Appalled At Tiffanys!

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#31
Jujuma said:
I kinda figure it all comes out in the wash, depending on how you shop. I have a pair of large Roberto Coin diamond hoops my husband got me. They're beautiful but could he of gotten me ones with larger diamonds if he bought no name ones at the local jeweler? Yes. I also have a beautiful diamond pendant that is 1/2 carat with a halo around it, it's an Estate piece from our local jeweler and I got a tremendous price on it. Sometimes it nice to have that brand name and it's ok to pay for it and sometimes it's nice to get a bargain and when you wear them together they make each other look beautiful!
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That's what I've been thinking recently and I'm planning on buying a small dbty soon in YG from a local jeweler or website to go with the tiffany key :D
 
#32
Jesssh said:
I agree. You bought art, and art is in the eye of the beholder. Don't let someone else ruin it for you.

Just because something is worth a certain amount of money doesn't mean it's less valuable to you. I often associate the experience of the purchase with wearing the item. For this reason, there are items I bought from certain stores that I don't feel comfortable wearing because of where I bought them, or how I was treated when I bought them. For example, would you wear a nearly identical key or love it as much if you bought it at Walmart? There is something about Tiffany design that puts the knockoffs to shame. Enjoy your items and don't worry about what other vendors say.
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Funny you should mention the experience because the day i got the key i found "the SA" you know the one that meshes so well with you. Also I was treated wonderfully and usually when I go to Tiffanys i don't get taken seriously and am looked down at because i look young. So when i do wear the key of what a great time i had :) which makes it all the harder to part with!
 
#33
anne.A said:
So i purchased a small Tiffany oval key pendant and chain in 18K YG a week ago for about $715 CAD. Today my friend went shopping at a few local jewellers and just for fun I gave him my pendant and necklace to see how much it was worth and it said around $100 :faint: and after my shock wore off i figured you know what it's only guy's opinion no big deal. So i go to a few other places and they all say around $100-150. I can't believe it I mean I knew tiffanys was overpriced but i was expecting at least $300 for it. Maybe this isn't shocking to anyone else since I am very, very, very, new to fine jewelry but what are your opinions?

My dilemma now is that I love the necklace to death but am appalled at the inflation. My aunt know's a jeweler who makes gorgeous keys too and he said he could custom make me a key pendant in 22K YG for around $300. I know the sensible/rational thin to do would be to go with the local jeweler but I can't seem to part with the blue! So what would you lovely ladies do and what are your opinions?
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Can I just add, cost and worth are two different things. Yes the Tiffany keys cost you more than a customized one but which is worth it to you? Would you be as happy with a $300 customized one? If yes then it's all worth it. If you'll still think about the Tiffany one then you'll be wasting $300 when down the road you'd still pay $700 for the Tiff. It's what you want and what makes you happy.

I asked my hubby why he proposed with a Tiffany ring when all his friends are laughing at how crazy or "stupid" he is plus the fact that he hates brand things (he calls it robbery) But he told me its worth it because the happiness and sparkle in my eyes is just priceless.

Might be a little off topic but my point is that cost and worth are very different things. Buy and pay what you think is worth, you can afford and what makes you happy...

P/s, can I see a modeling picture of the necklace? ;)
 
#34
I found the reasons for buying Tiffany cited in this thread interesting. Someone even compared it with going to a 'mall jewelry store'. The fact is, Tiffany IS a 'mall jewelry store'. There is nothing unique about their jewelry - they design each piece once and then ship cart-loads of it all over the world to sit under the counters at their mall stores. The marketing of this brand is absolute genius! They have gotten a large portion of the population to believe that their jewelry is somehow better and more prestigious than other brands, or the local jeweler who hand crafts jewelry. I've done a lot of jewelry shopping at different venues - independent jewelry stores, department stores, and yes, Tiffany. Although the folks at Tiffany are always very pleasant to me, they are no more pleasant than at any other jewelry counter. The difference to me is that Tiffany is reluctant to make any customizations to their mass-produced jewelry, and when they do, they charge a small fortune for it. I don't find this at independent jewerly stores - much of their jewelry is truly unique and they are more than happy to customize a piece or make a piece from scratch.

I'm in awe of Tiffany's marketing techniques - like I said before, it's pure genius!
 
#35
labrillant said:
I found the reasons for buying Tiffany cited in this thread interesting. Someone even compared it with going to a 'mall jewelry store'. The fact is, Tiffany IS a 'mall jewelry store'. There is nothing unique about their jewelry - they design each piece once and then ship cart-loads of it all over the world to sit under the counters at their mall stores. The marketing of this brand is absolute genius! They have gotten a large portion of the population to believe that their jewelry is somehow better and more prestigious than other brands, or the local jeweler who hand crafts jewelry. I've done a lot of jewelry shopping at different venues - independent jewelry stores, department stores, and yes, Tiffany. Although the folks at Tiffany are always very pleasant to me, they are no more pleasant than at any other jewelry counter. The difference to me is that Tiffany is reluctant to make any customizations to their mass-produced jewelry, and when they do, they charge a small fortune for it. I don't find this at independent jewerly stores - much of their jewelry is truly unique and they are more than happy to customize a piece or make a piece from scratch.



I'm in awe of Tiffany's marketing techniques - like I said before, it's pure genius!
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:goodpost:
 
#36
BertyT said:
You are paying for the brand-whether its Tiffany, Cartier or LV, you will pay a lot more for any items in their stores.
As far as resale value: as Beachy said, you will decent price for it, if you were to ever sell it on Ebay. If you take it to regular jeweler, you will get barely anything. I would buy things from Tiffany only if its something unique that I can't get anywhere else
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Totally agree with this last, I have a few pieces from Tiffany's but only ones that I feel that I would be buying a 'copy' of if I bought them anywhere else - e.g. DBTY, open heart, key etc. However, items like my diamond studs and some other pieces of jewellery I own I would never have considered buying from Tiffany's. I feel I got far better value for money at the jewellery stores I bought them from and better gold/bigger diamonds to boot.
 
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#39
labrillant said:
I found the reasons for buying Tiffany cited in this thread interesting. Someone even compared it with going to a 'mall jewelry store'. The fact is, Tiffany IS a 'mall jewelry store'. There is nothing unique about their jewelry - they design each piece once and then ship cart-loads of it all over the world to sit under the counters at their mall stores. The marketing of this brand is absolute genius! They have gotten a large portion of the population to believe that their jewelry is somehow better and more prestigious than other brands, or the local jeweler who hand crafts jewelry. I've done a lot of jewelry shopping at different venues - independent jewelry stores, department stores, and yes, Tiffany. Although the folks at Tiffany are always very pleasant to me, they are no more pleasant than at any other jewelry counter. The difference to me is that Tiffany is reluctant to make any customizations to their mass-produced jewelry, and when they do, they charge a small fortune for it. I don't find this at independent jewerly stores - much of their jewelry is truly unique and they are more than happy to customize a piece or make a piece from scratch.

I'm in awe of Tiffany's marketing techniques - like I said before, it's pure genius!
Click to expand...

I agree. All the talk about "art" makes me laugh, because although any piece of jewelry needs to have an artist to design it, Tiffany does the same thing any mass retailer does. There are thousands of any given Tiffany piece in various stores, which - aside from the name - makes them really no different from any other mass jewelry retailer. Art to me is a piece designed by a jeweler as a one-of-a-kind, and I trust the workmanship from my local jeweler as much or more than any large brand.

However, there are things where brands matter to me, so I cannot fault anyone for buying Tiffany if that's what they want. But the mark-up on ANY jewelry is tremendous, and the mark-up on branded jewelry is even higher, so as long as the buyer is aware then there is no issue, IMO. When reselling any jewelry, a person will never get much more than melt-down value, so nothing should be purchased for its true "value". It needs to be purchased because the buyer loves it.

Personally, I would jump at the chance to get a key made for me from 22K gold, but like I said, I DO understand why someone would want the Tiffany key. No one can make that decision for you, so don't feel bad whichever way you go. If you buy the Tiffany, you know you are buying a name in addition to the gold and the design, and that is okay if it's what you want. Don't settle if the custom key isn't what your heart is set on.
 
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#43
To me, Tiffany is quality, i have bought their dbty pieces and also dbty pieces from Blue nile, you can definitely tell the difference in craftsmanship, and personally i am willing to pay the mark up for it.
Litte OT, but I would also love to own a Cartier Love bangle, but i cant afford the Cartier mark up now :( I have compared the Cartier one with similar looking ones at local jewelers, but the quality is just too obvious.
 
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#44
As long as you love wearing it I don't think you should be bothered about how much the resale value is because you won't be selling it anyways.
For me tiffany has designs that you won't find anywhere else. It's classic, elegant and not over the top
 
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#45
Thank-you for the wonderful feedback everyone!! I think I'm going to go ahead and return not only because of the price but also cause i'm kind of into timeless jewelry right now and i don't i can see myself wearing the key when i'm 30 or 40 or well the key i got anyways. having said that i still find myself flip-flopping on my decision....ughh i hate that i'm so indecisive! do you guys see the key as being timeless?
 
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