Tiffany e-ring upgrade - would love your advice
- Thread starter Kathd
- Start date
TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others
Congrats on your pregnancy! I upgraded when I was due with my 3rd, it's really nice to tie it to something so meaningful! 
Yay how fun!!! Well I wouldn't settle and would definitely go a little over budget (that's not that much in the big scheme of things) to get the one you want!
So... I'd go bigger and go with #3 for sure! I have a Tiffany 2.1 vs2 and honestly it's SO eye clean... I think cut is really the most important thing and from what I have seen in my extensive search of Tiffany rings they are all really beautifully cut! I think we can get pretty wrapped up in all the specs here on this board but in the end a Tiffany ring is going to be GORGEOUS. So I'd go for the size now... like you said, it could be ages before you get another shot at upgrading!
On your ring finger size that 1.51 will look like the 2.1 on my size 6 finger - huge! I say go for it for sure!!
Yay how fun!!! Well I wouldn't settle and would definitely go a little over budget (that's not that much in the big scheme of things) to get the one you want!
So... I'd go bigger and go with #3 for sure! I have a Tiffany 2.1 vs2 and honestly it's SO eye clean... I think cut is really the most important thing and from what I have seen in my extensive search of Tiffany rings they are all really beautifully cut! I think we can get pretty wrapped up in all the specs here on this board but in the end a Tiffany ring is going to be GORGEOUS. So I'd go for the size now... like you said, it could be ages before you get another shot at upgrading!
On your ring finger size that 1.51 will look like the 2.1 on my size 6 finger - huge! I say go for it for sure!!
Thanks, Jen!
I do have to say that the rings I listed today are NOT from Tiffany...
Today has been the most confusing day for us!
You all know I got my mind set on upgrading my e-ring through Tiffany. I have always been a big fan of the brand and their diamonds, and I have always been in love with my ring.
But since I'm currently on bedrest, and pretty much have nothing better to do, I decided to take a quick look on BlueNile just to see how much a 1.5 carat diamond would cost me.
And TBH, I was quite shocked!
I turns out that for the exact same money, I could have:
- either an entire new Tiffany engagement ring of 1.4 to 1.5 ct (they would deduct the value of my current e-ring from the new ring, so we wouldn't be paying the full price) with having to go through all the hassle of sending in my old ring, flying to the States, etc.; or
- either an entire new (BlueNile) diamond of somewhere around 1.5 ct. BUT in this case, I would be able to keep my current diamond and have it reset into a necklace for instance!
So now I basically have to choose between giving up my old engagement ring and "stay true to Tiffany" or buying a non-branded diamond and getting to keep my .85 diamond ring...
I do have to say that the rings I listed today are NOT from Tiffany...
Today has been the most confusing day for us!
You all know I got my mind set on upgrading my e-ring through Tiffany. I have always been a big fan of the brand and their diamonds, and I have always been in love with my ring.
But since I'm currently on bedrest, and pretty much have nothing better to do, I decided to take a quick look on BlueNile just to see how much a 1.5 carat diamond would cost me.
And TBH, I was quite shocked!
I turns out that for the exact same money, I could have:
- either an entire new Tiffany engagement ring of 1.4 to 1.5 ct (they would deduct the value of my current e-ring from the new ring, so we wouldn't be paying the full price) with having to go through all the hassle of sending in my old ring, flying to the States, etc.; or
- either an entire new (BlueNile) diamond of somewhere around 1.5 ct. BUT in this case, I would be able to keep my current diamond and have it reset into a necklace for instance!
So now I basically have to choose between giving up my old engagement ring and "stay true to Tiffany" or buying a non-branded diamond and getting to keep my .85 diamond ring...
Well...knowing that they're not Tiffany and "vetted" for eye cleanliness in advance I say none of the above. I personally am not comfortable going into SI clarity without photos of the stones, and Blue NIle does not offer photos of the actual stones. There are other online vendors you can use that DO and that you can get a great stone from that will work with you being overseas on this process. No idea what your budget is on this, if you are going to look for an SI I would make sure you buy from a vendor with photos of the actual stones.
Examples (none of which were run through HCA)
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1445792.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1479897.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1455524.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1461645.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1455500.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1491857.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1452013.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1501644.asp
This could be friggin INSANE
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...1.620-I-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-BL-104062571032
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/1.520-H-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-104059545029
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/1.561-H-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-104055078001
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9549/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9778/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9229/
other options:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2673409.htm
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1445792.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1479897.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1455524.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1461645.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1455500.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1491857.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1452013.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1501644.asp
This could be friggin INSANE
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...1.620-I-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-BL-104062571032
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/1.520-H-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-104059545029
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/1.561-H-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-104055078001
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9549/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9778/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9229/
other options:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2673409.htm
Ow okay, that changes things! I had no idea that buying a SI1 from Tiffany would be any different than buying a BlueNile one! Woops!
Thanks!
An SI clarity is a tough nut. Some are not eye clean and I would like to think that if Tiffany is going to sell a stone of that Clarity it's going to be eye clean. That's a clarity you definitely want to see with your eyes and not rely on paper.
These two both fall within our budget:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...1.620-I-VS2-Round-Diamond-AGS-BL-104062571032
and
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1479897.asp
I reserved the first one until they upload pictures of the diamond.
However, I just found out that I would have to pay 21% import duties when the stone enters Belgium!!! 21%!
(I would not have to pay import duties when I order from Blue Nile as they would ship from within the European Union.)
Suppose you would have seen pictures that please you of all four stones, could you maybe rank these two, as well as the #1 and #4 from my BlueNile list (1.65 ct H SI1 and 1.50 ct I SI1) according to your personal preference?
Thanks!
PS. Of course all other ladies are welcome to chime in as well!!!
Just wondering, out of these online vendors, which setting do you like the best? How would you set it? Would you still do the Tiffany style? You might want to consider that as well. They won't all look the same. Of course you can get it set by a different vendor from the one you purchase from.
I'm not quite sure what to do. I haven't ruled out going for a Tiffany upgrade just yet. I'm still waiting for them to send me some more options as well.
DH suggested to buy a new stone online - have it set in my current ring (by someone local) - and have my current diamond set in a necklace. Not sure if I can wrap my mind around this though.
I was really excited about the 1.62 ct Brian Gavin diamond, but I'm really bummed that I would have to pay an extra 21 percent just to have it sent to me! I have a friend living in NY however, so I'm currently looking at my options to avoid these import duties.
DH suggested to buy a new stone online - have it set in my current ring (by someone local) - and have my current diamond set in a necklace. Not sure if I can wrap my mind around this though.
I was really excited about the 1.62 ct Brian Gavin diamond, but I'm really bummed that I would have to pay an extra 21 percent just to have it sent to me! I have a friend living in NY however, so I'm currently looking at my options to avoid these import duties.
You wouldn't be able to just pop it into your current tiffany ring. The size of the new stone would be bigger and would cause the head of your current setting to need to be melted down and recast. I don't know enough about metal work to know if that is even possible or if they would have to melt down the entire ring as well. Either way, there is a reasonable chance that something gets messed up and your new ring would look nothing like the old one. Honestly this makes me very nervous. Also, like Ame said, buying an SI stone sight unseen is scary. With Tiffany you have a bit more confidence but I would still want to see in person first. Why not wait til after the baby is born and then do the upgrade as a family? I'm sure you'll be wanting to bring the baby over to meet any friends/family that you still have in the states. I know it's hard to wait but I think it would be worth it.
Yea you are not going to just be able to reuse your current setting. The new stone won't fit, and you'll devalue your current setting, and if you want to resell the whole ring diamond and all later it will show that it's been messed with.
I would either wait and upgrade through Tiffany later OR if you're going to do the Blue Nile option, go up on your clarity parameters. If you risk it with an SI sight unseen you could end up spending a lot on returning things, and you can't just keep pulling stones in and out of settings if you're not happy with them.
I would either wait and upgrade through Tiffany later OR if you're going to do the Blue Nile option, go up on your clarity parameters. If you risk it with an SI sight unseen you could end up spending a lot on returning things, and you can't just keep pulling stones in and out of settings if you're not happy with them.
Thanks for this info! Will keep that in mind! I just saw that Brian Gavin carries Tiffany STYLE settings as well..
Aside from paying import duties - if you were me - would you go for the Brian Gavin diamond? (If the pics turn out okay?) You seemed really excited about this one...
I am happy you found me a 1.62 ct I VS2 within our budget, but I don't know enough about diamonds to know whether it would be "insane" to pass on a stone like this one.
I don't mind waiting as such (regarding the Tiffany upgrading), but I don't see myself flying to the US for 8 hours with a newborn baby, nor leaving him behind to travel that far when he is only two-three months old...
I probably would, if I could afford it. Part of why its priced that way is the VSB fluor--so if you're not into that, don't get too excited about it. I personally LOVE fluor so I would love that, and it would be worth it to me if the budget worked. If you wanted a Tiffany style setting that looked close enough to the real thing, they make a pretty good one.
Yea traveling with a tiny one for that long...may not be a good idea, if you're staying here for a while it might work out, but not if you're only coming for a few days.
Yea traveling with a tiny one for that long...may not be a good idea, if you're staying here for a while it might work out, but not if you're only coming for a few days.