Is it OK if Your Bling Bling comes from Costco?
by Mr Credit CardDid you know that Costco sell diamond rings? Even Amazon.com sells them. Around christmas time last year, CN8 (Comcast in Philly) showed a report where they asked a diamond expert to check out 2 diamonds, one from Costco and one from Tiffany’s. These 2 diamonds had identical specifications. After examining these 2 pieces of gems, the expert concluded that they are geniune (obviously) and matched their specs.
But there was obviously a huge price difference. The diamond at Tiffany’s cost $8,000 more than the identical piece at Costco’s. So, when you buy that bling bling from Tiffany’s as your engagement ring, you are obviously paying a “Tiffany Premium”.
The interesting part of this story is that I found out about this at a party that I was attending. Then, we decided to take a little poll from the ladies. Question is will you accept an engagement ring from Costco? Or must it be from Tiffany’s (or any well known jeweller)?
The answers varies among different ladies. For some, an engagement ring from Costco’s is simply unacceptable. There was also an interesting answer from another friend, who said that her original engagement ring must be from a reputable (at least well known) jeweler, but that for her 10th wedding anniversary, a second diamond ring from Costco would be ok. I did not find a single lady in the party who said it was ok if their engagement ring was from Costco!
This topic brings up an interesting issue. When we read articles and advice columns about personal finance, one of the hottest topic is about how buying a new car is one of the worst investments you can ever make because your car depreciates the moment it is driven out of the showroom. Well, aside from cars, I would think that an engagement diamond ring has to come up as an item that (though may not depreciate as much), certainly adds no economic value to one’s family finances or life. At least with a car, you get to go from point A to B.
The diamond engagement ring though, is a tradition. I am not advocating that this ritual be abandoned. Mrs Credit Card obviously has a diamond ring from me years ago. But everyday, I read blogs about how to save money? how to reduce debt? who is the cheapest discount broker? why pay high fees for managed mutual funds? Why not just invest in a low cost index? How to do a 0% apr balance transfer arbitrage? which online bank has the highest interest rate? How to shop for the cheapest car?
But nowhere do I see any article on where to get the best value for a diamond engagement ring? And hey – this gem cost a least a couple of thousand dollars.
So to all you personal finance readers and bloggers out there, I would like to know what you think about this issue. Ladies – would it be OK for you if your diamond engagement ring was from Costco? And guys – would you even consider getting an engagement ring from Costco?
I am taking a poll below. Would be interested in looking at the results!
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January 24th, 2007 at 03:04
Thanks for writing me first of all!
It’s a little hard to imagine that a Costco diamond ring will actually be of the same quality as that from a well-known specialty jeweler, like Tiffany’s. There’s a way to gauge the quality of a diamond (4 C’s) and if you are saying that the diamonds are indeed equivalent in quality, then I wouldn’t care where it came from. I’m not a brand-oriented buyer so I really just care about the inherent value of an item. The only reason why I would think twice about getting a ring from Costco is the possibility that the diamond really is of significantly lower quality. If I or my spouse cannot afford jewelry of a certain caliber, I wouldn’t mind a cheaper ring of lower quality — the symbol is what counts.
I would never insist on a more expensive item if the funds aren’t there.
January 24th, 2007 at 03:40
My plan would be to take my lady to Costco and see how she reacts to the idea of a Costco ring. My wife would be okay with it (I’m pretty sure), but if it makes her uncomfortable, you should take that into strong consideration, both in terms of the relationship (do your values match?) and in terms of the ring.
January 24th, 2007 at 04:31
Great idea for a survey! Between ‘the better half’ and I, we decided to entirely do away with the ring
We are from a different cultural background, and for us a ring isnt that big a deal. That said, if we did decide to go for a ring, it probably wouldn’t be from either Tiffany’s or Costco, because Tiffany is too overrated and costco has that nasty “cheap” stigma attached to it. We would probably find some middle ground.
January 24th, 2007 at 05:10
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January 24th, 2007 at 06:51
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January 24th, 2007 at 07:40
I dont think it matters where the ring is from..a diamond is a diamond. If it is of good quality and you got a good deal, then even better. Be sure to get it appraised to make sure it is what they say it is, but I dont think Costco would be in business too long if they were lying about the quality of the ring.
That being said, if you are marrying the right person for you, then where a diamond is from should be of no concern. It is just a symbol and if you could only afford a plastic thing from a $.25 machine, then THAT is what matters.
January 24th, 2007 at 13:33
I agree with Trent–it really depends on the person. I can think of at least one friend who would say “Absolutely Not” to a ring from Costco; for me I would have to see the ring. Personally, I think rings should be shopped for together. I don’t know what Costco’s policy is in terms of “warranty.” Many reputable jewelers will guarantee their work for life. There’s also the question of what the ring itself looks like (not the gemstone)–Some women might like the Costco ring better, other might prefer the look of the Tiffany’s ring. I think the best bet is to shop for the diamond and ring separately. If Costco’s diamond really is just as good (and it very well could be) buy the diamond and bring it to a reputable jeweler for the setting you want. (I think Tiffany’s sells their rings as sets; but many jewelers sell the diamond and the setting separately).
January 24th, 2007 at 15:03
I don’t understand people who wouldn’t get the Costco ring but at the same time I guess there are things that I wouldn’t be cheap about (like maybe a TV or the fact that I have an iPod even though I didn’t get one until the cost came down to about what the competitors were charging) but in general, you get what you pay for so isn’t the Tiffany ring better? I’m a woodworker . . . is the $400 Festool drill 4x “better” than a $100 Craftsman? I like the car analogy . . . at least a car will get you from A to B and technology is entertaining and with tools I build and fix things and end up saving money, maybe, depending on how much I actually fix and build. At least that’s my rationalization anyway!! Maybe a Tiffany ring (or any expensive a$$ ring . . . I still don’t get why they are so expensive) gives some women a warm fuzzy in the same way playing the Wii gives me a warm fuzzy. But I don’t get it.
January 24th, 2007 at 17:36
Nice article, I didn’t realize that Costco had even expanded into the diamond industry. You can guess what I voted
January 24th, 2007 at 17:39
For me, it would not matter where the diamond was purchased as I’m more concerned with quality than brand and sentiment above everything else. I agree with Elizabeth about purchasing to stone separately and finding a different setting.
January 24th, 2007 at 18:09
I just got married, so I was getting engaged about 7 months ago. My husband and I actually looked at Costco rings, and found one we sort-of liked. We didn’t buy it because we weren’t in love with it, but if we had found something we loved, we totally would have bought it. Then, in addition to having a wonderful engagement ring, we would have had a great story about how much money we saved and buying our ring at Costco. I love the ring I have, but that’s because of the thought and the love that went into its purchase, not because of where it came from!
January 24th, 2007 at 18:26
If my wife had cared where I bought her ring, she wouldn’t be my wife.
January 25th, 2007 at 04:30
Costco? Pshawww!
Just kidding. I hate rings. Unless I’m hauling a ring to the fires of Mordor, I pity the foo who wears one.
January 25th, 2007 at 05:20
Sorry I am late to the party, got your email yesterday but my laziness has been incredible of late.
About the ring. A ring is a ring is a ring…doesn’t matter where you get it. What matter is the sentiment behind it. If I had given my wife an iron ring with a pebble…she would have still said “Yes”
(or I suppose)…guess that’s what “Dorky Dad” means above.
January 25th, 2007 at 14:08
yeah, this is almost a non-issue. The quality is the same between costco and Tiffany’s so why would we pay more at Tiffanys. It makes zero sense to pay more for something when you can get absolutely the same product for less elsewhere.
Best,
James
January 25th, 2007 at 15:44
It’s about the quality of the diamond not the brand. Most diamonds come from one place. Choose the cheapest that you can find for the quality that you want and then go buy a nice setting. The setting will display it the best.
I’ve been engaged about 6 months and no one has ever asked me where we got the ring. The only people that know is because I volunteered. (For the record, we went to a custom jeweler and the only diamond distributor in Chicago). We did stop at a very expensive jeweler and it wasn’t worth the money to pay for some designers name.
I’m sure the guys on the otherhand have asked each other about good places to buy a ring. But even so, they can lie. Who will know the difference?
January 26th, 2007 at 04:57
The value in an engagement ring, isn’t how large the diamond is, or how much it costs, it’s in the fact that your fiance went to the effort of finding a symbol of your love that will last throughout your lives, and possibly on to the lives of your children and grandchildren. Keep in mind that if a marriage lasts a woman will keep her engagement ring on her finger for her entire life. When bad times hit, and they will from time to time, that ring becomes a symbol of love that will help you through worrisome hours apart from your husband, due to emergencies, the death of loved ones, etc. Every time I look at my ring, I think of my husband, and the love we have for one another.
When you amortize the cost of a ring over a life time, you’ll see it’s definitely worth taking the time to find the right one. If the right one happens to be at Costco so be it. But divide the cost of the ring over 50 or 60 years of marriage, and the price will feel like pennies.
January 26th, 2007 at 05:43
Why would you ever use a brick and mortar jeweler, even costco. They’re overcharging. They have to spend a *lot* of money to keep diamonds secure. This is added to your purchase price.
Use Blue Nile (http://www.bluenile.com). Free next day shipping a great return and warranty policy, and about 70% the price off tiffany for stones with the *exact* same cuts, clarities, colors and certified by the exact same lab Tiffany uses.
For larger diamonds, they are even BETTER equipped for your purchase, they’re even a deeper price difference.
For purchases over a certain amount, they don’t use fedex: They send an armored car. And they still *murder* any jeweler on price, quality and service.
If you need to see what a diamond of a certain quality looks like (remember, you can’t tell once they’re mounted; look at loose stones), go to a high end jeweler, then walk out, and buy the same stone at BN for 70% of the price.
Longtime BlueNile Customer and Advocate,
Michael Langford
PS: My wife gets over 4o compliments a year on a pendant I bought from them in 2004 for Christmas.
January 26th, 2007 at 13:44
If my husband had said were going to Costo to get your ring it will save us money, I would have jumped up and down – with joy!! The ring thing is a good thing and the saving money is a good thing and I don’t go to Tiffany’s anyway. The sentiment of the moment will be what you remember.
As it stands we went to a well known jeweler in our area and I lost a diamond out of my wedding band about two months after we bought it so I don’t actually believe going to a jeweler means quality or ect…
January 26th, 2007 at 22:29
My husband and I got engaged almost 27 years ago. We didn’t buy the ring from Costco because I don’t think Costco existed. We did go to a well known discount store that now seems to be gone, probably a victim of internet sales. I think we spent 400 dollars and I ended up paying over half as my husband and I had the same salary (we were both in the military)and he was a little broke at the time. I have the ring in a box in the drawer. I almost never wear jewelry at all any more, even my wedding ring. and I have never felt the need to buy another diamond or any expensive stone, or have one bought for me. We are not poor. Our combined income is well over a 100k a year and we will retire in 10 years VERY comfortably. I have a lot of vices but over priced diamonds (and they are ALL over priced) are not one of them. Custom five string banjos…a different story.
Kate
January 27th, 2007 at 15:29
I think that as long as a ring is high-quality, it doesn’t matter where it’s from. You’ll be able to find out fairly easily if the ring from Costco is of the cut-color-carat-clarity that your looking for. I certainly don’t think that people need to go to Tiffany’s to get a beautiful ring. People should keep their budgets in mind and not go overboard. A nice, high quality, but perhaps small ring will do just fine.
January 27th, 2007 at 18:10
Ok, so I guess my initial response was NO WAY, but then in thinking about what I actually have & knowing my personal tastes I can honestly say that I really wouldn’t care. At this point I’d be happy with a CZ from WalMart!!!
January 27th, 2007 at 19:19
I don’t wear diamonds. However, if my significant other were to buy me a ring (no diamongds) I would not care if it from Costco or Tiffany’s, as long as he got the best value for money.
January 27th, 2007 at 23:12
[...] Ask Mr Credit Card wonders if it’s okay to buy an engagement ring from Costco. Of course it is. Who cares where it comes from, as long as the quality of the diamond is good. We purchased the Queen of Debt’s engagement ring from Blue Nile, which probably isn’t as cheap as Costco, but it was cheaper than buying it from Tiffany’s or another jeweler. [...]
January 28th, 2007 at 04:37
I would actually prefer that my ring came from Costco, because I don’t think I could marry a man who’d foolishly spend that much money when it didn’t matter!
January 28th, 2007 at 20:29
Hm… I think I am the wrong person to be answering this question because I don’t really like diamonds.
It is not because of the mining industry (although I will say that it is still pretty brutal.. I just don’t see how we can regulate that is all), but rather because I don’t want a piece of rock that is worth so much money. The idea that diamonds are “investments” is all a marketing ploy, and my friend who works as a diamond broker at Blue Nile has confirmed to me that unless that diamond is over 5 carats, it really has not much resale value. I feel that if I had a diamond engagement ring, I’d be worried that I’d lose it (stones CAN come loose, unless it is on something very strong like platinum), worried that I’d be asking to get mugged when I travel to foreign countries, and in the end have it sit in a safe at a bank.
Now a days there are excellent lab diamonds. I would want one on a nice setting, and spend the rest of the money on a nice trip for the honeymoon.
January 28th, 2007 at 22:11
[...] Is it OK if Your Bling Bling comes from Costco? (Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog) Did you know that Costco sell diamond rings? (tags: money finance rings) [...]
January 29th, 2007 at 03:46
I confess — my engagement ring is from Costco. My husband and I looked at rings there, and he later went back and bought one that we both liked. It’s beautiful and I get compliments on it all the time.
January 29th, 2007 at 04:25
I think this really depends on the person you’re buying the ring for – after all, you’re not buying the ring for yourself…it’s for her. If you’re buying the ring, then you hopefully know enough about her to know whether it’s important to her that it’s from Tiffany’s or whether she’d rather have $8K+ in the bank and a ring from Costco. I realize that most (if not all) of us here are pf bloggers so we’re looking at things from a certain perspective. But the fact is, this is really more of a “human” issue than it is a financial one. (Of course, if paying the extra $8K means you’re broke and can’t afford the wedding anyway, then it’s certainly a financial one.) This is like someone that loves playing action oriented video games talking to someone who likes to sky dive. The gamer just doesn’t understand why anyone would want to do that. Both activities end up giving an adrenaline rush so why would you add the extra “cost” of possibly injury/death to get the same thing?
January 30th, 2007 at 09:29
[...] Frugality @ rings and jewelry Mr Credit Card wonders on what people may be thinking when getting their rings (other jewelry (?)) from less glamorous places like Costco in this post Is it OK if Your Bling Bling Comes From Costco? posted at Ask Mr Credit Card’s Blog. [...]
January 30th, 2007 at 21:33
Hee hee! I have no idea where my husband got my engagement gift, but it was actually a pair of diamond earings rather than a ring – I’m not keen on rings. We do both wear wedding bands though. We wanted plain white gold bands, and wound up getting them at what used to be a Murray’s Discount Auto and Jeweler. I don’t think those exist anymore, but it’s always fun to tell people that we picked up new windshield wipers for my car when we got our wedding rings.
February 3rd, 2007 at 22:51
[...] I really loved Is it OK if Your Bling Bling comes from Costco? at Ask Mr. Credit Card. The reason is two fold – (a) I had no clue that Costco sold diamonds and this was new information for me (the point that I will likely not use that information in the near future is moot, in my opinion) and (b) The author made a effort to contact several different bloggers and have them participate in the poll. As a result, in addition to the excellent write up by the author, there are some excellent comments by readers. What more can you ask from a blog post! [...]
February 8th, 2007 at 20:45
[...] This article talks about the premium we often pay based on which store we purchase jewelry from. The specific example given points out how you can pay $8,000 more for a similar ring at Tiffany’s than you would at Costco. [...]
February 13th, 2007 at 16:48
Why would I tell my fiance where I bought it. If she is that caught up with money then she is not in love with me (you) rather my (your) money.
April 21st, 2007 at 16:38
Late to the game as well, but I want to add my 2 cents.
I would not, and did not, buy or accept a ring from any of these places. I got married last year and dragged my husband-to-be to pawn shops to buy my $80 wedding ring and his $97 wedding band. We got gold and diamond rings for under a hundred bucks a piece.
Is my love worth less than the lady who wants an $8,000 diamond? I don’t think so.
Is my husband ever going to buy me a brand spanking new ring to replace my pawn shop find? He better not! I love my ring!
April 21st, 2007 at 16:48
[...] Go visit Ask Mr. Credit Card for a fascinating poll. Would it matter to you where your engagement diamond comes from? It is after all a big decision to get married, and can be a huge financial “investment”. [...]
April 28th, 2007 at 07:41
A little more info on Costco diamonds: They guarantee the Clarity (VS2 or better) and the Color (I or better) of their diamonds. They make no guarantees as to the cut of their diamonds. With that said, the CUT of Costco diamonds weighing one carat and over is evaluated very carefully. When buying a Costco diamond less than 1.0 carat in weight, it is best to have the CUT of the diamond checked by a graduate gemologist (not just any jeweler is qualified). A well cut diamond will appear MUCH larger than a poorly cut diamond of the same carat weight. I am not implying that Costco diamonds under 1.0 carat are all poorly cut–that is not the case. They sell some exceptional diamonds in the smaller carat weights. But, because they deal in volume with many different vendors, sometimes diamonds in the smaller weights fall through the cracks and are not checked as carefully as the larger stones. Simply, take a little extra time and do your due dilligence with any diamond purchase. Costco offers excellent value for your luxury dollars.
May 21st, 2007 at 16:36
I have seen a ring bought from Costco, and it is beautiful, more so than many that have come from a jeweler. Of course she will never know, but I personally would’nt care one bit where it came from if it is that classy and unique looking.
October 29th, 2007 at 02:48
Listen guys…… my man and I have been up and down, all around looking at rings.
My conclusion is this:
The GIA report says it all. A GIA report doesnt lie.
Costco rings are FANTASTIC because Costco only marks up 12%-15% vs 60%-300% at “other” retailers. You get way more bang for the buck at Costco-
They will hand you a GIA report that states the appraisal value and sell you the diamonds for 30-40% less.
The sales people maybe arent quite as “specialized”, but hey, they also dont have any hidden agendas.
That little blue cardboard Tiffanys box will end up in the recycle bin someday anyhow…
November 15th, 2007 at 14:17
I bought my wife’s engagement ring at Costco. 2 carats, princess cut. GIA-certified. Not a small purchase by any means!
Then we had the stone placed in a different setting at a small jeweler.
The result? My wife is frequently stopped by strangers (in restaurants, checkout lines, etc.) who complement the beauty of her ring. The diamond practically sparkles in the dark.
Costco is a well run company, and the diamonds they sell are top notch. We didn’t need a little blue box or a cup of tea. We needed — and got — a high quality diamond (and a great deal to boot).
December 16th, 2007 at 21:56
[...] Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. Credit Card has a poll going on about whether it is ok or not to get an engagement ring at Costco. Personally, I don’t see why not. First you need to consider your budget and stay within that. Second, you want to get the best value for your dollar, and if Costco is where you can get that, fine. Another option is to go to a jewelry store that offers layaway – I’ve gone to Helzberg for their excellent customer service and the advantage of their layaway option. [...]
April 13th, 2008 at 09:20
My fiance proposed to me five weeks ago. We were on a trip to Colorado to ski and stay at my fiance’s aunt and uncle’s beautiful condominium. On our way up to the mountains, we stopped at a Costco to pick up some supplies. My fiances uncle in retired from a great job with the government and his aunt just to get out of the house more and because she truly enjoys it, works part-time at Costco. I had never been to a Costco, they wanted to show me and I wanted to see what costco is about. My fiance and I are deeply in love and truly love one another, therefore we had been talking marriage and engagement. When in Costco we stopped at the jewelry counter, of course not expecting to find anything. To my surprise I saw a lovely diverse selection of beautiful diamond rings. My eye immediately was drawn to a particular ring. It was Gorgeous! I am a woman who believes in quality over quantity and will pay for quality. My mother owns a spectacular diamond ring with a total ct weight exceeding 3cts, a emerald cut solitaire with two substantial baguettes on each side. Therefore I am partial to a emerald cut. I fell in love with with this ring! quickly adding I loved my fiance much more!;) I tried it on, telling my fiance I could not have drawn a ring I liked more, it was exactly what I wanted. While we all are standing around the jewelry counter a fellow woman shopper came up, commenting on how beautiful the ring was. The next thing we knew she whipped out a loob, I did not even know what a loob was! She asked to see the ring looked at it through her loob Stating there were no inclusions, there was one small bubble, I believe she called it and went on to say Positives about the other characteristics of the stone and stones. All the while the woman behind the counter is telling us about Costcos philosophy and standards on diamonds, I am thinking is this woman with the loob secretly working for Costco? As I am thinking this the woman tells me she works and judges jewelry at shows. I was glad to hear this thinking what are the chances we would run into or more like it she into us, a woman who is obviously somewhat knowledgeable about diamonds and is carrying a loob, when I find the ring of my dreams!? We will be the first to admit we had not educated ourselves about purchasing a diamond, we to my knowledge had no intention of buying one quite yet. The loob lady asked to see the warranty and the rings papers and appraisal. She said we were getting a good deal but the appraisals were always high. I once again expressed my extreme fondness for the ring, thanked the loob lady as well as the jewelry woman and Costco manager ( he had to authorize getting the ring out of the case and the papers out of the safe) we then went about our Costco shopping. The ring was so beautiful to me I just cared about its quality, not its origin was Costco. My fiance wanted to please me so badly, I could have picked out a ring from anywhere. he is 45 has been wise with his money. After waiting for the “one” me:), to come along he was prepared. The next night after driving to the condo, he took me to a covered bridge with white lights and proposed! The man of my dreams, with the ring of my dreams! He had very slyly, while I was in another part of Costco, gone and due to the awesome price was able to write a check for my dream ring! I am a clinical psychotherapist and very perceptive, he totally “got me” When I came to this website I was shocked so many woman are so caught up in the commercialism of marriage. Where a diamond is from does not a marriage make. My engagement ring is a over 1 carat emerald cut solitaire, surrounded by little channel set diamonds, with the same diamonds going halfway around the band of Platinum. It came with papers as I said, stating everything they need too including the hologram laserscribed on the Diamond itself for identification etc. This is one of the marks of a fine diamond from what I understand or at least a responsible jeweler or company. To end this insanely long “comment”, more like a essay, I adore my ring, I really appreciate my fiance being able to save so much money, buying it from Costco. One last comment, I bought a bridal magazine. The very back page of the magazine was a ad for Tiffany engagement rings. What was on this ad were several beautiful diamond rings one looking identical to mine except the cut of the diamond was a different shape. It brought a smile to my face as does my ring, all the time! Thank you for reading this, I apologize for the length, I felt writing this in its entirety would convey it best. Have a great day!
September 2nd, 2008 at 21:38
Long story short, when my wife and I were first dating, I jokingly told her I’d buy her jewelry from Costco — to which she replied that I was to never buy her jewelry from Costco.
Fast forward a couple of years, when it came time to be engaged, we decided to look for the engagement diamong and ring together. We looked high and low – from the daily radio-advertised “engagement ring store” to the Tiffany’s and other high-end retailers at the upscale mall in town.
Where did we end up? Costco. They had the BEST looking stone amongst all stores – even better than what we saw at Tiffany’s. We actually kept looking after our visit to Costco, and two weeks later, we still liked theirs the best.
Four years later, she still gets compliments on the ring. It’s a 1.6 carat – but it often gets mistaken for a 2 carat because it looks so good!
September 8th, 2008 at 19:12
Why WOULDN’T you want a ring from Costco??? Ask yourself – are you willing to pay thousands more for your ring to come in a tiny blue box?? I attended a marketing conference recently and the speaker said that the Tiffany box is the most expensive piece of cardboard you will ever buy! No offense to Tiffany – I have a few of their pieces but… I would much rather have something twice the size (without sacrificing quality!) from Costco! In fact, I INSISTED that my ring come from there!
Costco has VERY strict standards when it comes to diamonds! Their standards are much higher than many other retailers. Years ago, I wouldn’t have considered Costco for diamonds – but then one of my colleagues (a prominent medical professional) informed me that Costco diamonds often appraise for more than DOUBLE their purchase price!! If you feel that people will think less of you because your ring is from Costco, then simply tell them you’re not sure where it’s from … or that he had it made for you (Costco does that too).
Besides, isn’t it a bit tacky to ask WHERE someone’s ring is from?
September 12th, 2008 at 21:10
My hubby and I did LOTS of research prior to buying our rings and Costco far surpasses the quality and price of any other jeweller that we found. We have a million other ways that we could spend the money that we saved and I still have a rock!! Also, when we ordered our ring online, the ring we were sent was bigger and better quality than the listing and we weren’t charged for it. I highly recommend it, it just makes sense.
March 19th, 2009 at 20:00
I am in the process of shopping for an engagement ring and it really does come down to either Tiffany or Costco. For me, it came down to how much I am willing to spend. With Costco, I can get better 4Cs for the same dollars than at Tiffany. Tiffany does have that special name but it comes at a premium. I really don’t care either way as long as my significant other is happy. I had the discussion with my girlfriend and she understands my approach. She doesn’t wear jewlery and is looking at her wedding rings as being one of the few pieces of jewlery she owns and she wants the name. This is fine by me as I’m not spending a different amount. Most importantly, she will be happy.
June 15th, 2009 at 00:54
I suspect that most people who look down on Costco diamonds are wearing $1000 rings for which they paid $4000. Get online and look at the specs on Costco diamonds. They’re all VS1 and VS2 clarity. Then get on mainstream jewelry stores and try to find anything that is that grade. Most won’t have that quality stone, and the ones that do will charge 200-300% what Costco charges for that grade stone. If you pay $4000 for a stone at Costco it will actually be worth what you paid for it. There are very few, if any, jewelry stores that can say that.