Cartier or Blue Nile Eternity Band

[ClassicSAC]

I was going to reset my 1.4 brilliant cut diamond from a plain, thin shank solitaire setting to a setting with pave stones however; I have now decided to purchase a different wedding band with smaller stones which will complement my center stone. I am looking at three different bands; one from Cartier which I tried on Friday and two from Blue Nile. The Cartier band is the Etincelle eternity band set with .22 carats of brilliant-cut stones, 1.52 mm wide.

While pricey, the Cartier band fit like a glove and looked stunning with my solitaire. Not too wide, not too narrow, not too thick I have short fingers so the width was perfect and very comfortable. I am more of a "brand name" gal and do not have a problem spending more. The price of this band is $2,580.

The second band from Blue Nile, the Riviera Petite Micropave Diamond Eternity Ring, .25 carats, was not available to try on in the Blue Nile showroom I visited on Friday. Also, this band is only available in half sizes and the Cartier band is available in quarter sizes. My ring measures 5 1/4. The price is $1,080. The width of the band is 1.5 mm. The height is also 1.5 mm and would fit with my solitaire as well.

Option number three, also from Blue Nile, is the Riviera Pave Diamond Eternity Ring is .50 carats, width, 1.9, height, 1.6 mm. The price is $1,590. Again, the showroom did not have this exact ring so I was unable to try it on and see the size of the stones.

My engagement ring a the Petite Nouveau Four Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring from Blue Nile (see my avatar photo). The width of the shank is 1.9 mm. I am having it sized down to a 5 1/4 because currently it is a 5 1/2 and continuously spins except in the summer.

My original wedding band was an estate eternity band that was purchased on vacation the week we got engaged. The first month I wore it, a stone popped out and had to be replaced and all the prongs had to be rebuilt. After the prongs were rebuilt, the ring was not comfortable but scratchy and I stopped wearing it. Also, the stones in natural daylight did not have a lot of fire to them and appeared quite dull. The appraisal labeled the total carat weight as 1.0 but it looks more like .50 carats. That would be fine if the stones had some fire to them. We are selling this band back to the store where we purchased it. I am trying to avoid another band issue as this purchase will be our third band attempt to match my ering.

Any assistance/feedback would be appreciated! I am not restricted by a budget for the band but I want something that I will LOVE forever and that is really comfortable on my finger. At this time, I am leaning more towards the Cartier.

 

[baby monster]

I would go for Cartier in this case. I tried on couple different diamond bands from BN and wasn't impressed with their finish. Edges felt sharp and uncomfortable. Everything I ever tried on at Cartier was smooth like buttah.

 

[ClassicSAC]

I would go for Cartier in this case. I tried on couple different diamond bands from BN and wasn't impressed with their finish. Edges felt sharp and uncomfortable. Everything I ever tried on at Cartier was smooth like buttah.

I am glad you agree! I tried on four different bands on Cartier and all of them fit like a glove and were smooth. I tried on a plain, platinum band at Cartier and Blue Nile and the Cartier band felt heavier, sturdier and more comfortable as well. I have been trying to research the quality of platinum used by different vendors and I can't locate a lot of information but my personal test tells me the quality at Cartier is higher.

 

[ac117]

Honestly, you've said you're a brand girl and while I don't think you'll be telling people 'It's a Cartier!', it will bring you lots of joy and satisfaction so I'd say go for it. It's a splurge but it's your forever wedding band so it's extra special!

 

[ClassicSAC]

One other item to note, the manager at the Blue Nile showroom was trying to convince me that my solitaire fit perfectly which it doesn't. The sales associate at Cartier noticed immediately that my ering was larger than it should be. When I wear it with my 2.5mm five stone band, as shown in my avatar photo, it is slightly tighter but still spins. The Cartier associate said I definitely needed a 5 1/4 size band if I go with the diamond 1.5 mm. She said a 5 1/2 would be too lose since it is a thin band.

 

[JDDN]

If this is your ‘forever’ band and budget is not an issue then why not go with Cartier. You’ve tried it on and it felt and looked perfect. Alternatively you could buy all three and try each on with your e-ring and return the ones you don’t love. I think it’s hard to make an absolute decision if you weren’t able to try the BN bands on.

On a separate note, is your e-ring comfy in the summer time? If it is then I’d be hesitant to size it down as it’ll be snug in the warm months. Also when you pair it with a band it helps with the spinning (maybe you’ve done this already!) so maybe wait until you buy your band and wait until the summer to size down?

 

[ClassicSAC]

Honestly, you've said you're a brand girl and while I don't think you'll be telling people 'It's a Cartier!', it will bring you lots of joy and satisfaction so I'd say go for it. It's a splurge but it's your forever wedding band so it's extra special!

You are correct. I will not be telling people where the band is from but I will LOVE wearing it everyday. Thank you!

 

[ClassicSAC]

If this is your ‘forever’ band and budget is not an issue then why not go with Cartier. You’ve tried it on and it felt and looked perfect. Alternatively you could buy all three and try each on with your e-ring and return the ones you don’t love. I think it’s hard to make an absolute decision if you weren’t able to try the BN bands on.

On a separate note, is your e-ring comfy in the summer time? If it is then I’d be hesitant to size it down as it’ll be snug in the warm months. Also when you pair it with a band it helps with the spinning (maybe you’ve done this already!) so maybe wait until you buy your band and wait until the summer to size down?

You are right about making a clear decision if I cannot try on all the bands with my ering. My ering does tend to be lose in the summer because of the air conditioning factor. I am going to Florida next month so I think I will visit the Cartier store there and try on the their band again since my fingers may be slightly larger in the warmer climate. I am not going to race to have my ering sized down. The original eternity band and ering combination was still lose in the summer although not as lose as in the winter.

 

[ClassicSAC]

If this is your ‘forever’ band and budget is not an issue then why not go with Cartier. You’ve tried it on and it felt and looked perfect. Alternatively you could buy all three and try each on with your e-ring and return the ones you don’t love. I think it’s hard to make an absolute decision if you weren’t able to try the BN bands on.

On a separate note, is your e-ring comfy in the summer time? If it is then I’d be hesitant to size it down as it’ll be snug in the warm months. Also when you pair it with a band it helps with the spinning (maybe you’ve done this already!) so maybe wait until you buy your band and wait until the summer to size down?

Some threads I have read on this site state that the wedding band should be no thinner than the ering. My ering width is 1.9. What is your opinion?

 

[JDDN]

That is a great idea to try on the Cartier band with your e-ring in Florida next month. And if your e-ring was still too loose with a 2.5mm band, then you probably could get away with going down 1/4 of a size. Did your e-ring still spin in the summer though? I know everyone is different with respect to how they like their rings to fit, some like them loose and some like them snug. I always buy bands 1/4 size bigger than my e-ring because spinning isn't an issue and I prefer a bit of room. But I also have a large knuckle so I know it won't slip off due to the slightly larger size!

My opinion on the wedding band being no thinner than the e-ring is that it doesn't matter as long as it is pleasing to your eyes. Some people like the visual effect of having the band and e-ring the same width and height. Some don't care. Personally I like them to be close to the same height but the width doesn't matter to me. It really is whatever you like seeing .

The one potential issue to be aware of with an eternity band at 1.5mm is that it can go out of round much easier than a band closer to 1.9mm-2mm. There is a lot less metal in an eternity that thin due to the pave so you will need to be careful. It is something to consider if you plan on wearing it all the time. People have bent their pave bands just opening the door to their cars! For structural and durability sake I would probably at least consider and try on bands closer to 1.9mm as that is the usually the thinnest recommended for daily wear.

 

[daneshpastry]

Another vote for Cartier - if you like the brand, it's an "affordable" way to own something from them.

 

[PintoBean]

I'd go Cartier lolol. What happens though if your ring size changes? Do they have a sizing policy or exchange?

 

[missy]

You are correct. I will not be telling people where the band is from but I will LOVE wearing it everyday. Thank you!

And another vote for the cartier band. What you wrote above says it all. Go for it.

 

[daneshpastry]

I'd go Cartier lolol. What happens though if your ring size changes? Do they have a sizing policy or exchange?

They don't (afaik). I have a "Love" ring that's sitting in a drawer somewhere because it's too small and they said there was nothing they could do.

 

[AprilBaby]

Definatly the Cartier!

 

[ClassicSAC]

I may go to Tiffany's and check out their bands for comparison. There are mixed reviews about the Tiffany bands. My finger size has not really changed in 25 years (I'm in my 50's) so I am not worried about that issue. I do need to think about the durability of the band and if I will feel comfortable wearing it everyday with a 1.5 mm width.

 

[ClassicSAC]

Another vote for Cartier - if you like the brand, it's an "affordable" way to own something from them.

I agree! I don't think the price for the band is outrageous considering it is a Cartier product.

 

[ClassicSAC]

That is a great idea to try on the Cartier band with your e-ring in Florida next month. And if your e-ring was still too loose with a 2.5mm band, then you probably could get away with going down 1/4 of a size. Did your e-ring still spin in the summer though? I know everyone is different with respect to how they like their rings to fit, some like them loose and some like them snug. I always buy bands 1/4 size bigger than my e-ring because spinning isn't an issue and I prefer a bit of room. But I also have a large knuckle so I know it won't slip off due to the slightly larger size!

My opinion on the wedding band being no thinner than the e-ring is that it doesn't matter as long as it is pleasing to your eyes. Some people like the visual effect of having the band and e-ring the same width and height. Some don't care. Personally I like them to be close to the same height but the width doesn't matter to me. It really is whatever you like seeing .

The one potential issue to be aware of with an eternity band at 1.5mm is that it can go out of round much easier than a band closer to 1.9mm-2mm. There is a lot less metal in an eternity that thin due to the pave so you will need to be careful. It is something to consider if you plan on wearing it all the time. People have bent their pave bands just opening the door to their cars! For structural and durability sake I would probably at least consider and try on bands closer to 1.9mm as that is the usually the thinnest recommended for daily wear.

 

[ClassicSAC]

I will say this. The Cartier band paired with my solitaire made my diamond "pop" and look huge!

 

[ClassicSAC]

Here is another band I would consider; the Tiffany Metro Ring, .21 ctw. There is no mm height or width listed on their website. The price is $2,300. The design is very classic and feminine which is what I am looking for. I need to try this one on.

 

[WeeOui]

I have that Cartier band and love it. It’s much sturdier than it looks, too. I wear it everyday and drop it in the ultrasonic with no problems. I compared it to the Tiffany Metro when I was shopping around, and it definitely out-sparkled the Metro. I also remember the Metro felt “bumpier.”

 

[ClassicSAC]

I have that Cartier band and love it. It’s much sturdier than it looks, too. I wear it everyday and drop it in the ultrasonic with no problems. I compared it to the Tiffany Metro when I was shopping around, and it definitely out-sparkled the Metro. I also remember the Metro felt “bumpier.”

I have looked at Tiffany diamond bands in the past and I wasn't really impressed with the sparkle factor enough to warrant spending the extra money for the Tiffany brand. I don't think Tiffany's quality is what is used to be. In the online photo, it does look like a bumpier band. I just found out that the width is the same as the Cartier, 1.5 mm.

Question: do you wear your erring with the band?

 

[WeeOui]

I typically wear it on days when I don’t wear my solitaire, or I wear it stacked with my trinity ring and solitaire. For some reason, I prefer to wear my 2mm Tiffany channel set band with my solitaire, probably because that’s my original wedding band . I will see if I can find a photo on my phone. I would snap a pic of the Cartier and solitaire together for you right now, but I’m at my inlaws for the week of spring break and only have my solitaire and channel set with me right now.

 

[WeeOui]

 

[WeeOui]

Here is one with the 2mm channel set. I know not everyone likes a channel set band, but I really love the look.

 

[ClassicSAC]

Thank you for sharing. I love that look WeeOui! Your wedding set is gorgeous!!! What is the center band? Is that a Cartier band as well? And, what size is your center stone?

 

[ClassicSAC]

Here is one with the 2mm channel set. I know not everyone likes a channel set band, but I really love the look.

I like the 2 mm channel set as well but I LOVE the Cartier band!

 

[WeeOui]

Thank you! I love jewelry, but I’m such a minimalist at heart. Those 4 rings are the only ones I own. The center band is the Cartier trinity in the thinnest version they sell. I think it’s labeled as the XS or XXS. I love the trinity, and I think it looks so good with a solitaire. My center stone is a 2.52, and my ring size is a 6.

 

[ClassicSAC]

Thank you! I love jewelry, but I’m such a minimalist at heart. Those 4 rings are the only ones I own. The center band is the Cartier trinity in the thinnest version they sell. I think it’s labeled as the XS or XXS. I love the trinity, and I think it looks so good with a solitaire. My center stone is a 2.52, and my ring size is a 6.

I love jewelry as well but I am a minimalist at heart as well! I was just looking at the Cartier XS Trinity ring and figured out that was the ring. I have always wanted a Trinity ring. In college I had a knock off that was thicker but I wore it all the time on my right hand. Your looks like a nice, thinner version. I may consider getting both the Trinity and the diamond band. It gives me lots of options! If I love them, I will be satisfied with my forever set.

 

[ClassicSAC]

Thank you! I love jewelry, but I’m such a minimalist at heart. Those 4 rings are the only ones I own. The center band is the Cartier trinity in the thinnest version they sell. I think it’s labeled as the XS or XXS. I love the trinity, and I think it looks so good with a solitaire. My center stone is a 2.52, and my ring size is a 6.

One other question. Did you size up with the Trinity ring?