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When thinking about diamond rings, there are few brands that come to mind quite so readily as Cartier. It is, after all, one of the strongest brands in the jewelry industry with a long-standing reputation and a website that oozes style and elegance.

However, do their diamonds measure up in terms of quality?

Cartier’s History and Heritage

The Cartier brand is a company specializing in the sale of luxury goods. As a French brand, it exudes undeniable elegance, and has a long history of having sold items to celebrities and royals. Cartier has even been named as “the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers” by King Edward VII, so it isn’t too surprising that the brand’s reputation precedes it.

Founded back in the mid-19th century, Cartier is now one of Richemont’s subsidiary companies, but its reputation for luxury is known around the globe.

The Price of Cartier Diamonds

Cartier’s reputation in the industry has led to its products coming with a higher price tag, but be aware – this doesn’t necessarily add up to a better diamond range. In fact, if you’re shopping at Cartier you can expect to pay more for fewer options.

The Cartier brand doesn’t sell any loose diamonds, so you’ll be looking at pre-set rings.

While Cartier claims that it only uses specialists to hand-select their chosen diamonds using a rigorous selection process, in fact the diamonds offered have a GIA cut designated as “very good” which isn’t one of the finest available cuts. This is disappointing, especially when taking into account the higher than average price tags. We feel that you’re paying for the Cartier name and that isn’t always reflected in the quality you actually get.

Blind Shopping

Unfortunately, the Cartier website is difficult and frustrating to navigate, with a lack of information and limited search options. This makes it very difficult to determine the kind of diamond that you’ll be buying which, essentially, leaves you shopping blind. This is hard enough for the experienced diamond buying, but is an absolute minefield for those who are perhaps buying their first ever diamond!

There is little detail about the process of selecting diamonds and there is a lack of explanation about cut grades or ASET maps. In fact, the website gives the impression that the thing being sold is the brand name instead of the diamonds. If that’s what you want, great, but you need to know that.

If you’re looking for a well-known online vendor that has the most ideal cut diamonds on the market with optimal light performance, then check out the A CUT ABOVE® Diamonds from Whiteflash and the True Hearts from James Allen. I have dedicated reviews on True Hearts and A CUT ABOVE here.

Imagery and Quality

On the website, you’ll find that the imagery is quite mixed. On the upside, the imagery of the diamonds themselves is very good, and several angle options are available to enable you to easily view your chosen product.

On the downside, though, there is no option for hearts and arrows, ideal scopes, video imaging or ASET maps, and this prevents you from truly determining the quality of the diamond you’re buying. Many images also appear to be pre-rendered without displaying an image of the actual product itself.

Returns Policy

If you’re buying from Cartier, you’ll want to know whether you can return your purchase. The good news is that you can.

In terms of its return policy, Cartier offers something similar to most other companies, with a 30 day limit on product returns after which an exchange or refund will be issued as long as Cartier is satisfied with your returned product’s condition. Of course, it goes without saying that all returned products must be unused and new.

Note, though, that Cartier has put in place some terms and conditions relating to its returns policy that should be thoroughly read through before you make a purchase. It’s not a no-quibbles return, like some others.

Should I Buy From Cartier?

For some prospective purchasers, the idea of owning a Cartier ring has been a lifelong dream. After all, the brand is a famous household name and is associated with wealth and elegance. If you’re wearing a Cartier ring, you won’t fail to impress others. Even though there are some downsides that come with buying a Cartier piece, you will still benefit from the major wow factor that only a Cartier ring can deliver.

Unfortunately, though, the poor website user experience and the lack of quality of the diamonds themselves, not to mention the limited range of products for you to choose from, is a major deterrent. Cartier appears to be very much resting on its laurels and assuming that customers are going to want to make a purchase from them, rather than giving them the specific details they need about the quality and cut of the diamonds that they sell.

Overall, then, if your primary focus is on buying a diamond product with the Cartier name and the quality of the diamonds isn’t your top priority, you can rest assured that you’ll be satisfied with your purchase. You’ll be buying a ring with a gorgeous setting and you’ll be able to show off your Cartier product to your friends.

On the other hand, if having a high quality diamond is most important to you, it might be a better idea for you to look elsewhere - to a retailer that can give you the quality and cut information that you need to make a well-informed choice. For the best cut diamonds with diamond images and HD videos, consider Whiteflash and A CUT ABOVE Diamonds. I would also consider James Allen and Blue Nile.