Which cushion cut do you like better?

[Daekwan]

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-348862



or

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.03-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-328280



or

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-304504



Trying to get help before I order the ASET from James Allen. I'm only allowed 3.. so I want to make it three good attempts.

All 3 diamonds are cushion cut in H, VS2 and in the $3500-3800 price range. I honestly dont know which one looks better lol

 

[Niel]

1 looks by far the best of the 3. I wouldnt get ASETs of the others.

 

[Niel]

cut is going to be the most important C you look for. Not color, not clarity.

A poorly cut H is going to be more dull than a well cut I.

An SI1 can be eye clean.

Dont limit your search to H VS2, or you may exclude some well cut, lovely stones.

Heres one i like

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-351924

 

[Daekwan]

Excellent advice Niel.. thank you very much for the advice. But how do I judge cut from pictures. I understand the ASET will help reflect light, but with only 3 ASET's allowed.. it would help to pick the best 3 candidates.

I do see an option for Polish & Symmetry. And I believe both of those are heavily related to cut. So should I be searching for "excellent" P&S? I have no problem buying an I or SI.. more savings for me and lets me choose a bigger stone!

 

[Niel]

Excellent advice Niel.. thank you very much for the advice. But how do I judge cut from pictures. I understand the ASET will help reflect light, but with only 3 ASET's allowed.. it would help to pick the best 3 candidates.

I do see an option for Polish & Symmetry. And I believe both of those are heavily related to cut. So should I be searching for "excellent" P&S? I have no problem buying an I or SI.. more savings for me and lets me choose a bigger stone!

No. Unfortunately its not so easy to find cushions as it is with rounds, you cant just plug in numbers and cut grades and find a perfect one....

It can take time to get used to whats a good and bad cut. Im certain people here will have some options for you, just in case you are having trouble... they will point you in the right direction.

 

[drk14]

Excellent advice Niel.. thank you very much for the advice. But how do I judge cut from pictures.

Daekwan,
It's very difficult when you're just starting, to learn how to pick cushions and other fancy shapes from pictures. I strongly advise you to take advantage of the expertise of the PS community, and consider the diamonds that they recommend to you. You are in luck -- Niel, who is helping you now, has a lot of experience in finding excellent fancy cut diamonds on the JA website.
(Hi Niel! )

After others join this thread, if there are more than three JA cushions suggested for you, then we can help you narrow down the choices for your ASET request.

Personally, although I am not an expert on cushion cuts, I would like to propose the following option:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.91-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-35795

It has a lot of life under the table and in the crown, and it has some chunkier faceting, which I like. It has an open culet, which I don't mind, but which may or may not bother you.

The JA website is great, because the 360 view allows you to move the diamond by clicking and dragging in the image -- this let's you see how the diamond facets flash on and off when the stone moves. The quantity and distribution of this type of scintillation behavior is an indicator of how well cut the diamond is (unforturnately, there is no shortcut by looking at numbers or polish/symmetry grades).

Good luck on your search!

 

[Daekwan]

Thank you everyone!! Please provide anymore suggestions from the JA website that you think I should consider!

So far #1 is winning. And I will consider the ASET of the .91ct one that drk14 posted!

 

[drk14]

Thank you everyone!! Please provide anymore suggestions from the JA website that you think I should consider!

So far #1 is winning. And I will consider the ASET of the .91ct one that drk14 posted!

For the record, I think that both the 0.91ct-H-VS1 that I posted and the 1.01ct-I-VS1 that Niel posted are nicer stones than your original "#1".

If you want more suggestions, you should post your budget for the diamond, as well as a candid assessment of how low you are willing to go in color and size (for cushions, specify size in terms of mm dimensions, not carat weight).

 

[Daekwan]

I dont know how I missed the one Niel posted. But you are correct both seem to better now that Ive taken much closer looks.

Budget is $4000.. I can push to $5000 if necessary.
I or better
VS2 or better (SI1 as long as its eye clean)
1carat or better

Bling is my biggest concern! I want a fireball

 

[maccers]

I'm not a cushion expert but I know there's a great starter thread here by charmypoo: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cushion-101-my-experience-in-making-a-harry-winston-halo.183473/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cushion-101-my-experience-in-making-a-harry-winston-halo.183473/[/URL]

 

[drk14]

If you want to stay below $4k, you will need to consider also cushions in the 0.90ct-0.99ct range. As I mentioned, the carat weight is not so important in cushions -- depending on how a 1-carat cushion has been cut, it can look larger or smaller than a 0.9-ct cushion. And the differences in size won't be huge.

Here's another one I found that looks like it has potential to me:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.90-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-36730
It's a bit deep, so it won't have as large of a spread as it could have for this weight, but I liked it's brightness, contrast, and scintillation.

Going up to $5k, you have a lot more choices. I thought this one was pretty nice, for example:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.04-carat-d-color-vs2-clarity-sku-304160

 

[Gypsy]

First one is the only one worth a second look.

 

[dawnxcui]

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-348862



or

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.03-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-328280



or

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-304504



Trying to get help before I order the ASET from James Allen. I'm only allowed 3.. so I want to make it three good attempts.

All 3 diamonds are cushion cut in H, VS2 and in the $3500-3800 price range. I honestly dont know which one looks better lol

2nd and 3rd are both slushy looking under the table.
1st one is the best, but i'm a little concerned about that dot right under the table that's very visible. make sure it's eye clean.

 

[drk14]

First one is the only one worth a second look.

I'm assuming you mean from the first three posted by OP, only the first was worth a second look, right?

What's your opinion on the other suggestions that were made?

From Niel:

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-351924

From me:

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.91-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-35795

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.90-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-36730

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.04-carat-d-color-vs2-clarity-sku-304160

There's a ton to choose from with a $5k budget, you can probably find better ones than I picked.

 

[Daekwan]

Seems like Gypsy has given tons of advice on cushion cuts. I found this quote from her in another thread: "Blue Nile's Hearts and Arrows Cushions have excellent light return and are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than GOG or BGD. I highly suggest you look there. It is their signature line. And the people that have bought them and had ASETs of them done have shown fantastic light return. So if that's the facet structure you like, then look there. All BN Signatures are guaranteed eyelean. So you can safely go down to SI1 clarity. And the G-Cal report has a picture of it."

So I decided to take a look a Blue Nile Signature Ideal cushion cuts and found this for for $4,000.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD04246159

What do you guys think? Is there any reason not to choose the BN H&A offering? I can see why some people dont like the look of the distinct H&A as it seems unnatural.

 

[Daekwan]

I would like to order the ASET for these three.

Do these three seem like good recommendations from you pros on pricescope out there?? Or should I drop one or two.. and look for better choices from JA? The $3510 one looks like by far the best bang for the buck!

$4200 for this http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-364174



$3850 for this http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-348862



$3510 for this http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-351924

 

[Daekwan]

Dammit! Looks my favourite one sold. The $4200 G stone http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-364174

Guess I need to hurry up and make a choice!



Any comments on this:

Blue Nile Signature Ideal cushion cuts and for $4,000.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD04246159

What do you guys think? Is there any reason not to choose the BN H&A offering? I can see why some people dont like the look of the distinct H&A as it seems unnatural. But if its bling she wants.. then this seems to be the most guaranteed option.

 

[JulieN]

You are supposed to put the ones you are interested in at JA on hold and ask for ASET pictures.

 

[Daekwan]

You are supposed to put the ones you are interested in at JA on hold and ask for ASET pictures.

Thanks Julie. Unfortunately I didnt learn that hard lesson until today. So I missed out on my favourite, but still have a couple of others. And yes I have put them on hold at JA and BN.

Does Blue Nile doe ASET?

 

[Gypsy]

The three you want ASETs from in the middle of the thread are great prospects. Good job! Blue Nile does not do ASETs. But their Signature Line Hearts and Arrows stones have been ASETing out well (people have sent them in for ASETs) and have a G-Cal reports with pictures.

I would only buy a Signature Hearts and Arrows Cushion from Blue Nile. No other cushions.