Brand name or trust local jewelers?

[hoken]

Hi,

my gf has eyed the cartier 1895 pave because she loves how the centerstone plus the sidestones sparkle together so much in an elegant way.

I'm about to pull the trigger, i know she doesn't care about brand name so I want to go to a local jeweler and get a better diamond and ask them to replicate the 1895 setting. They've been around for about 30 years and seem to do good work. I have some concerns that are making me hesitate tho and haven't had luck searching the forums. Sorry if it's alrdy been asked
1. How much does the setting contribute to the sparkle-ness of the ring? Even if the local jeweler messes up the setting a little
as long as I purchase a loose diamond that has a better overall cut the whole thing will still sparkle the way the 1895 does right?
2. Are local jewelers allowed to make replicas? Will they purposely do something unique to it so they dont have copyright issues?

Has anyone actually asked for a duplicate/replica? Worried about how it will turn out, after I drop my deposit I'm kind of stuck with their work. I'm worried enough to the point where I'm actually considering paying the markup for the Cartier and having something she's already guarenteed to like. Appreciate any input!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Please, please, by all means get equal or better quality with a larger diamond since she is not stuck on the brand name, thankfully! I'd never think most local jewelers have the skill to do it right, unless you happen to live near one of the pave masters we recommend. I am going to recommend you contact Victor Canera because he carries top quality round diamonds and makes a handforged pave basket setting similar to the Cartier. Many members here have gorgeous pieces from him.

He has superior cut diamonds in all price ranges (which you just won't find locally):

https://victorcanera.com/ (click on Diamonds, then Canera Ideal Hearts)

And here is the gorgeous handforged setting (even better than the 1895, in my opinion):

https://victorcanera.com/rings/engagement/the-trueste-with-pave

This would be a higher quality ring than the one at C, I truly believe.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/[/URL] (7 pages of his work from members here)

 

[msop04]

Hi,

my gf has eyed the cartier 1895 pave because she loves how the centerstone plus the sidestones sparkle together so much in an elegant way.

I'm about to pull the trigger, i know she doesn't care about brand name so I want to go to a local jeweler and get a better diamond and ask them to replicate the 1895 setting. They've been around for about 30 years and seem to do good work. I have some concerns that are making me hesitate tho and haven't had luck searching the forums. Sorry if it's alrdy been asked
1. How much does the setting contribute to the sparkle-ness of the ring? Even if the local jeweler messes up the setting a little
as long as I purchase a loose diamond that has a better overall cut the whole thing will still sparkle the way the 1895 does right?
2. Are local jewelers allowed to make replicas? Will they purposely do something unique to it so they dont have copyright issues?

Has anyone actually asked for a duplicate/replica? Worried about how it will turn out, after I drop my deposit I'm kind of stuck with their work. I'm worried enough to the point where I'm actually considering paying the markup for the Cartier and having something she's already guarenteed to like. Appreciate any input!

Hi, hoken...

First of all, don't pay the premium for Cartier. There are benches who can replicate this design for MUCH less. Brilliantly Engaged (formerly Engagement Rings Direct) comes to mind for their Cartier replicas. Also, David Klass could make it as well.

 

[hoken]

Please, please, by all means get equal or better quality with a larger diamond since she is not stuck on the brand name, thankfully! I'd never think most local jewelers have the skill to do it right, unless you happen to live near one of the pave masters we recommend. I am going to recommend you contact Victor Canera because he carries top quality round diamonds and makes a handforged pave basket setting similar to the Cartier. Many members here have gorgeous pieces from him.

He has superior cut diamonds in all price ranges (which you just won't find locally):

https://victorcanera.com/ (click on Diamonds, then Canera Ideal Hearts)

And here is the gorgeous handforged setting (even better than the 1895, in my opinion):

https://victorcanera.com/rings/engagement/the-trueste-with-pave

This would be a higher quality ring than the one at C, I truly believe.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/[/URL] (7 pages of his work from members here)

thanks! I'll check him out. You really don't think local jewelers can do it well? Is 30 years considered decent experience at least?

If she's mainly worried about the sparkliness how much would the craftsmanship of the setting matter?

 

[msop04]

Please, please, by all means get equal or better quality with a larger diamond since she is not stuck on the brand name, thankfully! I'd never think most local jewelers have the skill to do it right, unless you happen to live near one of the pave masters we recommend. I am going to recommend you contact Victor Canera because he carries top quality round diamonds and makes a handforged pave basket setting similar to the Cartier. Many members here have gorgeous pieces from him.

He has superior cut diamonds in all price ranges (which you just won't find locally):

https://victorcanera.com/ (click on Diamonds, then Canera Ideal Hearts)

And here is the gorgeous handforged setting (even better than the 1895, in my opinion):

https://victorcanera.com/rings/engagement/the-trueste-with-pave

This would be a higher quality ring than the one at C, I truly believe.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/post-your-victor-canera-beauties-here.175281/[/URL] (7 pages of his work from members here)

thanks! I'll check him out. You really don't think local jewelers can do it well? Is 30 years considered decent experience at least?

If she's mainly worried about the sparkliness how much would the craftsmanship of the setting matter?

50 years experience doesn't mean the bench was ever executing to the level you'd want. For a simpler setting such as the one she wants, it absolutely matters.