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Anniversary Cushion Studs

fred_lv

Rough_Rock
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Mar 21, 2015
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I'm looking at the following 2 stones to have made into cushion studs for an anniversary present for my wife. I've purchased stones on spec before with good results, but don't know too much on the cushion cut or matching loose stones for earrings. Below are the specs and attached are images:

Stone 1:
Carat: 0.55
Clarity: VS2
Color: H
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Luster: Excellent
Measurements: 4.66x4.58x3.06
Depth: 66.80
Table: 60.00
2171028617.jpg
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=2171028617

Stone 2:
Carat: 0.55
Clarity: VS2
Color: H
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Luster: Excellent
Measurements: 4.57x4.54x3.09
Depth: 68.10
Table: 60.00
2175041916.jpg
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=2175041916

They are running roughly $2,250 for both of them + the cost of having them set.

Any input would be appreciated as if the size is OK for studs and specs match up and won't be lopsided and price isn't out to lunch.

Thanks,
Fred
 

fred_lv

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Mar 21, 2015
Messages
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diamondseeker2006|1427048289|3850987 said:
Has she specifically expressed a desire for cushion cut studs?
Thank you for the reply. Yes she has expressed a desire for the cushion cut studs.

She already has a small round pair (1/2 CT. T.W.) and wants to get something a little larger (1~1.5 CT. T.W.) but doesn't want to go with round.

She tried on a +/- 1.5 CT. T.W. princess cut set which she thought was okay, but she didn't like the look of it with the existing studs in the 2nd hole on her ear. They looked too big on her earlobe, size almost matched her engagement stone, and she felt the corners looked too severe next to the existing small rounds. (That and the stone quality and price was awful at the chain jewelry store)

So...she decided that the cushion cut would probably be a nice compromise between having two sets of round and the hard angles on the princess cut.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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58,342
I totally agree that cushions would be a better option than princess cuts for studs to be worn with smaller rounds. Just wanted to be sure since cushions are not going to have the brilliance on the ears that excellent cut rounds will. Plus they are usually deeper than rounds and face up smaller.

These look like a good match, but they look a little mushy under the table so they may not have the best light return. However, to get really great cushions, it would cost a lot more. These are probably a very good choice at this price point. They do have a nice shape!
 

fred_lv

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Mar 21, 2015
Messages
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Thank you so much for the input, and it brings up a very good point. I've never actually seen a cushion cut stud set in person...is the "sparkle" difference that significant between rounds and cushions on earnings or just these particular stones? Should I be looking at a different depth/table? I haven't been able to find any hard and fast rules that are as clear as evaluating rounds, and most round earrings of the 1.5 and under size I don't see with GIA and or hard and fast specs.

Do you think a wiser purchase would be larger round studs from whiteflash...and then replace the current rounds with small cushions? Don't want to spend too much, but also don't want her to get her LONG awaited anniversary earrings and be disappointed with the quality and sparkle of them. I see on whiteflash the 1.00ctw 14k White Gold 4 prong Diamond Basket Earrings - (H/I-SI) for roughly the same price, but seems like lower quality non GIA stones...

Thanks again for taking the time to review and reply.
 

diamondseeker2006

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You are very welcome! I'll tell you, I generally only like small rounds in a second hole. So I don't think little cushions would be a great idea for the little ones. My own studs are from WF, but they are their A Cut Above superideal cut diamonds. The good thing about those is that while they do cost more, they actually look bigger on the ear than average cut stones because they are so well cut and brilliant. Plus I started with a smaller pair and have upgraded twice to the new ones I just got last week (which you can do with their diamonds that are not pre-set). On the other hand, I think their pre-set diamond studs are a good value and probably superior to a vast majority of studs we'd find in local stores pre-set. I think they use well cut stones in those, and again, the cut is what makes them look so good.

So I suppose my personal choice would be to go for either the preset rounds or Expert Selection or ACA rounds and wear rounds in both holes. Many people do that. But if your wife really wants cushions, I do understand that. They just won't have the same light return as excellent/ideal cut rounds. If you ordered the ones you have pictured, would they allow a return if they don't seem brilliant enough when she tries them on? I just wish you had the chance to see those and an ideal cut round pair side by side!
 

fred_lv

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Mar 21, 2015
Messages
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Thanks again for your valuable input and taking the time to reply.

I'm thinking, based on your feedback and more reading, of getting some "nice" rounds and if she doesn't love them, then we can go back to the cushion cuts. Normally I'd say I'm going to stick with the cushions, but when mentioned in passing, she wasn't opposed to rounds, as much as I think she wants to be sparkly and doesn't want to have another set of rounds that aren't discernible from the ones she has.

I took a close look at WF and the specs/HCA on their Expert and ACA as well as the presets options. I then started digging into loose stones...found two that seem like a good quality price balance, below is the info:

Stone 1:
Carat: 0.60
Clarity: SI1
Color: F
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurement: 5.47-5.49*3.32
Depth: 60.50
Table: 58.00
Crown Angle: 32.00
Pav. Angle: 41.20

5193591920.jpg
5193591920ha.jpg

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=5193591920

Stone 2:
Carat: 0.60
Clarity: SI1
Color: F
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurement: 5.42-5.45*3.31
Depth: 60.80
Table: 59.00
Crown Angle: 34.00
Pav. Angle: 40.80

6191308649.jpg
6191308649ha.jpg

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6191308649

These two stones are running around $3,700 together, but as I said before I'd rather do it right once than disappoint and have to do it again.

So I guess at this point I'm looking for input on the above two rounds and if they would be that much better than just getting 1.00ctw 14k White Gold 4 prong Diamond Basket Earrings - (H/I-SI) (http://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-earrings/4-prong-basket-diamond-earrings-524.htm) for $2,400?

When looking at the matched loose on whiteflash it seems for +/- 1.2 CT. T.W. pair it's $4,200 - $4,900 but have a VS2 clarity...and the Expert and ACA rating.

Thank you!
 

lilysweet

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Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
407
Not to throw a wrench into the picture but you might also consider an antique pair of diamonds for studs if you think your wife might be interested. The stones have their own personalities and it likely would be cheaper. Check out Jewels by Grace or Love Affair Diamonds.
 

fred_lv

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Messages
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lilysweet|1427114610|3851229 said:
Not to throw a wrench into the picture but you might also consider an antique pair of diamonds for studs if you think your wife might be interested. The stones have their own personalities and it likely would be cheaper. Check out Jewels by Grace or Love Affair Diamonds.

Thanks for the input, I will have to check those two out and see what they have!
 

diamondseeker2006

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If she is wanting brilliant stones on her ears, antique stones were not cut for modern day light performance and will not be as good as modern round brilliants in terms of light return for earrings. You may as well stick with the cushions. I love well cut OECs and have a newly cut ideal cut one for my ring as you can see in my avatar picture. But I would not buy OECs for studs because they just aren't going to be as brilliant and I think that matters more on the ears than in a ring, especially for studs. Plus, I would not match up OECs with modern rounds in the second hole. That would have to be something she was specifically interested in.

I need to look at the new rounds again before commenting. At first glance I like one better than the other. Can you tell me where you are looking and maybe I can help you?
 

diamondseeker2006

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The second stone is great. Really very nice. The first one is an okay match for it, but if you could find one with a crown angle closer to 34, it would be better. 32 is really low for the crown angle, but it probably would be okay for earrings. You may want to look at G color, too, because that will face up plenty white if well cut.
 

fred_lv

Rough_Rock
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Messages
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canuk-gal|1427147305|3851481 said:

Sharon, those are some nice looking stones, just a few years too early. :) She wants to eventually get a "right hand ring" with a fancy yellow center stone, but at the moment that is at least 5 years off...can't give her everything all at once.

Quick question though: Is it common to wear a white round diamond stud along a yellow stud or would that look off?
 

fred_lv

Rough_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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diamondseeker2006|1427134537|3851373 said:
If she is wanting brilliant stones on her ears, antique stones were not cut for modern day light performance and will not be as good as modern round brilliants in terms of light return for earrings. You may as well stick with the cushions. I love well cut OECs and have a newly cut ideal cut one for my ring as you can see in my avatar picture. But I would not buy OECs for studs because they just aren't going to be as brilliant and I think that matters more on the ears than in a ring, especially for studs. Plus, I would not match up OECs with modern rounds in the second hole. That would have to be something she was specifically interested in.

I need to look at the new rounds again before commenting. At first glance I like one better than the other. Can you tell me where you are looking and maybe I can help you?

Good information and well noted how much the cuts on the rounds have evolved. The European cuts can look very nice when set properly, but for now we'll keep it traditional/current. I'm looking at various places for stones including the pricescope search, WF, blue nile and a few of the diamond aggregator sites like Lumera...I don't have one supplier I'm am hooked on.
 

fred_lv

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diamondseeker2006|1427134832|3851376 said:
The second stone is great. Really very nice. The first one is an okay match for it, but if you could find one with a crown angle closer to 34, it would be better. 32 is really low for the crown angle, but it probably would be okay for earrings. You may want to look at G color, too, because that will face up plenty white if well cut.
Thank you for the advice, I'll see if I can find another couple stones, or one that is a better match to the "good" one.
 

canuk-gal

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fred_lv|1427153811|3851520 said:
canuk-gal|1427147305|3851481 said:

Sharon, those are some nice looking stones, just a few years too early. :) She wants to eventually get a "right hand ring" with a fancy yellow center stone, but at the moment that is at least 5 years off...can't give her everything all at once.

Quick question though: Is it common to wear a white round diamond stud along a yellow stud or would that look off?

Fred LV:

Oh, people mix shapes and colors. Yellow diamonds are often set with white stones--so I think it would "look" fine. But if this isn't what you are looking for, no worries! (I was really looking at yellow diamonds for myself and thought of this thread when I saw that pair...that's all! :lol: )

cheers--Sharon
 

diamondseeker2006

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BG was one of the first places I looked, and I agree that it would be great if there was a good match! They did not have a smaller match closer to .5, and the only color match is I color at .7 and over $5,000. I personally would not recommend a pair with two different colors and I would not go down to K color. So that is why I eliminated those earlier. I also looked at GOG and JA for H&A cushion pairs and did not find any.
 

fred_lv

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diamondseeker2006|1427203481|3851723 said:
BG was one of the first places I looked, and I agree that it would be great if there was a good match! They did not have a smaller match closer to .5, and the only color match is I color at .7 and over $5,000. I personally would not recommend a pair with two different colors and I would not go down to K color. So that is why I eliminated those earlier. I also looked at GOG and JA for H&A cushion pairs and did not find any.
Travelgal|1427210951|3851772 said:
What about the blue Nile signature cushions? Overkill on clarity, but posting to show cut.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD05351270
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD05351274
diamondseeker2006 and Travelgal, thank you so much for digging in and taking a look and sorry for the late reply, actually had to get some work done :) .

I'd like to stay near $4,000 if possible and it's looking like cushion studs aren't going to be the best option based on what I'm seeing and input from diamondseeker2006.

I think a nice set of round studs in the 1.2 - 1.5 CT. T.W. is going to be the best option. Still looking to find two rounds that look like they will be a nice match and are a good overall balance between quality and size. Will keep you posted with what I find.

canuk-gal|1427158046|3851546 said:
Oh, people mix shapes and colors. Yellow diamonds are often set with white stones--so I think it would "look" fine.
Sharon, thanks for the input on the future yellow mix and match.
 

fred_lv

Rough_Rock
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Mar 21, 2015
Messages
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Re: Anniversary Round Studs

Is it acceptable to pair a D and F together?

Normally wouldn't go this high, but there are two stones that are relatively close, numerically they appear better than the previous round option, price is similar:

Round Stone 3:
Carat: 0.57
Clarity: SI1
Color: F
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurement: 5.31-5.33*3.27
Depth: 61.40
Table: 57.00
Crown Angle: 34.50
Pav. Angle: 40.80
6192580630.jpg
6192580630ha.jpg
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6192580630

Round Stone 4:
Carat: 0.57
Clarity: SI1
Color: D
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurement: 5.31-5.33*3.29
Depth: 61.8
Table: 55.00
Crown Angle: 35.00
Pav. Angle: 40.80
5196580480.jpg
5196580480ha.jpg
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=5196580480

Thanks again for all the help and input.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I generally do not like mixing colors. If I could see them in person, I might make an exception. I think D and E are so colorless, that those would be safe. But I don't think I'd do D and F. I think you'd be fine going down to G or even H color. Those face up white in excellent cut stones. The two stones above both look good in terms of cut. You are doing a nice job! Just wish the colors were the same! I am trying to look at little, too.
 

fred_lv

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diamondseeker2006|1427255840|3852104 said:
I generally do not like mixing colors. If I could see them in person, I might make an exception. I think D and E are so colorless, that those would be safe. But I don't think I'd do D and F. I think you'd be fine going down to G or even H color. Those face up white in excellent cut stones. The two stones above both look good in terms of cut. You are doing a nice job! Just wish the colors were the same! I am trying to look at little, too.

They seem like nice stones and I agree, it would be a tough call without seeing them side by side...the search continues. I'm using these numbers, which I stole from a recent post someone had, as my search guideline:

Table % 54-57
Depth % 60-62.4
Crown angle 34-35
Pavilion 40.6-41


diamondseeker2006|1427257676|3852112 said:
Just posting a couple of well matched pairs as options:

...

I am looking on other sites, too. It is just harder to find well matched pairs.

Those are some nice options, and thank you yet again for looking for me, I truly appreciate it.

Who would think finding a couple nicely matched "affordable" rounds would be anything more than click, click, buy...the ones from WF you suggested are getting to the top of the budget, but may end up being a good choice.

I guess the sticking point is truly going to be what quality aspects can be sacrificed in the name of price and still end up with some "wow" earrings. I know the color and clarity can drop down, but finding matches in the lower cuts and clarity is even proving difficult. I'm sure I'd ultimately be "fine" with a lower quality/cost pre-set pair of studs, but I'm hoping the extra quality will really set the earrings apart.

The journey continues...
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I think that is why I take the lazy way out personally and get mine from WF! They have their stones cut to strict parameters, and that is why they are so easy to match. You usually are just matching diameters with same color stones.

But you are on the right track and may save some money if you keep looking. I use 54-58 for table (nothing wrong at all with 58), and no more than 62.3 for depth (but 62 or less is better, because a deeper stone can mean smaller diameter for the weight).
 

fred_lv

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Re: Anniversary Round Studs

These are a little more, than I would like and probably a little high on color and clarity, but let me know what you think:

Round Stone 5:
Carat: 0.610
Clarity: VS2
Color: E
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurement: 5.42-5.43*3.37
Depth: 62.20
Table: 55.00
Crown Angle: 34.00
Pav. Angle: 40.80

2197386859.jpg
2197386859ha.jpg
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=2197386859

Round Stone 6:
Carat: 0.62
Clarity: VS2
Color: E
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurement: 5.43-5.46*3.38
Depth: 62.00
Table: 56.00
Crown Angle: 35.00
Pav. Angle: 40.80

6167860744.jpg
6167860744ha.jpg
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6167860744
 
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