question regarding plain band and setting pave diamonds (LONG!)

[canada's]

in the event i go with diamonds for this ring, i'd like for them to be conflict-free.

is it possible for me to purchase the cartier trinity ring and have conflict-free diamonds pave set to one of the bands? i know this can be done with regular settings, but i do not know much about jewelry, so i'm not sure if you can do this if you want them pave set.

i know i can have the ring custom made (it seems like a simple enough design) at brilliantearth.com or at a local jeweler (in the event i buy a loose conflict-free stone), but i really would like to have the cartier band.

another idea is to buy the cartier band plain and simply stack it later with various rings from brilliantearth.com. i have only tried on two trinity rings stacked (one with a pave band, the other plain) and they fit great together, but i'm not sure how a trinity would fit with standard eternity bands. does anyone do this and can you comment how comfortable it is? of course if i do the eternity bands (brilliantearth.com has lots of sapphires and diamonds, so there would be tons to choose from for special gifts), i most likely would change them out regularly, which might be fun.

comments are welcomed, as i'm sort of at square one with this and would like the advice of real women versus an SA.

thanks for your time!

 

[SimoneR]

I believe Cartier diamonds have been conflict-free since 2003 (that's what we were told). Cartier also stopped buying diamonds from Burma/Myanmar since the junta took over there. I would go into Cartier & talk to the SAs there about your concerns about purchasing conflict-free diamonds.

If you like the design of the Cartier trinity ring & want a Cartier band, I believe you should get it at Cartier & not copied at another jeweler. That way, you won't be wondering if the design is "off" or regret not purchasing it at Cartier as it is a signature design. The Trinity ring is lovely - I love all versions of it! There is definitely a version with one of the gold bands done in pave diamonds.

 

[canada's]

i've inquired with two separate SAs at Cartier and neither seemed very versed on the issue of conflict-free diamonds, nor could they tell me where the diamonds are sourced. this has happened to me at a few high end jewelry shops now, which is sort of annoying.

i do like the design and want the cartier band. if they can't be applied, i'm pretty sure i'll just buy the plain ring and stack it as i said before.

the other plus to getting my own diamonds set to it is i can have them do it so it doesn't go all the way around the ring. i want to wear it all of the time, and do not want it snagging things or getting in the way because the backside isn't smooth, kwim?

i have tried on the cartier trinity with one band of pave and while i do love it, the back being covered in pave diamonds does feel obtrusive. i work from a computer, so it would constantly get in the way. if i'm able to get the diamonds applied, i would be able to avoid this.

 

[SimoneR]

The problem with not applying diamonds all the way around the trinity band is that it is a rolling ring & you will wind up with the diamonds "on the back".

I admit that having diamonds or stones all the way around a band is limiting in some ways but not as much as you'd think. It's just a matter of getting used to your new ring - it will just become a part of you after a while & meld to your finger. I have a Pomellato ring that has a pave band as one rolling component. I also have two pave bands & three eternity bands (I wear them separately & together - it is nice to be able to have different looks & varying amounts/colors of bling). I don't think you would find a band with diamonds all the way around - no matter how they're set - obtrusive in computer use (I have two on my left hand right now as I'm typing away). I do take my rings off when I go swimming & when I wash my hands. I slip off pave bands when I'm putting on something like cashmere or silk as I don't want to deal with snags. They don't generally snag on anything including our dog's fur, but I don't want to take an unnecessary chance.

I'm sorry the Cartier SAs you talked to weren't well-informed about the company's diamond policy. That really sucks as this is such a serious issue & they sell a product at the crux of an ongoing crisis.

I think it's great you don't want anything to do with conflict diamonds The reason I know Cartier hasn't purchased conflict diamonds since '03 is because I was looking at a vintage Cartier piece & they could not guarantee definitively there were no conflict diamonds involved. I had to turn away & stop considering it. I believe in buying conflict-free diamonds & doing my research. It is not always easy to figure out the provenance of the diamonds (especially pave size) as I'm told purchasing is centralized. It sucks when people make it harder to do the right thing or know you are doing the right thing - especially when it's their area of expertise. However, I wouldn't take two random SAs knowledge (or lack thereof) to represent the parent company's stance on conflict diamonds. Cartier, the company, does take a strong stance on not purchasing diamonds from conflict zones or areas where human rights are challenged.

You might want to write a letter or send an e-mail to Cartier Customer Service explaining your concerns & how their SAs did not address your questions. Be as specific as possible - include locations, times & dates. They will want to know about this as the SAs are the last link to the consumer - they make or break sales. Those sales are the reason Cartier is in business & a multi-billion dollar one at that. I'm sure Cartier would be quite unhappy if they knew their SAs were unable to provide you with the information you requested or did not call upon a manager to address your valid concerns over their diamonds.

I wrote a letter to a high-end jeweler's HQ thinking nothing would come of it & I was very wrong. I received a rapid response from their customer service department as well as a personal letter from the company & the manager at the branch I visited along with a phone call. How can SAs behavior be corrected unless consumers alert upper management as to their knowledge & attitudes?

We, as consumers, are all placed in a position where we have to believe these companies are sincerely involved in providing us with conflict-free diamonds & the ongoing eradication of conflict diamonds from the market. I can't imagine that any diamond dealer or jeweler can provide you with a 100% guarantee that would be any more valid than one from Cartier.

 

[canada's]

thanks so much for taking the time for me!

i will definitely inquire with another cartier SA. both times i wasn't seriously buying atm, so i didn't push. plus, one of the SAs couldn't have answered anything further even had i pushed...he just seemed clueless on the matter. sadly, both experiences were at the cartier boutique, so i may try the neiman's boutique next time i am there.

i like the idea of playing with the eternity bands, so i think i may still go with the plain. if i get the pave trinity (with one band being pave, of course), i think it may be a little gaudy for my taste if i stack it with eternity bands. the plain would give me more options in the long run.

again, thanks for your time and i will be sure to bump this thread once i talk to an experienced, knowledgeable SA and make a decision.

 

[everything posh]

if an SA cannot help you with your concerns, try asking for the director of that particular location. They would be more than happy to sit down and talk with you about your concerns. Good Luck, I LOVE the Cartier Trinity Ring!

 

[jan228]

Like SimoneR said, ask Cartier through their customer service department. You'll get a fast response if you inquire about the ring via their website.

Don't waste your time with another SA, go directly to the source.

 

[canada's]

so can anyone answer my question regarding having pave diamonds set to the plain trinity ring?

i will email cartier soon (the purchase will happen in about six months, give or take), but the bulk of what i've read online is that their answer to this question is, "we don't buy diamonds from areas dealing with human rights issues." well...OK, but that doesn't really tell me much. i've also researched the kimberly process thoroughly, and honestly, it seems like something that was created to give the consumer peace of mind. the diamonds pass through so many hands that it's incredibly difficult to be positive where it was acquired.

ideally, i would want to buy the band, buy a loose canadian diamond and have the white gold ring made pave...is this doable (i know nothing about diamonds and this will be my first major piece of jewelry, so excuse me if i come off green)?