diamond question

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#16
I would go local, at least first off, to see what is available within your budget. Most jewelers will bring in a selection for you to look at if they don't have on-hand what you're looking for (at least where Iwork we do). You can always do a print out with the specs/pricing from a reputable on-line diamond vendor of a diamond you are interested in to 'help' with negotiations with your local jeweler.

If you're unsure of the setting, I would definitely put your $$ into the diamond and then look for the semi-mount of your dreams. Good Luck!
 
#17
musicscrip said:
I went to TD bank yesterday and the financial advisor (who is around my age and also engaged) actually noticed my ring is the Tiffany setting. She asked me about it and I was very happy to know that ppl do know the Tiffany difference :yahoo: She said her fiance's friend is getting a local jeweler to copy the Tiffany setting for his gf but it doesn't look as nice as mine!

I would vote for Tiffany anytime!!!
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I'm the same. I can tell when it's a real Tiffany setting. While I think Kristie's ring is gorgeous, I could tell her ring was Tiffany-style by the prongs. Most people won't notice details like that, but I can and do and we are going with a real Tiffany for that reason. In my eyes, the mark-up isn't the diamond (* but if you Blue Nile Tiffany's specs, plus no culet, ideal girdle, no florescence you will see that the price difference is not that significant) but that the mark-up is really in the settings. But the settings are top notch and original designs, and the price keeps some exclusivity to such simple designs. I know the stores sell engagement rings everyday, but for such an iconic product you still don't see many around. I see more blinged out 4 carat rings than an authentic 1 carat Tiffany. I prefer the Tiffany.
 
#18
Go to Pricescope and ask opinions. Overwhelmingly, they will tell you to forego Tiffany's and go online instead. I am going through Brian Gavin to get my diamond earrings and their customer service and guarantees are amazing. It's a HUGE decision not to take lightly. If money was no object, I would still go through BGD!
 
#19
I agree with the other posters who said you can get a much bigger bang for your buck by going the non-Tiffany route. This is coming from someone who has a Tiffany ring. If my FI did not have the budget to get a diamond in the specs I wanted, we would have gone the non-Tiffany route. If the brand name is important to you, then by all means get the Tiffany ring. The brand was important to us, to a degree, and we had to budget to go with Tiffany, so we did.

If you do go the Tiffany route, I highly recommend you do your homework before starting your search. Pricescope is a fantastic resource for learning about what to look for when it comes to diamonds. I agree with the other posters who said that all Tiffany diamonds are not ideal cuts. This is also the case with Cartier and Harry Winston.

I just want to share my Tiffany buying experience. Before we started shopping, I learned a lot about the different grading systems and about what proportions to look for to have super preforming diamond from Pricescope. I also took a lot of time to call Tiffany's diamond dept in NYC about the specs and proportions of the diamonds our Tiffany SA had brought in because he did not have that information and there was no way we were buying a ring without knowing all of the numbers I passed over 10 RB diamonds that had been brought in for us until I found mine, which falls within GIA excellent and AGS0 specs. I would have been incredibly disappointed if I hadn't done my homework and later found out I got a less than ideal diamond (plus paid the Tiffany mark-up). It was a whole heck of a lot of legwork on my part to get an ideal cut stone, which is disappointing when you consider the mark-up associated with my ring. Our SA probably thought I was a loon because the whole process took much longer than he had anticipated, but I knew that I wasn't going to just walk into the store and take the first ring I saw in the carat size I wanted.

There are ideal cut diamonds at Tiffany. I have one and it is an amazing performer. I am thrilled that I waited to find the perfect stone. I am incredibly happy with the setting as well. The Tiffany setting is very tough to copy, especially the prongs.

Good luck with your decision, I know it must be tough! :smile1:
 
#20
I have the Tiff & Co classic RB ring and I, personally, wouldn't have done it any other way. Of course, I knew that I could've gotten the same spec diamond much cheaper somewhere else, but I wouldn't have been happy with having a copy of the tiffany setting. I wanted the original tiffany & co ring, and to me, having it from the original designer of the ring was worth the premium. You can definitely tell a difference between the Tiff & Co setting and a copied tiffany-style setting, so it depends on whether that matters to you. A lot of women on this forum don't seem to mind having a copy of the tiffany setting, and would rather put their money towards the diamond itself. So, it's really just a matter of preference.

So, do you care more about having the iconic Tiffany & Co ring or would you rather put all your money towards the diamond itself?
 
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#21
In terms of investment and if you know what you are doing then go for the best stone you can afford and design something yourself. If what you want, regards stone or design, is very rare then it could be great for you.

BUT

If it's Tiffany you dream of and you want one of their shanks/settings - than go for Tiffany. It's also a very safe investment choice because and T will have taken care of quality selection for you. You might get smaller for your money but it is also less risk and the setting is done so know exacly what you will end-up with.

I went for a vintage Art Deco ring with an old-brilliant cut because my BF did not have so much money then but if I had gone for new and money was no issue I would have headed for Harry Winston or Fred of Paris.

The options that you have presented makes me think you want Tiffany but in a larger stone ring than you can afford. If that is the case why not get what is affordable now and then upgrade once you can.
 
#22
You should definitely shop around and learn as much as you can about diamonds and what you want before you make a decision. Tiffany definitely has beautiful rings to select from. Have you thought of other jewelers like HW? They have some stunning halo diamond rings!!! DH purchased my right hand 3 stone ring from HW and had the BEST experience with their salespeople. Very polite and worked with my DH to get me the best ring. If you have a HW near you, it is definitely worth a visit!
 
#23
^^ Not to threadjack, but Harry Winston has the best service I have ever encountered! My FI and I ordered our wedding bands from there this weekend and we were so happy with how sweet and accommodating our SA was. We've gotten pretty good service at Tiffany but HW took the cake! FI told the SA that he's sure he will be a repeat customer! When FI really likes the service somewhere, he sticks with that place for the long haul!
I was shy about ogling an 8 ct E/IF cushion in the micropave setting that was in the display case and our SA got it out without me even asking and made me try it on! It was absolutely stunning!! :nuts:
 
#25
It was amazing! Frankly, I thought it was a display piece that never came out of the case so I didn't even dream of asking to try it on! The SA was like, "You MUST try it on, I won't let you leave the store until you do!" I was happy to oblige! :nuts: It was so stunning and I had never seen a diamond that large, that I felt like I was doing something naughty by putting it on my finger, LOL! The diamond was bigger than my knuckle!
 
#28
LabRatPhD said:
^^ Not to threadjack, but Harry Winston has the best service I have ever encountered! My FI and I ordered our wedding bands from there this weekend and we were so happy with how sweet and accommodating our SA was. We've gotten pretty good service at Tiffany but HW took the cake! FI told the SA that he's sure he will be a repeat customer! When FI really likes the service somewhere, he sticks with that place for the long haul!
I was shy about ogling an 8 ct E/IF cushion in the micropave setting that was in the display case and our SA got it out without me even asking and made me try it on! It was absolutely stunning!! :nuts:
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What are the price range for Harry Winston wedding bands for both women and men? There isn't a store near me or at least not that I know of. Our budget is $4000 for mine and $2000 US for his band.
 
#29
musicscrip - what style are you looking for? I only looked at micropave and shared-prong RB bands with 10, 15, and 20 point stones. All diamond rings are custom-made at HW so it's best to go to a store and try on different sizes/styles, as a deposit is due when you order and I am not sure you can return it if you don't like it. Their prices vary slightly based on the ring size (if they have to use fewer diamonds, the price is a tiny bit less)
I don't remember exactly, but their diamond micropave bands are between $4.5K-5K and their 10-point SP eternity is about $9K, 15-point is about $12K, and a 20-point eternity is over $17K. You can't purchase a men's band unless you buy a diamond band (not sure why). FI got a 5mm platinum band w/ a small milgrain edge for $1850, I think.

Hope this helps! I know you can get a bigger bang for your buck elsewhere tho. Leon Mege makes gorgeous micropave bands for almost half the price of HW. Tiffany's Novo band is less expensive too. Guess it depends what you are looking for.
 
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