Tiffany's and gemstones

[JewelFreak]

That stuff sickens me. I worked for Tiffany for a few years, left over 7 yrs ago. Since I don't have a gemology degree I wasn't selling gem jewelry but of course spent tons of time hanging out with it (& playing w/it after the store closed every night). The word always was that you may pay more but you can be sure of a Tiffany gem -- may be still true of diamonds, but obviously not colored stones or pearls. (All the jewel salespeople did their business, much better for much less, at vendors they knew in NYC.) Treatments certainly are not disclosed unless a customer asks & I don't know how much they tell them even then. What a darned shame.

When i was there they were opening stores like crazy; we all saw it becoming another mass-market store that carefully (& expensively) creates an image of quality. If you look at construction of some of the pieces now, they can be a little shoddy. Customer service has been cut way back from the excellent things they used to offer.

I was grossed out at what they call cut glass at Tiffany -- even made the faux pas of asking a merchandiser if it really is cut, because it looks & feels like pressed glass to me. Shocked reaction at my lack of taste, haha! I love cut glass, inherited some antique pieces that are among the finest made -- and the Tiff stuff, if cut, has some overzealous polishers! Couldn't find mold marks but man, otherwise I'd swear it's pressed.

Money is everything.

--- Laurie

 

[Arkteia]

I think it was the end of 2008 and I was looking for a demantoid. I left my card to a Tiffany saleslady and explained what I wanted. She said their store was not into demantoids, but called me a week later. She said there was a 0.8-ct. Russian demantoid gold ring, at 7 K. When I asked her about any treatment, she said, "Tiffany does not accept any treatment of its stones". And she did not just say it, it sounded like a statement.

I decided not to even look at it, because the price was too steep for the size. But like everyone else, I would like to thank you for posting this disclosure because it is helpful.

 

[Harriet]

Ltl,

I'd just like to congratulate you on your marriage!

 

[soberguy]

Does Tiffany and Co still think diffused and fracture filled corundum is acceptable?!

 

[chrono]

As far as I know, they are still selling stones with such treatment.

 

[SapphireSun]

My husband also purchased pearl earrings for me from Tiffany's. They were about $400 for 3mm so I thought they were high quality. Then I saw that they were cultured pearls and treated. I didn't know any better and wore them almost everyday and of course they started breaking down. From the top they still look beautiful with no chips or cracks, but on the back where they laid on my ears they have eroded. I really really wish I knew about PS long ago, but I'm still fairly young...

 

[distracts]

Does Tiffany and Co still think diffused and fracture filled corundum is acceptable?!

Why would they stop, when the vast majority of people don't care??

 

[minousbijoux]

Does Tiffany and Co still think diffused and fracture filled corundum is acceptable?!

Why would they stop, when the vast majority of people don't care??

Well said!