1.02 cushion help

[JessiePeep]

Hello all. I have been lurking around this site for the past couple of months trying to find all the important information for locating the perfect engagement ring. You guys are great, and I would appreciate any help you can give. I found a cushion cut that I love (1.02, J, si2). There are a few things that scare me about the diamond, and I would love your opinions.

Under the microscope, I could see the inclusions. However, the jeweler who is GIA certified assured me that it is eye-clean. I went back this weekend to look at the because I felt I could see a black carbon spot. However, I''m not sure if it was a carbon spot, or a facet (that was what he suggested I was seeing, and he could be right). I''m not sure what it is, but I''m scared to purchase a diamond that isn''t eye-clean.

Also, initially the J color scared me off. However, the jeweler said that the slight blue fluroesence helps the diamond color, and inside the store and outside the store, the diamond sparkled beautifully. The diamond fits nicely into the budget, and even when the jeweler located another ring with better clarity, the si2 still had my heart. What do you guys think. This stone is about $4000, and I thinking that is a good deal. I can get more spec.s of the diamond tomorrow when the store is open again, but so far, is what the jeweler is telling me sound accurate?

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome

Firstly who certified the diamond? GIA is generally the cert of choice. SI2 clarities aren''t created equal, you may be able to see something in the diamond, some are eyeclean and others aren''t. Also this is classic, louping or looking at the inclusions first then being able to spot them with the naked eye afterwards, your eye automatically goes there!

It sounds as if you love this diamond but it is hard to say if you are seeing an inclusion or not. Only you can decide if it is whether this will bug you over time, or whether you can view an inclusion as a handy birthmark which makes your diamond more unique. Is it possible that the inclusion could be covered by a prong? If it is located on the edge it might be doable, but harder with a cushion than a round as you can''t rotate the diamond much.

The fluoresence could be improving the J colour, we tend to be fans of it here! Also regarding the price, we would need to know who certified it to know as the cert makes a difference on the pricetag, GIA usually being more expensive than EGL for example. Cushions are also hard to assess by the numbers, but as you have seen this diamond and love it, it is definitely worthy of some serious consideration - as you say it has your heart! The jeweller says it is eyeclean, but it is your opinion that matters. Definitions of eyeclean can vary in the trade and the consumer''s own comfort level, but generally the trade goes by - no inclusions visible in normal light at a distance of 10 - 12 inches, not up close. You just have to take all of this into account, look at the diamond again and decide if this is the one for you!

 

[indecisive]

You should trust your eyes the most! I think the price sounds pretty high though. If you enter the specs in the "Pricescope your diamond" feature at the top of the page you can get prices for similar stones sold by Pricescope vendors. The prices for a 1 ct J SI2 cushion were about $1,100-2,600. If it really speaks to you though it may be worth it. Good luck!

 

[diamond_quester]

I was looking at a SI2 stone last week and had the same issues with it. It had a black carbon spot right in the center and it looked huge under the microscope! Knowing that the spot was there, I would wonder if darker facets were really the inclusion.

After staring at the stone forever, I accepted that the stone was truly eye-clean from the top (although not from the side). So, it''s possible it''s just a facet. (We didn''t get it for other reasons.) Good luck!

 

[JessiePeep]

Wow! Thank you all so much for the quick responses! It will be GIA certified, but I am shocked to see that this sort of diamond goes for much less. Even on Blue Nile, it seemed the range of a 1 ct. cushion would be around 3,500 to 4,000. I know the cut of the diamond is great because that is what the jeweler was trying to sell us on the most. Could that be the reason for the difference in price or is it just markup? Where would you guys recommend on locating a fair-priced diamond (because I have already chosen the setting from this jeweler)?

 

[Lorelei]

Brick and mortar jewellers are always higher priced than online due to the higher overheads in part. As to the cut quality it is hard with all fancy cuts to determine with the numbers, but they give you a place to start. The best you can do is to go with what is pleasing to your eyes rather than what you are told, as you are the one who will be wearing it. Good places to look would be Good old Gold and Whiteflash if you look under vendors, also Winfields and James Allen are popular too. Fancy cuts are best seen in person to see if they " speak" to you, but most online vendors have a generous return policy if you don''t like the diamond and encourage you to get an independant appraisal. Also look at the tutorials under knowledge and study up on the cushion cut parameters. Hope this helps.

 

[W2W]

Just some additiional food for thought.... I''ve found in my cushion search that it''s hard to put a price on cushions because even with the same weight, color, and clarity - what appeals to you in terms of cut will be very different. I''ve seen about 15 - 20 stones and over time I realized that I like smaller tables, smaller culets, deep stones with chunky crowns and stones that are squarish. Others like them rectangular or flat or with no or very large culets. My opinion is that if it speaks to you, it''s the one. There might be 100 other 1ct JSI2s out there but you might not feel excited about even one of them. It''s funny, after all of my research and PS note taking

, I''m pursuing an uncertified stone that probably cost too much for what it is. But guess what, I love it.

If you love it, go for it.

My only other suggestion is that if the stone is certified, maybe you could get one of the well noted sellers here on PS to get it for you from the dealer since they would probably charge less than a B&M. Call one up and give them the stone specs and see if that''s a possibility. Good luck.

 

[carrottop]

just wanted to chime in and say that i just bought my GF an I colored cushion with slight blue flourescence and it looked very white and sparkly to us. even next to an F.

good luck!!

 

[JessiePeep]

It has been awhile since my last post because after the information I received on the si2, j cushion, I figured I needed to get out there and look at the few more diamonds so I could compare. Amazingly, even the diamonds with better specs couldn''t get this first diamond out of my mind. I went today, and I still love it.

My boyfriend and I discussed that before we purchase a diamond, we want it to be eye and mind clean. I am wondering if there is anyone else who is as paranoid as I am about a diamond being eyeclean. I stared and stared at the diamond forever, and everytime I always thought I saw inclusions with my eye (even though the jeweler and my boyfriend didn''t). Under the loupe I could see black carbon spots, but I never found them without the loupe. Also, it is a J (with blue fluroesence) and the pave diamonds in the settings are G. I''m also concerned that that difference might make the center stone look slightly yellow. Outside the store they match, but inside the store, I thought I noticed a difference.

I apologize for rambling, but this is SUCH a big deal to me, I want it to be perfect. I guess what I''m looking for is to be told I''m being paranoid, and I''m not the only one this has happened to.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 4/1/2006 6:45:29 PM
Author: JessiePeep


I guess what I'm looking for is to be told I'm being paranoid, and I'm not the only one this has happened to.

Consider it done!

You seem to like the stone (having returned for it and what not). I don't know anything about the diamond and even less about what else you could like better and could be found etc.

However, an attractive (i.e. clean looking and well cut etc.) J/SI sounds like a good find to me.

There seem to be similarly grade diamonds listed for less, and higher grades for 4k. If you wanted to give them a shot. It could be H-I/SI1 for 4k, I'd bet.

 

[valeria101]

Seriously... how about G / VS2 instead of J/SI2 !

 

[JessiePeep]

Thanks for the advice. We were able to neogotiate a better price and we will be coming in under budget with my dream setting (Parade setting) and stone. I guess mind clean, for me, will be something that comes in time. I don''t believe I could ever be capable of seeing a diamond and immediately having a mind clean feeling for the stone. Maybe after years of experience looking, but I''m still a newbie.