Tiffany engagement rings start at less than $2,000. One of the simple, elegant options in The Little Blue Box would make a lovely present–now or later. What about a Tiffany wedding band? Sterling with a sapphire (blue or pink) for $215. Or the 18K Rose Gold for $475? (Colorless diamonds aren’t a good investment; gold is.)
Estate jewelry is wonderful. So is something from a local artist/jeweler. The internet? Maybe. Can you get it appraised & return it if you aren’t satisfied?
One of the simple options in The Little Blue Box would leave plenty for the kitchen…
It seems to me that purchasing from Tiffany’s will give you something for all the years to come. It will make you feel you spared no expense, not a feeling to be dismissed out of hand. The name may give you confidence it will hold it’s value as a quality object, through the years.
If you can afford it, and it sounds like you can, and if it would bring you both lasting pleasure, and it sounds like it would, then go ahead. Enjoy the ride. Don’t over think it, go with your heart.
When I went to graduate school, my grandmother gave me the trunk which her father got to go to medical school. After grandma’s death, my aunt asked about getting the trunk “back” (“back”? what back? it was never hers!); I told her she better be ready to fight for it claw and tooth, cos if she tried it with lawyers I wouldn’t just refuse to give her the trunk, I’d ask for damages.
Aunt backpedaled so fast she would have left the room if she hadn’t been sitting down :mad: The attack of Teh Grabs she got upon granma’s death already caused one of my uncles to break up with the rest of the family, if she wants the trunk she’s got to pry it from my hands. And, being solid oak with brass and iron fittings, that thing weighs a ton!
This is what we did. My wife really liked the classic Tiffany solitaire design so it actually looks identical to a Tiffany ring without the engraving but is a much better quality diamond and ring that would have cost 4 times as much. We lucked out and found a wholesaler/designer all in one and have gone back to him several times. Once we had a couple mismatched earings and made a new necklace out of them and he actually ended up owing us a few hundred dollars.
I totally agree, with two assumptions: that you can indeed afford it, and that other things that are important to the both of you, such as the new kitchen, won’t be curtailed too badly because of it.
I don’t really buy the whole “listen to your fiancee” line. Overall, sure, but in this case, you’re the one spending all the money, and you should spend it on something you think is right. You’ve looked around and are clearly impressed with how the Tiffany’s ring looks compared to what else is out there.
If you continue to look for a better deal with comparable or higher quality, then great, as long as it looks at least as good as the Tiffany’s. I knew what my wife wanted ring-wise, and it didn’t sit quite right with me, so I went with my gut and got what I thought looked best, and it went over well. She didn’t love it at first, but she’s gotten so many compliments on it over the years that she certainly loves it now, and is glad I went my own way on it.
That’s another thing–don’t forget about the compliment part. My wife is very humble, but I know deep-down, she loves getting compliments on that ring. And I love hearing about them, every one. Do you think the Tiffany’s ring will get her more compliments than an over-the-internet ring? My guess is yes. You may want to factor that into your analysis.
When Fast Eddie and I got engaged 7 years ago, we both went down to a local jeweler. We picked the stone first, then picked the setting. We chose a marquis cut diamond that is just over 1/3 carat, and put it in a yellow gold Tiffany setting. My wedding ring is a wrap-style with marquis cut sapphires (my birthstone) on either side of the large stone, and two small round diamonds on each side beside the sapphires. It is absolutely gorgeous, and I get compliments on it all the time. IIRC, everything, including his wedding ring cost $1300.00. IMO, an independent jeweler of good reputation will get you a ring that is just as nice or nicer than Tiffany or another chain for a lot less. Then you can put the savings into that new kitchen!
If she says she doesn’t care if it’s a Tiffany’s ring, then I’m betting she doesn’t care. For myself I find the whole idea completely bizarre, that you think she might regret not having a Tiffany’s engagement ring. I’d prefer the kitchen too (better yet, a trip abroad!).
My engagement ring was a braid of white gold, no stone at all. There are a zillion options–don’t lock yourself into what a commercial tells you is the Right and True Way to get engaged.
If she wants the kitchen you would be a fool to spend the money on a $9000 ring just to make yourself feel like you are living up to the standards of the rich. Go to a local jeweler and work with them to design a ring you think is breathtakingly beautiful for a third of the cost of the Tiffany’s ring and spend the rest renovating the kitchen for her. Unless she specifically said she wants a Tiffany’s ring it would be an unnecessary expense when she could’ve had an egagement ring and the kitchen of her dreams.
I can not agree more. Yes, the Tiffany’s name is worthsomething, but when it comes to buying diamonds, the smart thing to do is pick the stone, examine it from all angles, get the best one you can afford, and then pick the perfect setting(ring/mount). Then have the jeweler put them together. I’d never ever buy a diamon that was already in a setting.
Having said that, I do acknowledge that some things outweigh pure practicality. If the name means a great deal, then go for it. But again, pick the stone and setting separately then have Tiffs put them together.
Now I don’t get this at all. If she’s happy with a non-Tiffany ring, why the hell try to fake her out by putting a ring in a blue box or even going to the lengths of making a fake?
If I were her I’d be really pissed off if/when I found out, especially as I didn’t even want the Tiffany ring in the first place!
And even if you suspect that she secretly wants the Tiffany ring, buying a cheaper ring and trying to hoodwink her is a bad idea all over. Do not do it.
Also - surely the rings are engraved with “Tiffany & Co”, not “Tiffany’s”? The shop’s not called that, unless you’re Audrey Hepburn. Having a ring engraved with “Tiffany’s” would be like having a Timmy Hilfiger shirt or a “GUGCI” watch from the market.
Yeah, you’re right. Engrave it “Tiffany & Co” or whatever silly label it should be.
Considering that diamonds are artificially scarce and semi-precious at best, and the entire tradition of diamond wedding rings is a sham perpetrated by DeBeers, then the value is entirely derived from “image”. If the point is to generate happiness based on an illusion, I see no problem with enhancing an illusion since in both cases, there’s no underlying basis in reality.
Why would someone be mad about using a Tiffany’s box to artificially enhance product image, but not be mad about advertisers and the DeBeers cartel artificially enhancing the same product’s image?
Sure, if you want the single symbol of your marital state – you know, the one she literally wears on her body all the time – to be a symbol of a fundamental act of dishonesty. To her, it says, “HE LOVES ME!” To him, it says “I’M A BIG FAT LIAR!” And woe betide him if she ever finds out.
I’m in the “diamonds suck” camp so I wouldn’t have this problem at all. But I’m also in the camp of believing what the lady says and not disregarding her stated wishes on the grounds she might feel differently 20 years from now.
Well for the goal of having a ring to show off, I think the best thing to do is the find a lovely ring that matches her tastes. IMHO, saying “He (or we) designed it himself!” is more impressive than “It’s Tiffany’s!”. And like Dangerosa said I think the brand has diluted. (To me it says New Money, but again, that MHO.)
Anyhow, I actually don’t think fine jewelry is the best way to start for the purpose of building family heirlooms. Jewelry can’t be displayed in your curio cabinet (well, I suppose it could but then you’d really look New Money), it can be lost, and some women just don’t have the tastes or lifestyle to put it to good use. I’d rather have household items like crystal and china, or even books and furniture. A friend of mine was given half of her grandmother’s china set - the pattern is still in production so she used her registry to complete it. I’m not married but I do have the trunk that came over from the old country (mom just took it out of the farmhouse one day and brought it to Chicago, I don’t know how she got away with it but she did). Even if I’m just having people over for pizza I can still show it off.
I would also like to point out the possibility of kinky sex on a spacious kitchen counter sounds far more appealing than kinky sex on a Tiffany’s ring box.
If you and she really care about the ring, get a nicer ring without the brand name. When it comes to Tiffany’s, you are paying indeed for the name. You can get a better diamond for the price if you don’t hunt the name. If she really cared, that would be one thing, but she doesn’t seem to.
Psst! If my boyfriend is reading this, I want a created sapphire. Not a diamond. It can, however, be emerald cut or oval with diamonds on either side. Lab-made is fine, though, or Canadian. I don’t want an artifact of cultural imperialism on my hand.
ETA - while I’d say no on the Tiffany’s, I’m not sure I’m down with the Internet thing. Why not go to a real reputable jeweler, where you can see what you’re getting and get exactly what you want? Don’t settle for a crappy setting, you don’t want to lose the stone. A friend at work has a beautiful ring, and on our way to lunch a few weeks ago she lost one of the diamonds in it. She had bought it a month ago from a local jeweler, and they replaced the stone. For free.
