Opinions please on this . . .
- Thread starter b_w_m
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For what it's worth, my husband is also OCD. He would have driven himself crazy (just like you're probably doing) obsessing over picking out the perfect ring. The thing is, his "perfect ring" may or may not have been the same as my "perfect ring." As it turned out, we were able to pick the ring together. That saved him the agony of what you're doing now - research, asking for opinions, going to store after store after store, etc., and saved me the agony of having to tell him the truth if I wasn't enamored of the ring he had spent so much time picking out.
I picked size, cut, color and clarity over the name brand. Maybe you should let your GF have that option too. Also, some women prefer "warmer" stones (I-L color) to white stones (D,E,F). I think the best thing you can do is pick a ring you like AND can afford, and make it perfectly clear to her that if it's not the ring of her dreams, you will be happy to take her back to the store to pick out the one that makes her heart skip a beat (within the budget of the one you bought, of course).
Ok I have a Tiffany ring and I LOVE it. Also as far as the Tiffany Legacy ring goes that is a very special ring. Tiffany does excel at pave settings! My ring is the classic Tiffany solitaire and I love it more all the time. Honestly I have never regretted getting a smaller ring from Tiffany than I would have from elsewhere. You can always get a diamond tennis bracelet or diamond studs from somewhere else but an engagement ring from Tiffany is a freaking amazing thing to have!
Congrats on your Tiffany ring. You did a great job picking the best store out of that group. She'll be very happy I'm sure.
When you want to upgrade, come back with an open mind & willingness to learn.
To be honest, if the OP is set on Tiffany, I think any stone that meets Tiffany standards would be lovely. They don't sell "spit" diamonds!
Congrats!! I'm sure she'll love whatever you pick out.
As for the remark about buying her ring at Target, I saw the humour in that post. It's too bad others did not. Please come back and let us know how things are going.
As for the remark about buying her ring at Target, I saw the humour in that post. It's too bad others did not. Please come back and let us know how things are going.
I personally would not consider chains like Zales, Jared or Kay's to be a true representation of a quality jeweler.
Why did I say something? Because you sound uneducated on how to find a quality diamond at a good price, and have been suckered in to Tiffany's marketing campaign. I just hate to see people get ripped off out of ignorance. It seems that you really want to please your girlfriend, and perhaps a ring from Tiffany will do that. But she may be happier with a bigger stone just as beautiful as one from Tiffany, but would be unaffordable for you at Tiffany. The places you looked are not good jewelry stores. So you really haven't researched diamonds thoroughly. But maybe it seems easier for you to spend more and be insured a certain degree of quality without having to do the work of researching other sources for diamonds.
You have a pretty modest budget and it would go farther elsewhere, if you're willing to put the work in to it. Take the advice for what it's worth. But please know that it was not said to be offensive. Your reaction, however, was offensive.
It's really great that you are trying so hard to give your GF the best and if Tiffany is the best to both of you then that's fine. There is also nothing wrong with these posts which help you to understand that there is also branding and paying for that. That includes the design, the craftsmanship and the trade-in policy ( I think that is still being upheld?) Some folks here are just trying to let you know the other options available to you. I was given the option of a Tiffany or something which was not branded and bigger. I chose a diamond with specs compatible to Tiffany and Hearts On Fire and we are both happy with it. Congrats and Good Luck on your imminent proposal!
I think its offensive to tell someone with a 10k budget or ANY budget for an e-ring that their budget is "pretty modest." I don't know why people have to be so rude and judgemental about purchases made at Tiffanys. I honestly just don't get it. Cartier, VCA, or even mall jewelry stores or high-end costume, like Chanel, don't seem to draw the same ire. I have never once regretted getting my Tiffany ring or anything else from there for that matter. Some pieces we've bought new, some second-hand, you know what Tiffany has much better resale value than a non-brand ring because there is such a market for their pieces.
You are right Lee, and I apologize, on both counts. My reasoning was this: If someone is a extemely wealthy to the point where cost is not a consideration, and/or is smitten with Tiffany jewelry, then by all means they should get what they want. The whole point of jewelry in general is to make the wearer happy, nothing more. But I'm very pragmatic and if I had a limited budget (which I did), I'd want to get the most I could get for my money. Some of Tiffany's jewelry is rather unique and I have paid the money for those designs, but to me, a solitaire is a solitaire. My husband and I shopped for my ring (and upgrades) together. For the size and quality diamond I got, it would have cost more than we paid for our house at Tiffany. I would've been furious if he'd gone out to Tiffany without my knowledge and either bought a smaller diamond within budget, or bought the diamond I wanted and spent a small fortune.
Whether someone pays Tiffany prices is a personal preference. But to not even consider other options before doing so, in my opinion, is just foolish. If other options are considered and the person still wants something from Tiffany, then by all means that's what they should get.
I've told this story before on tpf but will tell it again. I bought a small diamond/sapphire anniverary ring at Tiffany for a little over $7k. I had this somewhat sick feeling when purchasing it because I knew I was way overpaying for it. So when I got home I researched it on the net, and found the same ring at Bluenile for about 1/3 the cost, and ordered it. When I had both rings in my possession, I showed them to several people, a couple of them very knowledgable about jewelry, and asked them which one was better quality (stones and workmanship, the designs were identical). The consensus was that the rings were identical. I returned the Tiffany ring.
That's where I'm coming from in suggesting that anyone research before they buy, and not just assume that a Tiffany diamond is better than what they can get elsewhere so worth the exhorbitant cost. There are beautiful, beautiful diamonds out there that outshine Tiffany diamonds and at much less cost, but you have to do the work to find them. If money is no object, then it's not worth the effort. But for someone with a $10k budget, money is a factor and probably worth the time to do the research. We had a limited budget too and I'm so glad we took the time so that I could have the biggest, most beautiful diamond for the budget we were working within.