at least check out www.whiteflash.com and read about the history of the company. I think you will be impressed.
Peter
Be aware that there are stones out there that make Tiffany's look like cubic zirconium, such as the 8-Star. Maybe that's an exagerration, but I can't stress enough that you are paying for name, NOT quality. The reason I went with A Cut Above is that their quality approaches, if not equals, that of 8-star, without the 40% markup. Finally, I recommend that you at least check out www.whiteflash.com and read about the history of the company. I think you will be impressed.
Peter
SHE WOULD THINK YOU WERE CHEAP B/C YOU GOT A DIAMOND OF THE EXACT SAME QUALITY FOR A LITTLE LESS MONEY??? SO WHEN YOU GET MARRIED YOU ARE GONNA BUY 6 DOLLAR TOILET PAPER WHEN YOU CAN GET THE SAME THING FOR 3, JUST SO SHE DOESN'T THINK YOU ARE CHEAP??? SHE SHOULD BE HAPPY YOU WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH HER AND NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT YOU BEING CHEAP WHEN SHE REALLY GOT THE SAME THING FOR LESS. SORRY I BABBLED ON, BUT IF YOU WANNA GO AND SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON SOMETHING YOU COULD GET FOR A BETTER PRICE THEN SO BE IT, AS LONG AS YOUR HAPPY, I MEAN AS LONG AS SHE'S HAPPY.
DiamondJoeQuimby
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You do know you can get taken just as easily from a brick and morter store as from an internet store. Tiffanys stuff is good, but you could buy the EXACT same stone/setting from a different jeweler for much less.
As someone already said the Lucida setting is a DVatche design, so you are actually buying a bastardized version of his design from Tiffanys. If you want the name, and thats it, buy Tiffanys, if you want the best quality stone/setting for the money, keep shopping. I too was deathly afraid of internet jewelers, but have been so happy with what I bought from Diamond Brokers of Florida.
I looked at a 1 carat Tiffanys Lucida setting, the stone was average in all categories...they still wanted over $13k for it. No thanks. I'll take my cheap stone over that anyday.
As someone already said the Lucida setting is a DVatche design, so you are actually buying a bastardized version of his design from Tiffanys. If you want the name, and thats it, buy Tiffanys, if you want the best quality stone/setting for the money, keep shopping. I too was deathly afraid of internet jewelers, but have been so happy with what I bought from Diamond Brokers of Florida.
I looked at a 1 carat Tiffanys Lucida setting, the stone was average in all categories...they still wanted over $13k for it. No thanks. I'll take my cheap stone over that anyday.
As a woman, I wouldn't mind if my hubby had bot a ring of the same quality for less money. I would be proud of him!! But I would be EVEN PROUDER, if he bot me a better/bigger one with the same money. At the end of the day, you go with a budget in mind and you can spend the same money and get her something a lot better.
I think every woman would agree with this!
I think every woman would agree with this!
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On 10/16/2002 2:02:00 PM
I would like to hear more opinions from the Ladies.
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I'm with Nineta. I think she would enjoy a larger, same quality (if not better) stone than a 1c w/ the Tiffany name. If as Diamond Joe (BTW - Congrats to you and best wishes to your finance) said for 13K (Tiffany 1c price) you could get an excellent 1.5- 2c stone. Good as Gold (Johnatan) has a presence on the net; but, also has a B&M store in Long Island if you feel more comfortable with that approach.
Personally, I would NOT think you were cheap buying a stone over the internet - just a caring savy buyer. It may take more effort to purchase over the net....finding out cut specifics & having an independent party check the stone out - then finding someone to set it. Please keep in mind that I when I refer to the "net" I DO NOT include Ebay in the fray. Many B&M stores get the stones off the dealer's "net" via Rap or polygon.
I think given the choice between 1C stone & 1.5 - 2c stone of equal or better quality - one being from Tiffany the 1.5 -2c from other source.......well that's a bet I'd take all day long.
That said, you can get a significantly larger possibly better stone from a non Tiffany source.
A great stone with no excuses - G/H VS1 or VS2 w/ an excellent cut to very good cut.
Good luck - and you could always ask a girlfriend or sibling to see what their take would be.
On 10/16/2002 2:02:00 PM
I would like to hear more opinions from the Ladies.
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I'm with Nineta. I think she would enjoy a larger, same quality (if not better) stone than a 1c w/ the Tiffany name. If as Diamond Joe (BTW - Congrats to you and best wishes to your finance) said for 13K (Tiffany 1c price) you could get an excellent 1.5- 2c stone. Good as Gold (Johnatan) has a presence on the net; but, also has a B&M store in Long Island if you feel more comfortable with that approach.
Personally, I would NOT think you were cheap buying a stone over the internet - just a caring savy buyer. It may take more effort to purchase over the net....finding out cut specifics & having an independent party check the stone out - then finding someone to set it. Please keep in mind that I when I refer to the "net" I DO NOT include Ebay in the fray. Many B&M stores get the stones off the dealer's "net" via Rap or polygon.
I think given the choice between 1C stone & 1.5 - 2c stone of equal or better quality - one being from Tiffany the 1.5 -2c from other source.......well that's a bet I'd take all day long.
That said, you can get a significantly larger possibly better stone from a non Tiffany source.
A great stone with no excuses - G/H VS1 or VS2 w/ an excellent cut to very good cut.
Good luck - and you could always ask a girlfriend or sibling to see what their take would be.
Richard Sherwood
Ideal_Rock
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Richard Sherwood
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I have to say i was like you two weeks ago until i discovered this web site. Pricescope helped me learn everything about buying a diamond. I just recieved my diamond from Whiteflash.com 1.02 IF E color 61.6%depth 57%table 15%pavillion, EX EX and no culet.$7,000. It was appraised two hours after i got it at Baily Banks & Biddle which is where she wanted her ring from with a Scott Kay designer setting, platinum, of course. This store would have wanted $17,500.00 if i bought it there. Hey i was born at night but not last night. You are not cheap buy buying the stone online...you are being savvy. My diamond and the setting were appraised at almost $20,000.00...19,700 to be exact.
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On 10/17/2002 7:31:35 AM
Okay, okay, you can keep her then.
Just show her you're going to start your marriage off right by buying quality over a name.
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Yep, shows true confidence.
Actually you bring up an interesting point. I was talking to a friend the other day whose son was ring shopping at an old established jewelery store. She went w/ him as introduction. The jeweler proceeded to tell her of stories of couples going ring shopping and the nerve of some of the women.....to the point that "If you don't buy me x amount of carats then I'm not going to marry you". Temper tantrums in the store, etc. Some boys take out bank loans to pay for a diamond they clearly can not afford.
My point, I would have to question how solid the foundation for the marriage would be. If I were a young man, I would run not walk away from such a women.
Of course, there exists the flip side when the guy is just cheap - I would wonder about this senario also.
On 10/17/2002 7:31:35 AM
Okay, okay, you can keep her then.
Just show her you're going to start your marriage off right by buying quality over a name.
----------------
Yep, shows true confidence.
Actually you bring up an interesting point. I was talking to a friend the other day whose son was ring shopping at an old established jewelery store. She went w/ him as introduction. The jeweler proceeded to tell her of stories of couples going ring shopping and the nerve of some of the women.....to the point that "If you don't buy me x amount of carats then I'm not going to marry you". Temper tantrums in the store, etc. Some boys take out bank loans to pay for a diamond they clearly can not afford.
My point, I would have to question how solid the foundation for the marriage would be. If I were a young man, I would run not walk away from such a women.
Of course, there exists the flip side when the guy is just cheap - I would wonder about this senario also.
kathishopping
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hi there & congrats on your impending engagement.
its a fact..."KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" PLEASE don't purchase something because of the blue box it comes in...wise up & do some homework! if after your studies you still feel compelled to purchase the blue box, then so be it. (i keep mentioning the box cause thats the allure of the sale...and the commissioned sales people like it that way too!)
as a girl...when it comes to diamonds...for me... bigger is better! THE BOX IT COMES IN PLAYS NO FACTOR!
good luck to you both.
its a fact..."KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" PLEASE don't purchase something because of the blue box it comes in...wise up & do some homework! if after your studies you still feel compelled to purchase the blue box, then so be it. (i keep mentioning the box cause thats the allure of the sale...and the commissioned sales people like it that way too!)
as a girl...when it comes to diamonds...for me... bigger is better! THE BOX IT COMES IN PLAYS NO FACTOR!
good luck to you both.
peterchristopher
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To be fair to Sherman, you can't completely dismiss the "Tiffany factor." All diamonds, not just Tiffany's diamonds, have artifically inflated prices. You can thank DeBeers for that. And whoever said you have to give a diamond as a token of engagement anyway? DeBeers did. People did not generally give diamonds as tokens of engagment until relatively recently, when DeBeers became an international price-fixing cartel armed with one of the most successful advertising campaigns ever.
Point is, the only reason we buy diamonds in the first place is because everyone else does. Same goes for Tiffany's, it all depends on the crowd you run with to a certain extent.
The difference is that those of us who are savvy shoppers refuse to pay those ridiculously high prices. But even the most clever of us still pay a lot more than what we should be paying. The game is fixed. It's just a matter of how much we are willing to be taken.
Point is, the only reason we buy diamonds in the first place is because everyone else does. Same goes for Tiffany's, it all depends on the crowd you run with to a certain extent.
The difference is that those of us who are savvy shoppers refuse to pay those ridiculously high prices. But even the most clever of us still pay a lot more than what we should be paying. The game is fixed. It's just a matter of how much we are willing to be taken.
kathishopping
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bingbongbug
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Personally, if I found out my sweetie bought a diamond and paid more than he had to, I'd be upset with him!
I don't see the internet as being a "cheap" way to go. There is MUCH more selection to be found, and on the whole, far better quality. It doesn't take much self-education in diamonds before one discovers that.
Besides, if a woman has a fit over a ring not having the right name, or enough carats, I don't think she's great wife material to begin with. It's getting married and spending your life with someone that you're symbolizing with the ring...not the other way around.
I don't see the internet as being a "cheap" way to go. There is MUCH more selection to be found, and on the whole, far better quality. It doesn't take much self-education in diamonds before one discovers that.
Besides, if a woman has a fit over a ring not having the right name, or enough carats, I don't think she's great wife material to begin with. It's getting married and spending your life with someone that you're symbolizing with the ring...not the other way around.
peterchristopher
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