Natural Diamond Prices – November 2024
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Cartier Review: These pages may reference products from companies that help to support PriceScope.
Cartier Review
The luxury jewelry company Cartier was founded in 1847 in a humble store in Paris. Today, it is one of the world’s leading brands.
As you may already know, Cartier is famous for its watches and fine jewelry collections. Also, they were the pioneers of using platinum in jewelry, making it one of the most popular materials today.
Cartier’s website takes the eye immediately with its elegance and style. As a brand with powerful messages like “unlock your wish” and a panther mascot, Cartier stands out amongst many other cookie-cutter jewelry brands. However, can their diamonds boast the same quality? Let’s explore Cartier under the loupe.
1. What is Cartier’s story?
Source: https://www.cartier.com/en-us/home
Cartier, with Louis-François Cartier as its shining star, is legendary. Founded in Paris in 1847, Cartier introduced new standards of excellence and beauty into the jewelry industry. Hard work, as well as a bold decision to buy the workshop from his boss at the right time, put the Cartier empire on track.
Despite the modest store, Cartier wanted to be more than just a watchmaker and a jewelry dealer. As one of the first designers to work with Platinum, Louis introduced it to the world of fashion. Cartier completely revolutionized the industry with this durable material for jewelry; no one could contest that.
It was undoubtedly one of Louis Cartier’s greatest talents to perceive changes in trends in such a way that his astounding creations met new aesthetic tastes – and still do to this day.
Jeweler of European royal houses, as well as American billionaires, Louis Cartier’s great creations are now considered prized works of art by international auction houses.
Known worldwide for its elegant taste, the name Cartier is a legend present in 60 countries with more than 200 boutiques. Cartier remained family-owned until 1964, and it is now part of the Richemont Group.
2. What is most appealing about Cartier?
Grading Authority
When it comes to diamonds, Cartier claim that only specialists select their diamonds, and that the process of selection is “most rigorous.” However, on their site, they only offer diamonds with “very good” or “excellent” GIA cut grades. You’d be lucky to find a decent diamond with a desirable carat size and color with the latter cut grade from this brand, however.
If there’s anything you should take away from this review, it’s that cut should never be comprised if you wish to achieve the best bang for your buck (and sparkle for your spend).
Through our research, it appears that Cartier doesn’t do enough to explain their diamond selection process, show ASET maps or explain cut grades. All essential considerations when purchasing such a high-value item.
They don’t do enough to educate the buyers. It seems like Cartier relies on its heritage and associations to do the talking, rather than the diamonds themselves. It’s not something every jeweler can accomplish, but Cartier, with its long and illustrious name, pulls it off.
You may not have an issue if you are 100% committed to buying a Cartier ring, but if you are checking out the market and price options, this is definitely something to consider.
Before making any decision, we would highly recommend reading our reviews for some of our recommended vendors such as Whiteflash, Blue Nile and James Allen. Those vendors offer the very best diamond shopping experiences online, with a seamless selection process and an array of options.
Variety
Cartier makes powerful aesthetics and icons that feel true to their roots but have a timeless appeal, from its Love Bracelet to Juste un Clou and its Tank and Santos watches.
It has already been mentioned that Cartier has fewer options for diamond engagement rings than other jewelry brands, not only in terms of product choices but also in terms of actual product selection.
It is hard to know just how Cartier sources diamonds, what kind you’ll receive, and how to choose among the varying products.
Nevertheless, we know that there are no affordable 0.50 carat diamonds of the G or H color, VS1/VS2 variety that is pre-mounted in an 1895 Cartier setting. Which is disappointing for such a popular engagement ring style.
Ease of Use
It is fairly easy to locate the various items Cartier sells at the top of its website. They certainly sell quite a lot. Finding the right item, which in this case was the engagement ring, was not easy.
You can’t determine which type of diamond you’re buying due to a lack of information and limited search options. As a result, you are essentially shopping blind. Never advised for such an investment.
Diamond purchases can be difficult even for the experienced diamond buyer, but for those purchasing perhaps their first diamond, it can be a struggle. Utilize our “secret recipe” to find the largest, sparkliest diamond for your budget on your Cartier quest.
The Selection
As Cartier has developed a strong brand, its price tags have increased, but its diamond selection has not. If you plan to shop at Cartier, you should be aware that there are fewer options at a higher cost.
Cartier’s “Set For You” program is designed to solve this problem. A program like this is similar to the “build your own ring” feature many online vendors provide. The sales staff can recommend loose diamonds from Cartier’s inventory and create a custom ring based on your choice of setting.
As you might not be aware, Cartier’s “Set For You” service is the same as shopping blind online. As you don’t get to see the diamond beforehand, nor do you get any additional information beyond a grading report, we would not recommend this method.
In addition, Cartier’s inventory of loose diamonds is extremely low, making their program significantly inferior to other online vendors.
The diamonds in your ring should have a perfect cut quality, with no exceptions, which you can determine using our expert tool. Explore our extensive inventory of over 1 million loose diamonds for sale and choose the diamond that suits your needs.
The Experience
Our other reviews typically indicate that when it comes to ordering items online, it always beats buying brick-and-mortar. However, when it comes to Cartier, we actually encourage you to visit a store. That’s far superior to navigating their website online.
Cartier stands out from other high-end boutique jewelry stores because their customer service is outstanding and you really do feel like royalty the moment you walk in. Upon entering, a doorman holds the door while you make your entrance. You’re greeted by a lavish interior and smiling sales attendants immediately. It’s a classic Cartier experience.
You’re often taken to a private room once you make it known that you wish to buy an engagement ring, where you can relax, sip a cup of coffee, and see the range of options available in the showroom.
In addition, the private room is generally a better environment for selecting diamonds, since the lighting is usually softer and less glaring than in the showroom. First-time shoppers can be taken in by a diamond that looks nice and sparkly in a jewelry store but doesn’t look the same once they leave the store. It doesn’t matter how well cut the diamonds are, lighting fixtures in jewelry stores are always designed to flatter and enhance their appearance.
Don’t overlook the Cartier boutique store’s private room, even if only to rest your feet and drink some coffee while mulling over some jewelry pieces. Besides being treated well, you’ll also get to enjoy personalized service there.
As with most companies, Cartier offers a 30-day return policy, after which a refund or exchange can be issued if Cartier is satisfied with the returned product’s condition. Returned products must, of course, be new and unused.
We suggest that you read Cartier’s terms and conditions regarding returns carefully before making a purchase. Unlike some others, this return doesn’t come with no questions asked.
3. What diamond and jewelry products does Cartier offer?
As mentioned earlier in the review, although diamonds are not Cartier’s strongest suit and they are not even available for purchase online, the famous French brand does have a few redeeming features.
Among its many collections, Cartier offers a wide variety of jewelry, lifestyle, gifts, accessories fashion, and fragrances, as well as a limited selection of engagement rings in their iconic settings.
Their standout jewelry and accessory offerings include:
It’s worth reiterating that the Cartier brand doesn’t sell any loose diamonds, so you’ll be looking at pre-set jewelry pieces.
4. What sets Cartier apart from others?
Customer Experience: Shopping at Cartier is an experience like no other. While their website needs improvement with difficult navigation, their instore is totally different and they couldn’t be more accommodating if they tried. Even with their insufficient inventory and poor diamond selection, the service shines through.
Complimentary Engraving Service: Give your Cartier item a personal touch. Leave your mark on selected models with a special name, meaningful quote, initials, or significant date. This is a great way to make your Cartier ring unique since you have limited possibilities to experiment with their designer settings and even fewer options with diamonds.
Great Warranties and Guarantees: You can resize your ring free of charge within 3 months of purchase, but depending on the ring’s type and design, it may not be possible to change the ring’s size.
Simple solitaire settings, such as 1895 or Cartier d’Amour solitaire, allow for more flexibility. Hence, if you have a ring such as Cartier Destinée, Trinity Ruban, or Ballerine design, you will be restricted in how much you can change ring size due to the melees.
Jeweler of Kings: There is no denying Cartier’s elegance, and the brand has sold many items to celebrities and royals, including Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Even King Edward VII of England said that Cartier was “the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers.” An endorsement like this is hard to ignore, who wouldn’t want to own a piece that makes such a claim?
5. What does Cartier packaging look like?
Credit: https://www.en.cartier.com/collections/gifts.html
Presented in a beautiful gift wrap and wax sealed package, Cartier packaging instantly creates a sense of nostalgia for the hand-stamped love letters and invitations of days gone by.
The vibrant, strong red of the Cartier packaging and decadent gold finishes beckon you to open, revealing a satin interior housing your purchase comfortably. Everything is tactile, everything is luxurious. The unboxing is an experience in itself.
Without a lavish package, a luxury brand is just not the same. Cartier and its crimson ring box are sure to incite feelings of love before even being opened.
6. Are you the ideal Cartier customer?
With its connotations of elegance and wealth, Cartier is a well-known and household brand name. In spite of the more critical nature of this Cartier review, the “wow factor” a Cartier product can deliver remains impressive. Such a price tag demands a thorough critique.
That being said, Cartier’s quality is lacking, both when it comes to the online user experience and the way they sell their own products. Cartier seems to assume that customers simply want to buy from them without needing to ask about diamond quality or cut details.
We know that is not always the case for the savvy buyers of today.
If you are buying a jewelry brand (for example, Tiffany), you will definitely pay more because of the brand name. It all depends on how important the name is to you.
Cartier diamond rings can be a fantastic choice if the quality of the diamond is not your highest concern. Their settings are iconic and timeless.
In contrast, if you are more concerned with securing a high-quality diamond, we recommend working with another diamond seller such as Whiteflash, Blue Nile, or James Allen.
PriceScope provides layers of information about diamonds, including cut-quality, so you can do comprehensive research before purchasing a diamond. Having this resource at your fingertips is the first step to becoming a more informed and confident buyer.
In order to truly appreciate the wide selection of diamonds online, we recommend taking a look at our huge selection of loose diamonds, which promise the best cut quality.
Get fast answers to any question: Ask our community of unbiased independent helpers or use our diamond search to find your ideal diamond.
The information in this review is current, to the best of our knowledge, as of May, 2022.
