Cartier Diamond - HCA 4.3!?!

[nyebling]

I'm still debating the e-ring vs. cartier 1895 (the difficulty is how much my girl likes the cartier setting, and most of her friends have T&Co, etc rings, and I really haven't seen an e-setting that approximates it too well)

So I looked at ring in Cartier and here are the diamond specs

1.30ct
G
VS2
GIA ex/ex/ex
6.99 x 7.02 x 4.3
Table 59%
Depth 61.4%
Crown Angle 35.5
Pav 41.0

Initially I thought the high crown might put it in the FIC range which I've been curious about, but the HCA ends up at 4.3.
Of course mounted in the setting, even in the darker part of the store the light return seems amazing...but what gives?!?
any thoughts?

 

[MissGotRocks]

The HCA doesn't prefer stones with a pavillion angle higher than 40.9 and coupled with the high crown angle of 35.5, it probably predicts some light leakage. Ideally you'd want to stay with a crown angle of 34-35 and a pavillion angle of 40.6-40.9.

GIA has some broad parameters for their ex/ex stones that don't get the thumbs up from the HCA.

Tell Cartier your angle preferences and see what stones they come up with in their inventory.

 

[nyebling]

Thanks! I wonder if the high crown would give it more fire (have heard that on here before)

 

[MissGotRocks]

Can be a stone with more fire as long as you're not losing light return. Do you have an IdealScope to look at the diamond with?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

We have people come here fairly often with Tiffany stones and some are really ideal cut and some not so much. We had another person come here who VERY much wanted a luxury brand e-ring and was willing to pay for it. We gave the parameters for a well cut stone. They came back with certs from stones from both Cartier and Graff, I think, and we saw plenty with less than excellent cut! My view is, if I am paying a premium for a brand, you'd better believe I wouldn't settle for a less than ideal cut stone!!! I know that very good diamonds are usually going to look pretty, and they all will in jewelry store lighting, but I want my diamond to look good in most lighting environments with no leakage. It is super easy to buy an ideal cut diamond from one of these vendors, but you have to do some work to get one from one of the big name jewelers. That's the only way I'd pay the premium for the brand, though.

You really have to know how important the branded ring is to her. She needs to know her choice could be a 1.5 ct. ideal cut stone in a beautiful Tiffany or C. 1895 repro or a real Cartier 1.3 ct.

 

[nyebling]

I think these are all really great points! Thanks for the thoughts...I guess I had in my mind they would "hand select" ideal cut stones but I think that's probably not the case (as you indicated)...last week I was having a bit of a crisis on the e-ring front but I ended up purchasing two diamonds (one I think you recommended DiamondSeeker and one Marchesa had pointed out!) and am taking them to an appraiser this week to help me choose!

hopefully one will be a clear winner and I can get it set in a 1895-like ring
I'm leaning towards this one by Leo Ingwer
http://tinyurl.com/6r26ad8

any thoughts on the setting?

David

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Okay, great! I did the same thing when I was deciding on my anniversary diamond...sent for two diamonds, chose one, and sent the other back. I'll have to look back to see which two stones you are probably looking at! That setting is okay, but you could do better in that style if you have room in your budget. Also, it depends on which vendor you end up buying from as to which settings they have access to.

 

[nyebling]

Any suggestions on other specific models? I have a local jeweler who seems to get access to most of these too...but I'm running VERY short on time...

I don't love the BGD one
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/elegance-18k-white-gold-5415w18

and the VC one the basket seems too "thick"
http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/the-trueste-solitaire.html

I haven't seen a good picture of the leon mege classic solitaire but heard that is similar

obviously these are all similar to the cartier 1895...

help?!

 

[Dreamer_D]

based only on photos and not on real life experience, I have not been impressed with Cartier diamond quality wrt cut. Color and clarity may be their priority.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Any suggestions on other specific models? I have a local jeweler who seems to get access to most of these too...but I'm running VERY short on time...

I don't love the BGD one
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/elegance-18k-white-gold-5415w18

and the VC one the basket seems too "thick"
http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/the-trueste-solitaire.html

I haven't seen a good picture of the leon mege classic solitaire but heard that is similar

obviously these are all similar to the cartier 1895...

help?!

Victor Canera is custom, so all you'd have to do is to tell him to make that side basket bar thinner.

 

[nyebling]

Thanks for the rec DS!

I talked to VC and he seems game for a few alterations...will probably cost $2500...
I think locally I can get a similar (though likely less well made ring) for $1200...his work seems pretty incredible though...worth the cost???

 

[Dreamer_D]

Have you seen many examples from you local person that can help you determine if he/she can execute the desigh to your satisfaction?

 

[nyebling]

I've seen a few of the blanks (without stone) but don't know how the finishing work turns out (though they have done great work on earrings etc before)...

 

[yssie]

I've seen a few of the blanks (without stone) but don't know how the finishing work turns out (though they have done great work on earrings etc before)...

From someone who *just* went through this, take PSers Charmypoo and Laila's staples of advice to heart - you really, really do want to see finished pieces of similar style to what you want before you go ahead with your own project. Now my project was considerably more complicated and so had much more room for error, and I think you'll be completely fine with VC with the alterations you want, but I'd be very concerned about not being able to see some finished pieces locally, to evaluate both aesthetic and workmanship.

*edited for spelling

 

[kelpie]

Just about every round brilliant I've seen from Cartier is no where close to ideal. I think tiffany does a much better job of actually providing quality behind their brand name. Tiff's round brilliants may not be perfect hearts and arrows but they all have superb cut from what I've seen.

 

[nyebling]

Yssie makes a very good point. I'm going to pick the final stone tomorrow and then see what can be done locally. I think the peace of mind vs trying to deal remotely (and the degrees of freedom for error) are all good for me to remember. Thank you so much!!!

 

[Gypsy]

Sometimes it's all in the marketing.

It is just as easy to compliment your spouse for taking the time to research ideal stones and custom settings as it is to compliment one for going to a nice store and picking out the first ring in budget they saw. See what matters to your lady. She's the one wearing it. For her-- maybe it means more to have the Cartier name and some compromised performance. Or maybe she'll agree with some of the posters here and say she'd rather have an ideal cut in a custom setting.

Point is... ask her. She's the one it is for.