Cartier panther ring

[CornishRex]

Dear Forum,
In addition to my e-ring I have beeing wanting the small Panther cartier ring for about 100 years. My jeweler/designer friend said if I bought it she could make a mold for me and recreate herself for 1/2 the money. I want the white gold with pave. Do you think it makes more sense to by the panter plain from cartier (around $4,000) and have it set with pave or am I being naive about how diamonds are set?

 

[CornishRex]

Another view

 

[CornishRex]

Ring with no pave

 

[Imdanny]

I want to buy the white gold, plain, with tsavorite eyes (I like tsavorites and believe the plain, tsavorites version is less than the same with emeralds, although I haven't checked this yet). JMHO, but I think it's highly mistaken to think that this ring, any version of it, can be recreated. You're talking about one of the very finest jewelers in the world, and a hand-made signature product of theirs. Personally, if I couldn't afford the pave version, I'd still rather have the "real thing". Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, but, again JMHO, nobody can recreate this ring with the fineness it requires. If you want a knock-off, you'll be missing something essential in terms of the original piece's quality. I'd say get the plain version and skip the pave. Overall, it will be more finely made and more beautiful. Just my 2 cents.

You can go to Cartier's site and watch a video of the craftsmen setting diamonds (it's under "Craftsmanship" or something like that). The original structure of in this case the cat is hand-made, holes are drilled, and each stone is set by hand. This video is worth seeing. Apparently, this is a high level skill when done well.

In short, I think it makes more sense to buy the plain version and leave it in its original condition. Sorry for being long-winded!

 

[oldmancoyote]

I agree with Imdanny. Getting this copied to the same level of craftsmanship is going to cost you as much, and at the end of the day it''s not Cartier. Another option (but it may take you the next 100 years) is to hunt for the panther in estate jewellers. They do turn up, but rarely, and they are probably not resizable.

 

[CornishRex]

So the ring with half pave is $15k ! That is so expensive. So no way to buy the original in white gold and add pave to it?

 

[Imdanny]

Well, it's *worth* 15k. It's nice.

Unfortunately, I think if you let anyone try to pave the original piece, you'd end up with a mangled piece of original Panthere de Cartier.

In any case, I feel for you. I want expensive things all the time.

If it were me, I'd consider the plain version with tsavorite (it's nice). Then, I'd separate out the desire for pave, and have pave on a different piece.

I'm working on putting together a collection myself with considerations like these (15k to me would be a car!).

I think you might be underestimating the impact of the "plain" version. It would be quite a score.

I like your cat, BTW. I have an Egyptian Mau. My first purebred. It's been an interesting year raising her.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 3/15/2009 2:37:56 AM
Author: Imdanny
Well, it''s *worth* 15k. It''s nice.


Unfortunately, I think if you let anyone try to pave the original piece, you''d end up with a mangled piece of original Panthere de Cartier.

In any case, I feel for you. I want expensive things all the time.

If it were me, I''d consider the plain version with tsavorite (it''s nice). Then, I''d separate out the desire for pave, and have pave on a different piece.


I''m working on putting together a collection myself with considerations like these (15k to me would be a car!).


I think you might be underestimating the impact of the ''plain'' version. It would be quite a score.


I like your cat, BTW. I have an Egyptian Mau. My first purebred. It''s been an interesting year raising her.

Aye, I suspect that would be the case as well.

 

[simplysplendid]

A lot of jewelry from high end names are now being set in China (probably not the magnificent jewelry range). Cartier may or may not be one of them but there is a fairly good chance. I will purchase the real thing for its design but not for its workmanship as there is reasonable doubt that it is still handcrafted and set in Europe. Same thing for other designer brands and goods.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 3/16/2009 8:11:44 PM
Author: simplysplendid
A lot of jewelry from high end names are now being set in China (probably not the magnificent jewelry range). Cartier may or may not be one of them but there is a fairly good chance. I will purchase the real thing for its design but not for its workmanship as there is reasonable doubt that it is still handcrafted and set in Europe. Same thing for other designer brands and goods.

Cartier will tell you where they make their pieces. VCA does. They're both Richemont SA companies. I haven't heard of any Cartier jewels being made in China. I'd be very surprised.

 

[simplysplendid]

An item does not need to be 100% made in that country for a producer to call it "made in XXX". For example, it is legal that akoya pearls which are largely cultivated in China to be stringed together in Japan with a clasp added in Japan and the entire necklace can be tagged "made in Japan". According to my jeweler, there are workshops in China which have been engaged by international big names to produce jewelry and these Chinese workshops have signed into confidentiality clauses which prevents them from disclosing the identities of these big names. I am not saying for sure that Cartier or VCA does that, but there is a possibility that the lower end of their items that was targeted at the mass market who covets a piece of jewelry from them are made there. A lot of big brand names for clothing and handbags do have their items partially or fully made in China so I won''t be surprised that it is the case for jewelry.

 

[Imdanny]

I would be very interested to know what was and wasn''t made in China (or anywhere)! I find that kind of stuff very interesting.

 

[cnspotts]

I adore this ring!

Date: 3/13/2009 5:32:03 PM
Author:CornishRex
Dear Forum,
In addition to my e-ring I have beeing wanting the small Panther cartier ring for about 100 years. My jeweler/designer friend said if I bought it she could make a mold for me and recreate herself for 1/2 the money. I want the white gold with pave. Do you think it makes more sense to by the panter plain from cartier (around $4,000) and have it set with pave or am I being naive about how diamonds are set?

I believe that this has been talked about and falls under copyright infringement. Really if she could make a mold then she could do the work to make a cat ring of her own style with diamonds that might be more affordable anyway. .02

As much as I''d love the platinum diamond trinity ring from Cartier we cannot spend the $$$ for it, so I''m happy with the 18k wg one from them. I could have gotten an all diamond one from someone else but I just wanted the original designer for it.

 

[megeve]

Date: 3/18/2009 3:36:03 AM
Author: Imdanny
I would be very interested to know what was and wasn't made in China (or anywhere)! I find that kind of stuff very interesting.

Just happen to come across a feature written and photographed by Ruchira Bose Roy in a high jewelry magazine. He took a tour of three remarkable heritage workshops, cartier, vca and boucheron. The workshops are in Paris. Here are a collage of pics he took...... handcrafted by artisan!

 

[mausketeer]

I don''t have anything to add to this Rex other than that I have always dreamed of a panther ring as well........ I agree that scouring vintage and estate sales or auctions might be the way to go? In this economic climate, you never know what you might find nowadays.......

- Jodie -

 

[decodelighted]

Don''t tinker with a classic. I fear you''d end up with something no better than this $30 monstrosity.

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 3/19/2009 2:48:30 PM
Author: megeve

Date: 3/18/2009 3:36:03 AM
Author: Imdanny
I would be very interested to know what was and wasn''t made in China (or anywhere)! I find that kind of stuff very interesting.

Just happen to come across a feature written and photographed by Ruchira Bose Roy in a high jewelry magazine. He took a tour of three remarkable heritage workshops, cartier, vca and boucheron. The workshops are in Paris. Here are a collage of pics he took...... handcrafted by artisan!

I would certainly expect them to have a workshop in Paris for certain part of the jewelry making process or for the entire process for certain jewelry. But still no guarantee that no part of the jewelry making process for certain lower range jewelry hasn''t been outsourced to other countries.

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 3/14/2009 10:06:10 AM
Author: CornishRex
So the ring with half pave is $15k ! That is so expensive. So no way to buy the original in white gold and add pave to it?

Hey, Im even too scared to get a single pave diamond set into a gold Pandora bead incase the setter ruins my bead!!!!!

There is no way in a million years that I would let someone tamper with a Cartier anything!!!!!!

But, if I was in a mood for wasting money and being stuborn I might buy the plain Cartier Panther ring, and then get your friend to make a mould and then set that one with pave!!!!! That would be an interesting but expensive exercise....

 

[Sharon101]

Date: 3/16/2009 8:11:44 PM
Author: simplysplendid
A lot of jewelry from high end names are now being set in China (probably not the magnificent jewelry range). Cartier may or may not be one of them but there is a fairly good chance. I will purchase the real thing for its design but not for its workmanship as there is reasonable doubt that it is still handcrafted and set in Europe. Same thing for other designer brands and goods.

This is true, but its not as bad as it sounds. eg in Australia we know of a really high quality line of jewellery. They have their own factory in Hong Kong and all the pave setting is done there, but the standard and quality is excellent. They only use the best quality diamonds too. The fact that it is their own factory makes it different to someone who just out sources to a middle man in China.

However, it may be a shock for the average person to know that their European piece had a stop over in China.

I have heard that this happens with couture too with the beading and other intricate stuff!!!!