My Tiffany Co ERing .......

[bibble]

you can get a diamond from anywhere...

the only difference with diamonds at tiffany, cartier, neil lane... is the designer name

all diamonds are based on carat, clarity, etc...

a person will be paying about a few thousand dollars more for a designer ring than a diamond from a whole seller.

a diamond from a higher end designer also only carries a H color and at least VS1 and above... unlike whole sellers, they carry anything, even SI

and usually cartier, and tiffany are cookie cutter settings...

that's why many people choose to go else where, so they can custom design their rings.

i went to tiffanys but didn't like anything so i had my ering custom made at Je Caldwells and paid more than what i would've for a tiffany ering... but i made sure i wanted E color VVS2 and IDEAL cut... GIA certified...

your diamond sounds nice but the clarity is considered good average...

if you chose F color, at least VVS2, and IDEAL cut... you will see the differnce.

but your ering sounds beautiful and it's just a piece of paper... it'll only make a difference... if you wanted to resell your stone... other than that i think you have a great ring ^^

congratulations!

 

[ame]

but i made sure i wanted E color VVS2 and IDEAL cut... GIA certified...

your diamond sounds nice but the clarity is considered good average...

if you chose F color, at least VVS2, and IDEAL cut... you will see the differnce.

Just because it's VVS clarity and E color doesn't make it more ideal than an F VS2 or even an I color SI2 clarity. Ideal cut is about cut quality, angles, etc, not the clarity and color. You can have an ugly E or F VVS stone.

 

[black jade]

wow, at least three conversations going on here at once, which is confusing.

Conversation #1: If the diamond didn't get a superb grade with the HCA, is it still okay (this is the conversation started by the OP)

Conversation #2: Is a Tiffany diamond actually any better than any other diamond or is it just the name. I suppose this one started because the OP stated that she felt Tiffany diamond were 'better' than all others--a remark which always starts the fur flying. People fall into two camps on this one and never the twain shall meet--the camp that says absolutely yes, and the other camp that says, no, overpriced. But at this point, this one is moot for the OP since the ring is from Tiffany and has been resized, so it can't be returned. The diamond can probably be switched out--but of course only for another Tiffany diamond.

Conversation #3: Is a VS quality diamond a good diamond, or should she have gone VVS.

My input on conversation #1 is still--the HCA is just a tool for buying diamonds sight unseen. It is completely useless for diamonds that you have an opportunity to see. the OP says diamonds pretty much look the same to her--which makes me think she's seen only high-quality diamonds. Trust me, diamonds that are not high quality do not look the same, have visible off-colors and do not sparkle as much--sometimes they don't sparkle at all. If you had seen them, you would know it. Yours obviously does not fall into this category. It has the specs of a beautiful diamond to everyone except people on Pricescope, where, I repeat,they are a little crazy. Helpful, but crazy (as in obsessive compulsive). Now that you have your beautiful diamond, you can either enjoy it or make yourself miserable because all the experts and prosumers and whatever on there do not approve and think you should buy something else (from their two or three favorite vendors, of course).

Pricescope is useful, but not if you let them do that to your head.

You have a lot to do with getting ready to be married; you will not only make yourself crazy but also make your fiance crazy AND spend lots and lots of money that could be better used elsewhere if you start worrying about getting a diamond that scores perfectly on theHCA--and meets all the other Pricescope criteria so far as I-forget-exactly-what-they-call-them, all those little pictures that they need to have vendors send to you so that you can post and they can analyze them. For a price. Pricescope won't charge, but the vendors who give out those little pictures do charge more than other vendors (though maybe not as much as Tiffany, but we're not going there).

My input on #2: We're not going there.

My input on #3: In the US, a VS is considered to be an excellent diamond. If you move to Asia, then you need the diamond to be VVS or IF, because the standards are different. But we are not in Asia. And if I was, I would lie and say my VS diamond was a VVS and no one would ever, ever know I was lying (unless it was an emerald cut or a marquise) because you need a loupe to tell the difference.

Actually, my diamond is an SI1--so my nose would really be growing. But even looking at the AGS chart, and seeing where the inclusions are, and using a loupe, I still can't see them, so I don't worry. I haven't had to lie because no one has actually ever asked me the specs. And on the occasions when I have mentioned them to people, their eyes have just glazed over and they have asked "So--what does that mean?"

They think my diamond is way, wow, pretty, because it is F color so it is blinding white and it is an AGS ideal cut, so it is super sparkly. However, I have friends who diamonds which are GIA excellent or even GIA very good cut and to be honest, their diamonds look just as good in person. I also have seen EGL cut stones which look just as good--in person.
So I am grateful I found Pricescope, because I got a deal on my diamond by using (some of) their tools and sifting through diamonds I couldn't see, online, but if I could have SEEN it before buying, I might well have got something else that looked just as nice but didn't have the paper specs..

And maybe if I lived in NY instead of in a cowtown, and had a bit more disposable income, I might have saved myself some aggravation and gone to Tiffany's, or let my fiance do that and then just ENJOYED my beautiful stone.

I think you need to post photos of it. It sounds just great. congratulations, by the way.

 

[black jade]

Egl-usa

 

[AntiqueShopper]

I just made a point that because tiffany is known for excellent cut stones, stones of I color or better, and SI1 stones or better. Other chains do not have these qualities available in quantity. I am quite knowledgeable about jewelry, and I chose a Tiffany diamond because I wanted one. Maybe the OP wanted a Tiffany diamond too. She, or I, or anyone else should be made to feel badly about their choices.

To the OP- Ask yourself this question, do you feel special when you put that ring on your finger? If you do, then that is all that matters.

 

[ame]

No one is being made to feel badly about their choice. But just because it has the name Tiffany slapped on it doesn't make it in any way better than any other diamond out there. It doesn't mean it's the best there is, just like Gillette says they are the best a man can get, doesn't mean it is. In my mind, if it's from a chain, no matter how "high end" this chain claims to be, it loses it's lustre TO ME. Being labeled a Tiffany Diamond simply means they selected it because they liked it, and they put it in their setting with their name and their pricetag. It can be of equal or even lesser quality than one sold elsewhere by any other jeweler, chain or otherwise. Their branded cuts are where they have their bang. The Lucida and Legacy cuts are theirs alone and I would kill for a Legacy.

You can want whatever you want, which is a wonderful thing. And being able to have what you want, even better.

But no one in this thread told you or the OP that she should feel bad that she has a Tiffany. She's feeling bad because she bought the marketing that it is the best, and when she used an online tool that in no way fully quantifies or qualifies a diamond as the best, it told her otherwise. That doesn't mean it's not an amazing diamond. But she now has it in her mind that it might not be perfect anymore. It shattered her idea of perfect.

But if she loves that ring and that diamond despite the number on the HCA, great! If not, that's something she needs to deal with.

The thing I pointed out and that others may have pointed out also, is that quality is not hinging solely on the color and clarity. The HCA doesn't use those in it's processing, it uses the angles. Those angles might not relate to a great HCA, but they might be Tiffany specific angles, and the stones cut to those proportions might be just what Tiffany wants, and what the Tiffany customer wants.

 

[black jade]

^^ I knew this was where the Tiffany conversation would end up if we went there.

Nobody wants anybody to feel bad about their stone. I haven't seen anything on this thread saying that Tiffany diamonds are not good quality (which would be an insane thing to say. People have said that the price is high and that you can get great diamonds in other places. But NEVER that Tiffany is not good quality).

The point of the thread is that the OP should not be feeling bad about her stone because of using a tool meant for online diamonds that as Ame pointed out so well, may not be set up to give the diamonds that Tiffany cuts a good score, though the Tiffany customer likes the way those diamonds look.

I hope the OP will now post a photo of her stone, which sounds as if it's lovely, so that we can all enjoy.

 

[musicscrip]

OP, I did the exactly same thing as you after I got my 1.07carat Tiffany engagement ring...3 months after my fiance purchased it. I held my breath while plugging the info into the calculator and # came out to be 1.9. Luckily we got an ideal diamond without knowing about it but I won't love it less even if the # is larger than 2. If it sparkles then it doesn't matter if it's ideal or not according to the calculator.

Be happy with your ring because I love my Tiffany ring It might not be the best but I would consider "it" to be one of the best!!! We all know the Tiffany difference...ppl just know my ring is from Tiffany without me telling them!

 

[guccikat]

Just a thought about "Tiffany diamonds"..

If you were to take the diamond off the mount, and grade it with other non tiffany diamonds, is the tiffany diamond going to be worth more? People can tell that it's tiffany because of the setting, not the diamond.

However to the OP, the most important thing is that you like the setting and the diamond sparkles. Don't worry so much!

 

[tiffanysilver]

Is the ring a Tiffany exclusive in terms of the setting, or a patented cut? If so, the OP has no other choice than to buy at Tiffany & Co. But then again, if they went into that store, surely they understand the mark-up.

If you want the most bang for your buck in terms of the four c's, Tiffany & Co. is not a wise choice. However, the lifetime care, the prestige, the experience itself, the upgrading policy, and the ease of mind may make it worth the money.

If you think you got a "dud" I advise you to go back to Tiffany & Co. They should have several other diamonds to choose from. But if you're worried about looks, don't be. You won't be able to tell the difference in specs with your own eyes.

 

[bibble]

oh no... i'm not saying that because it's an IDEAL cut that it makes a difference...

i'm just trying to explain that these qualities will make a difference in any stone...

it's the cut and claity and color that will make a difference of the diamond...

VS1 and cut and VVS1 and cut is a big difference in lighting to the eye and definately value.

if you took your ring and another ring at tiffany's with cut, color, and clarity, that's higher in cut, color, and clarity... than yours... you will see the difference to the eye and the value on paper.

most people can't tell the difference... except when you compare your ring to others...
my girlfriends and i would love trying on each others and see how sparkly it is

i think all diamonds are beautiful in it's own ways

but you have a great ring... i wouoldn't be worried...

hope you enjoy and congratulations!

 

[ame]

oh no... i'm not saying that because it's an IDEAL cut that it makes a difference...

i'm just trying to explain that these qualities will make a difference in any stone...

it's the cut and claity and color that will make a difference of the diamond...

VS1 and cut and VVS1 and cut is a big difference in lighting to the eye and definately value.

if you took your ring and another ring at tiffany's with cut, color, and clarity, that's higher in cut, color, and clarity... than yours... you will see the difference to the eye and the value on paper.

On paper yes, to the eye no. Unless you have super-human eyes, you cannot see the difference between IF, VVS, or VS clarity. Those are only loupe-able differences. At those levels of clarity, the actual clarity doesn't impact cut performance. CUT is the factor that handles sparkle. The others impact actual value on top of CUT.

 

[vhdos]

I just made a point that because tiffany is known for excellent cut stones, stones of I color or better, and SI1 stones or better. Other chains do not have these qualities available in quantity. I am quite knowledgeable about jewelry, and I chose a Tiffany diamond because I wanted one. Maybe the OP wanted a Tiffany diamond too. She, or I, or anyone else should be made to feel badly about their choices.

To the OP- Ask yourself this question, do you feel special when you put that ring on your finger? If you do, then that is all that matters.

No one made anyone feel bad for their choice of E ring. If you want a Tiffany ring, fine. I don't, which doesn't mean that I think that you made me feel bad because I chose not to have one.

 

[bibble]

i understand what your saying...

i just happen to love jewelry and was shown the differences from two friend who actually works for tiffany's and the other friend works for harry winston.

no... i don't have super-human eyes...
i always thought that it's impossible to see the difference too... but if i compared mine with others and vice versa... there's differences... at least to my eyes.

i'm not trying to upset you... you have a great stone but if it really bothers you... try to ask for an exchange... it's only the size of the ring that was changed.

good luck and hope evrything works out

 

[lanasyogamama]

There are LOTS of beautiful rings here, but to be honest, I can't believe how uptight ladies get about brand, specs etc.

When I was getting engaged, all I was worrying about and lusting for was a RING. Did I want a nice diamond? Yes, but really, I just wanted to know that HE wanted to marry ME!

When I got my ring, it took me several days to ask the carat size, because I didn't want him to think that was what I cared about.

When he finally did tell me the whole story of the ring, and how many trips to the jeweler and how many diamonds he looked at, I was so grateful. I still am!

As I already said to the OP, enjoy your ring, I'm sure it's gorgeous!