Kanye Gives Kim Kardashian 15-Carat Diamond Engagement Ring

The news is out. Kanye West popped the question to Kim Kardashian. The more important part of the story is the 15-carat engagement ring he gave her. 

The diamond on the ring is more than a carat smaller than the center stone of the $2 million, 20-carat engagement ring given to Kardashian in 2011 by her former husband Kris Humphries. 

But what it lacks in size it may have been made up by the quality of the stone. The diamond is being described in reports as “flawless.” If the diamond is indeed “flawless” or “internally flawless” it could potentially be more valuable than the ring Humphries gave her. That ring was graded as I color and VS1 clarity, which is generally an above average grade. It sold at auction a week ago for $749,000, less than half of the original purchase price. 

Reports also describe the new ring as being much more expensive than the Humphries ring. 

“For a frame of reference, a 10 carat, D, Internally Flawless diamond cost about five times more than a 10 carat I, VS1,” said Joe Murawski of Joden World Resources, an antique and estate jeweler. 

David Cooper of Jeff Cooper Designs, a bridal jewelry manufacturer, said that while the improved grade of the diamond (if the reports are true) will add value, there are other more personal considerations that should go into a successful engagement ring purchase. 

“To me, what’s most importance when viewing any stone is what the stone says to you,” Cooper said. “A diamond like a person is unique and it should have a presence, personality and beauty all its own—regardless of color and clarity.” 

This ring, as the previous one, is designed by Lorraine Schwartz, jewelry designer to the Hollywood stars and a personal friend of Kardashian. The one photograph of the ring being circulated from the Instagram account of hairstylist Clyde Haygood, is difficult to see the diamond clearly. Cooper and I think it might be an emerald cut but a better view is needed. No matter the cut, Cooper approves of the design. 

“I honestly can't see the ring well but I can say the ring is clean and is designed in a very traditional style,” Cooper said. “I love how the metal is minimized and allows the diamonds to take the spotlight. Regardless of their clothing and other fashion choices, this is a 100 percent winner no matter the day, year or decade. Classic never goes out of style”

Meanwhile, Murawski says buying a serious diamond engagement ring is a question of “what you like and what makes sense.”

“The D, Internally flawless diamond is certainly more valuable, but the I, VS1 is more sensible, because there is a far greater market for that stone…. (However) There are those customers who would say, ‘Why would I have something that’s less than the best when I can afford the best?’ Then it is less about making a judgment of sensibility, and is more about making a judgment of preference--what the buyer likes. Both judgments are valid.”

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Jean Dousset Finds Niche with Custom Diamond Engagement Rings

Jean Dousset in his showroom next to a portrait of great-great grandfather, Louis-François Cartier.

In the luxury jewelry world, pedigree means something and there are few who can claim to be a descendent of Louis-François Cartier, the founder of one of the world’s most renowned jewelry and watch brands. Jean Dousset, owner of Jean Dousset Diamonds can make this claim.

However, the French born jeweler didn’t rest on his Cartier name recognition. He worked his way through stints at some of the best known French high jewelry houses in the world, beginning at the epicenter of French style, Place Vendôme, with Chumet. This was followed with stops at Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels before first going on his own with an online jewelry business in 2005. 

The Eva cushion engagement ring.

In 2010, he opened a showroom on the edge of Beverly Hills, Calif., on Santa Monica Boulevard. About half of his work comes through the store and the rest is done online through his website. In 2012, he produced approximately 70 rings, mostly engagement, which is his specialty, although he does other custom pieces as well. What may a bit surprising is that his inspiration for creating a custom high jewelry business was Blue Nile. He said the success of the online diamond and diamond jewelry company left a void in the business of provide service oriented high jewelry.

“Blue Nile was whole selling diamonds and they were really offering mountings as a must but not really as a message of design,” he said sitting behind an antique desk inside his showroom. “So I thought that might be an interesting void to fill … offering design, branding, craftsmanship, service.”

Whether he is working with clients in person or online the process is the same. He personally selects three diamonds through his dealers and then explains to the client the strong points of each stone. The clients select which diamond they prefer then he creates the mounting using his drawings and builds them from scratch. Again, the client will have their choice of mountings to select. If it’s online he’ll shoot high-definition videos of the diamonds and mountings for the client to view. 

The Riviera cushion engagement ring.

“The biggest thing now is people are highly educated about diamonds. They understand diamonds by browsing the Internet. There’s a lot of resources and that is great. They do their due diligence. They know what the 4Cs are,” he said. “They come with a certain amount of knowledge. The four Cs are trade guidelines to define the price of diamond ... but they do not say anything about the beauty of a diamond. The beauty of a diamond comes from its cut. The way the rough is taken down to a polished stone. So if you put four stones with the exact same cut, say four cushion cuts same price, same 4Cs there will be one stone that will be much more desirable. That’s the stone I’m looking for.”

He continued, “I work backward through their budget because it’s essential. Prices vary so much we need to know what people feel comfortable spending for their ring. So they share that with me and I try to optimize that budget to deliver them the best 4Cs but most importantly the most beautiful cuts. And that’s just a matter of taste and experience. That’s the way for me to distinguish myself from everybody else. I work very hard at that. And I also want to make that the cornerstone my reputation.”

In addition to his specialization in engagement rings, custom design and personal service; he also works primarily with cushion-cut diamonds of approximately 2-carats. He does so because round diamonds have largely been commoditized by Blue Nile and other similar mass marketers and thus makes it easy for people to buy their own stones once they are educated. 

The Victoria cushion engagement ring.

“I’m big on cushions, again, because of the Internet. It’s very hard to compete on round diamonds,” he said. “Because of the cut distinction and finesse of selecting a (cushion-cut diamond), there’s really an argument for me to make for people to work with me and trust me in making that search for them. It would be incredibly difficult for anybody to find a great cushion by themselves without knowledge, without experience just by looking at the 4Cs. If they are not exposed to what a great cut is, then they just don’t know what to look for so my hope is once I present them with my taste, my selection of stones, then they can benchmark anything they see to that.”

He said his focus is on engagement rings because that is the foundation of the jewelry business.

“You have to start with what truly creates the original idea of jewelry, which is a man and woman is buying something that’s significant and the engagement ring is just that,” he said. “It is still the core message of even the bigger brands … but the truth is that today the bridal business, those big famous brands, do not cater to that market. It’s too time consuming for them. There’s not enough profit in it. But they must still advertise and create bridal collection, because that’s where it all begins.”

He hopes to grow into other areas but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry. He is more interested in differentiating himself in the marketplace, creating a place that few occupy. His traditional French high jewelry training makes this type of business a natural fit for him. He says in his own small way he wants to give his customers the same quality and service of the French luxury jewelry houses but do it in a more casual way and do it with an emphasis on value.

“On the rooftop of Place Vendôme, each of the jewelers have 25 or 30 hands working (ona piece of jewelry). They all have very distinct and specific responsibilities. There’s woman who is outstanding at polishing pieces with cotton strings…. All of this is to deliver the kind of product that they do. So I’m humbly in my own means, trying to incorporate as many of those steps into how I work. It’s a decision I made that I want to stick with to really establish those cornerstone values. Well-crafted and well-made jewelry doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s how much you really care about delivering a really outstanding product. Handcrafted jewelry is about people who are skilled, experienced, with a desire to execute really well. That is something I feel very strongly about.”

Jean Dousset Diamonds, 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067

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Robert Procop Designs Engagement Ring for Angelina Jolie

A closeup of what is reported to be Angelina Jolie's engagement ring during an April 11 trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art with Brad Pitt and their son Pax. Photo credit: Access Hollywood and Credit: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Exclusive jeweler Robert Procop says he designed an engagement ring for Angelina Jolie, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter.

The former CEO of Asprey & Garrard told the publication that Brad Pitt was involved in the design of the ring. She was seen wearing it on April 11 at a private viewing of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Chinese Galleries, the publication reports.

The Style of Jolie ring worn by Brad Pitt

The couple has been collaborating with Procop for about a couple of years. Jolie and Procop released the “Style of Jolie” jewelry collection in April, 2011. More recently, Pitt wore a “Style of Jolie” ring during the 84th Academy Awards in February.

The engagement ring news comes at the same time  that the couple are reported to be starring in a Ridley Scott film together.