Help with August Vintage Cushion/Setting

[hooty]

Hi Everyone,

I posted for the very first time a week or two ago as I was just starting to search for an engagement ring. Everyone who replied gave some really good advice and I'm very appreciative. I have made some serious progress and have mostly narrowed down my setting choices. I have two choices for halo settings and two choices for solitaire. What I decide to go with will depend partially on what my budget allows for after center stone purchase and what I start to feel most strongly about over the next few days as I gauge what my girlfriend would most adore.

A bit of background - I started out looking for all cushion cuts, but quickly realized I really wanted to narrow down my search to chunky, antique cushions and Old Mine Cushions. My girlfriend and I really like vintage/antique things and she wants the setting in yellow gold. Since we want the antique look, I am not shying away from stones with a bit of warmth at all. In fact, I've pretty much ruled out anything with less color than maybe I/J. I know that is not what many prefer, but I believe it would be very pleasing to us. I am aiming to get a center stone in the neighborhood of 1 ct and I would like to do all of this on a budget in the $6.5k range.

The settings I am considering in yellow gold:
Halos - Tacori 2620 with pave and Vatche Grace
Solitaire - Tacori 57-2CU (http://www.tacori.com/engagement/rings/57-2cu6.html) and a custom setting similar to this LM but with some minor modifications (https://leonmege.com/index.php/portfolio/custom-work/view-all/one-of-a-kind-engagement-ring-detail)

I was really hoping people with far more knowledge than me could weigh in on these 4 diamonds from GoG that I have my eye on and maybe give advice as to how some would look in either a solitaire or halo setting.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/0-93ct-o-si1-august-vintage-cushion-diamond.html - The color does not bother me too much, especially because I think the Med FL would give it a minute boost. Although it seems to spread pretty well for it's weight, I do wish it were a bit higher than .93. The price pretty much lets me choose my desired setting.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/13059.html - A color right in my wheelhouse because it is M with Med FL, but the si2 is a slight concern. David, whom I have been working with, told me that it was NOT eye clean to him from a distance of two inches. Although I could not see the feather in a video he sent, I can see it in a picture he sent. Price is right on this one and it also has my desired size.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/13060.html - As far as I can tell, this is basically an August Vintage Star that they cannot sell as such because of a very large culet. Most colorless out of all the diamonds I'm looking at. It is my desired weight, but the spread is not significantly better than the .93O. It doesn't seem to have much less desirable optics due to the very large culet, at least in the video I was given. Price rules out the Tacori 2620 and probably also the custom solitaire.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-05ct-p-vs1-august-vintage-cushion-diamond.html - the most colored diamond in my group to consider, but also the biggest. Price also rules out the Tacori 2620 and custom.

Video of the J with the very large culet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duPuEvOazrA&feature=youtu.be
Video with the .93O and 1.05P (first and third in the video, respectively) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQmkIDbuiSw&feature=youtu.be
Here is one with the 1.03M - it is being compared to the J in the second clip and by itself at the end - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p4t_DsPk5I

Thank you all very much!

 

[Mayk]

I'm not one of the experts but I love the shape of the largest, warmest! Love the setting too!

 

[crans223]

I personally love the look of the 0.93 O SI1, it looks super clean from the picture, and the warmth you are looking for seems to look gorgeous in that one from the pictures.

 

[hooty]

Thanks, guys for your thoughts. You see the dilemma! They are all beautiful and very difficult to choose. I think if the O were just a little bit bigger I would jump on it without thought. But there is a noticeable size difference. Here are both the O and P in yellow. You can tell, especially from the side, that the P has a bit more color to it. Really the question for me is do I go bigger and limit the setting choice or smaller and go with the Tacori 2620 or custom solitaire.

.93O:



1.05P:

 

[crans223]

Thanks, guys for your thoughts. You see the dilemma! They are all beautiful and very difficult to choose. I think if the O were just a little bit bigger I would jump on it without thought. But there is a noticeable size difference. Here are both the O and P in yellow. You can tell, especially from the side, that the P has a bit more color to it. Really the question for me is do I go bigger and limit the setting choice or smaller and go with the Tacori 2620 or custom solitaire.

.93O:



1.05P:

I honestly still stand by the 0.93, It looks much cleaner face up than the 1.05 and the warmth you are looking for really pops on the 0.93. I wouldn't worry about carat size as much as how beautiful YOU think diamond is. I wound up going smaller in carat weight for a diamond that spoke to me more.

 

[tyty333]

Wow, watching all those videos didnt make it any easier for me. Usually the videos help me narrow it down very quickly but
the choices these time are all just too good. One thing I can say is I didnt like the J as much as I liked the others. I think
I would go with the biggest of all the rest because they were all just so beautiful.

 

[hooty]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I have really been agonizing over this for a few days now so I finally had to put 3 of them on hold haha! Would you guys mind taking a look at the 1.03M video and sharing your thoughts on the feather inclusion? It's easily noticeable in 40x still pictures but if it would be tough to spot in real life scenarios it might be my choice.

Crans, I agree with your assessment of the .93O. I guess I just need a bit of encouragement that going with an AVC in a smaller size isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I didn't include this in my OP, but there is also a .97 W-X color that I'm not completely writing off yet. The color scared the crap out of me at first, but here it is in a rose gold 2620. I believe it's also the second diamond in the video with O and P

 

[hooty]

Hi all,

I wanted to bump this to try and gather opinions from people much more experienced than I at this stuff. I would like to strongly consider this 1.03M SI2 AVC, but it would not be very convenient for me to review the diamond in person without eating up part of my already stretched budget by buying the diamond, having it shipped over and insured and again in reverse. I've been working with David at GoG and he has been great. He understand that I am a beginner and he has been thoughtful and patient. His first comment in regards to whether or not this diamond was eye clean was basically him unwilling to say that it was because his definition of eye-clean is much more strict than the industry standard and involves inspecting the stone from 2 inches away (with 20-20 vision) in various lighting sources and angles. While I certainly appreciate his honesty and diligence in regards to that, I don't know if that necessarily translates to being eye clean or not in practical, real world situations. I recently followed up and asked if he thought it would be considered eye clean by the industry standard of 12 inches away and he believed that it would in fact be considered eye clean by that metric. I would be very appreciative if people could take a look at these photos and weigh in on whether or not this feather inclusion is something that will be noticeable to us under normal conditions. I have a difficult time seeing the feather in the video that he provided for me (in original post.) This first picture shows the diamond in question in the middle, between two other SI2 M's. Thank you very much!

 

[mrs-b]

Hi Hooty

I far prefer the 1.05 P. I think most people here with experience of AVC's would tell you that a little extra size allows you to see more clearly the individuality of the faceting and the broad flashes they produce. I also particularly like the 1.05 P stone you linked to as I thought its facets had a nicer balance than the .93 and found the stone more visually appealing in general. I also like its proportions in relation to the band, and think that it is, all up, a better looking ring. It's also a far cleaner stone, and the broad faceting of the AVC's tend to make inclusions more visible.

So, all things are relative, but I would, without doubt, go with the 1.05. As for the M SI2 - I think those inclusions would bother me, and I think they would also be visible. So that would get an immediate pass from me.

So that's my vote - the 1.05ct P VS1 for its balance, it's lovely faceting and outline, its cleanliness - and its proportions and overall look in the setting. I think it would be a lovely ring.

ETA The 1.05 is also noticeably bigger than the .93 - and that never hurt anyone! Have you considered the 1.09 M SI2? If SI2's dont bother you, it might be worth asking about. Both the M's are less warm than the P or the O, and the 1.09 is considerably larger - half a MM than either the O or the P. Half a mm is very obvious on a diamond. Worth asking about.

 

[danielxlin]

The P!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If you are going with the 2620, I would strongly favor a cushiony shape with almost equal length sides instead of an elongated cushion. That would be a huge factor for me. I can't say about the colors because you have to see them in person to get a good idea of how they look. I looked at an L and an M one time, and I will post a picture so you have a better idea of the warmth.

The M is the top AVC, then the L, and the round diamond closest to them is G color.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

One more thing, I am glad you are going with yellow gold for these lower color stones that have yellow tint. I do not like the picture of the stone sitting in the rose gold 2620 setting at all because only brown tinted stones look good in rose gold to me, and yellow tint looks better in yellow gold.

 

[mrs-b]

If you are going with the 2620, I would strongly favor a cushiony shape with almost equal length sides instead of an elongated cushion. That would be a huge factor for me. I can't say about the colors because you have to see them in person to get a good idea of how they look. I looked at an L and an M one time, and I will post a picture so you have a better idea of the warmth.

The M is the top AVC, then the L, and the round diamond closest to them is G color.

Oh man...those AVC's are divine - that golden tone is just luscious!

 

[hooty]

Thanks everyone so much! I suppose I just needed a bit of reassuring that I wasn't being silly writing off the 1.03M SI2 due to the inclusion that may/may not actually be visible. I've been going back and forth with the .93O and 1.05P for a week now. They both looked great in the video that David made for me so that helped absolutely zero. But I suppose if I want them both, I should probably go for the P since it does have the noticeably bigger size. Unfortunately, the P sort of rules out the Tacori 2620. I have a budget of about 7k max, and the size of the P knocks the Tacori 2620 up to the next size price of about $4100. I started with a budget of 6k and upped it to where I am now so that I can get an AVC in my desired size, so I can maybe justify 7k give or take if I get a beautiful AVC with a beautiful setting, but I definitely can't do 8.5k.

As for halo settings, that leaves me to decide between the Vatche Grace or the Good Old Gold Perfect Halo, both of which I like. I'm also working with Good Old Gold to get some quotes on a couple different custom solitaire settings. I reached out to the Victor Canera team and they provided a pretty competitive quote of $2800 for the Jocelyn minus the pave prongs but with hand engraving throughout the shank where there isn't pave.
https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/the-jocelyn-pave-solitaire

I'm hoping Good Old Gold can get somewhere in that range, or ideally slightly lower due to me not being quite as familiar with their custom work, because ideally I'd like to do one stop shopping. For some reason their custom solitaires with milgrain and hand engraving details are coming in in the low-mid 3k range.

So thanks again everyone for your thoughts. Really has helped!

 

[hooty]

Mrs-blop,

I have had discussions about the 1.09 M. Si2 doesn't bother me in terms of needing mind clean, but obviously eye clean is important. At first, David and Stephanie, whom I am corresponding with re: settings, thought it to be the cleanest out of their three M si2's. A day or so later they backtracked and said that the 1.03 was a bit better. Here are the only pics I have of the 1.09. It is next to an I color AVC in the group pic and next to the other two Ms.


What do you think? It is much more elongated than tbe P, but also a bit bigger overall and cheaper. The clarity plot is pretty scary looking, though. David seems to have unlimited patience with me, which I'm grateful for and may very well earn him my business. Maybe I can ask one last thing of him before choosing - a video with the 1.09M and 1.05P.

 

[mrs-b]

hooty -

I have to say, at this point, it's what YOU want. As a woman, I always like a little extra size, and I think larger works well with AVC's because it allows you to see the beautiful faceting. I like warm AVC's so long as they're set in yellow gold, so the color of any of them wouldn't bother me. I also don't mind the occasional tiny, visible occlusion. But anything under the table would be a shame on this sort of cut, being as visible as it would be, and it's always nice to be able to say you have a VS1 stone; it's just a little bit of luxury.

For my money, I would got for either the P 1.05 of the M 1.09; altho I'm not wedded to the idea of large stones, I think it's nice for a ring to look substantial and AVC's, with their larger faceting, do look better with some degree of size in my opinion. They are also my favorite of all cuts, so I think you're on a winner here!

 

[danielxlin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo9Ecvkjy5Q

I think the GOG perfect halo is the best option for a setting of the ones you've listed above. Will be absolutely perfect for an AVC, see above. The Tacori has too many design elements going on, and is probably overpriced.

Even with a P color diamond I'd stick it in the GOG platinum halo. Will be stunning!

 

[emmebee]

I believe it was ERD/BE that did a beautiful setting with similarities to that Tacori... you should reach out to them!!

 

[emmebee]

Here are the ones I was thinking of:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/our-1-23-ct-platinum-rose-gold-vintage-halo-chris-erd.189639/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/our-1-23-ct-platinum-rose-gold-vintage-halo-chris-erd.189639/[/URL]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-beautiful-lady-miss-daisy-kay-courtesy-of-lauren-b-erd.201943/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-beautiful-lady-miss-daisy-kay-courtesy-of-lauren-b-erd.201943/[/URL]

 

[hooty]

Those are beautiful! Part of me wants to do a halo so I can give a bigger visual than the ~1 carat, but part of me also wants to do a solitaire with claw prongs so that the beauty of the AVC, for whichever one I decide on, is the main element. Whatever I decide to go with though, I think I want either milgrain or hand engraving or both along the shank. That is really impressive work on the Tacori inspired settings. I think I better reach out to them for a few quotes as well. Thanks!

 

[mrs-b]

hooty -

This is just my opinion, but I think that halo settings enhance the look of an AVC. The sparkle highlights and intensifies the broad flashes and softer nature of the AVC and gives it a setting in which to glow. And yes, I think the extra size is a good thing as AVC's are cut deep and all cushions face up smaller than the round brilliants with which most people are familiar.

Just to clarify/emphasize a former post - the halo in the photo you saw was custom made; it was not made by Tacori. If you want the same degree of perfect fit, you will need to go that route also. Personally, I can see a clear difference, and would not go with Tacori to make my setting, but would, personally, proceed with ERD - now Brilliantly Engaged (BE) without hesitation. Their work, highlighted often on these pages, is delicate and precise and visually lovely. Tacori make beautiful rings - but for a unique stone I prefer a setting made specifically for that stone - and I think one can tell the difference.

Just my 2c.

 

[hooty]

Hello everyone,

I'd like to thank those that chimed in with some help and support a week or two ago when I first posted. Lo and behold, I am still over here unable to make a decision on an actual diamond. I have, however, finally decided to go with a custom solitaire in yellow gold with bright cut pave and milgrain down the side, with antique hand engraving as well, with the overall concept based loosely off this ring that Almond designed for David Klass to make
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-1-86ct-antique-cushion-in-dk-solitaire.208578/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-1-86ct-antique-cushion-in-dk-solitaire.208578/[/URL]

What I cannot decide, however, is which diamond to actually go with. I'm still heavily thinking about this 1.05P. It seems to be a great value and I love the AGS000, but I am just concerned that it would be a bit too warm. I want a nice antique, soft white color but sight unseen it is just tough to figure out if this would fit that description or if it would just be a tad too lemony. I've searched and searched and I cannot seem to find many examples of AVC's in the O-P-Q range in yellow gold as examples.

I am also considering this one, and this is where I guess I am really looking for some input.
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-1ct-m-si1-august-vintage-cushion-diamond.html

I love the size and color range, but I suppose I am just hesitant to pull the trigger with the AGS excellent cut grade as opposed to ideal due to the extra facets and natural. It also has an inclusion right in the center of the diamond that David tells me is 100% eye clean by industry standards, 99% by his heightened standards. I guess I am just looking for some reassurance that this won't ever be a problem. I haven't come across many AVC with extra facets so I really don't have much to go by. I will say it looks fine in the video of it.

Also just kind of considering this guy. It is over-budget, but wouldn't absolutely kill me. Would probably have to give up the hand engraving on the shank, however. I prefer the more square AVCs, but I think this would be within reason at 1.08 l/w. The VS2 and AGS000 gives me a bit more mind ease, though mind cleanliness isn't of the utmost importance to me.
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-23ct-k-vs2-august-vintage-cushion-diamond.html


So...in all, I suppose I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on the inclusions/symmetry issues in the 1.1M or if anybody has any pictures or input on how the 1.05P would look in a yellow gold setting with pave down the side. I absolutely want an antique look, and thus am not shying away from some warmer colors, but I also want something more in the soft white range than light yellow. Thank you all so much!

 

[danielxlin]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-avc-avoec-diamonds.123446/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-avc-avoec-diamonds.123446/[/URL]

In looking at the warmer AVC's in settings I prefer platinum settings. The yellow gold is going to emphasize some of the lemony qualities of the AVC, and I don't think you're going for a fancy colored diamond look.

I'd put the P color AVC into platinum, and probably a platinum halo. Same goes for the other AVC's or near-AVC's.

 

[danielxlin]

This is not an AVC, obviously, but check out what yellow gold does to this N colored cushion:

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-diamond-111ct-n-si1-cushion-cut-gia-lovely-buttery-color-r5499

Soft tones of butter. It's a beautiful look. If that's the look you're going for, then the M or P is going to be great. If not, then reconsider the setting.

 

[arkieb1]

Is there a specific reason for wanting a yellow gold ring? The largest stone, the K is the one I would personally choose but set in a white metal not yellow.

 

[Wednesday]

I visited GOG last week and met David. He showed me various diamonds, including some of the ones you listed upthread, and I would definitely listen to him when it comes to what is eyeclean. A ring is something you look at a lot, close-up, in different lighting environments, and if he can see it chances are very good your gf will too soon after she starts wearing it. It would bother me. But it does not bother everyone, so I can't answer for your gf. I think it is safer to get a truly eyeclean (David's standards) diamond for a ring, because his way of viewing the stone is closer to how it will be viewed by the person who will be wearing it all the time.

I also liked the AVCs in the range around M and I hope to get one too! They look great in yellow gold. I hope you find the right stone soon!

 

[hooty]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond, it really does mean a lot

Daniel - I have seen that picture of the N before set in the dbl halo. It's true that I'm not going for something that is going to look like a fancy light yellow at all. But I also don't want something in the DEF range. I really want something with a soft white look because A) I think it helps the vintage vibe and B) I love how the pastels combine with the warmth of AVCs. I definitely would not want mine to look like that though - I just hope that is a combination of the yellow melee and lesser cut quality.

My gf has had very little input on this, per her wishes, but the only input I do have from her is yellow gold setting with an overall antique feel. I will admit that I was taken aback slightly by the yellow gold request at first, but now it has grown on me for both aesthetic and budget reasons. David and Stephanie at GOG really believe that I can get the sort of look I want with a warmer avc set in yellow.

Wednesday - I am quite jealous that you were able to go in and meet with David and see some of these stones. What makes this so difficult is trying to envision just how warm some of these, mostly the P would be, based merely on photos. I am in Michigan and unfortunately am not in a position to devote a chunk of my budget to flying out to see in person. Thank you very much for your thoughts on the eye cleanliness though. David has been great at relaying his thoughts on eye cleanliness on multiple diamonds and I certainly appreciate his patience with me as well.

 

[danielxlin]

I think the photos that you've posted above of the P in the temporary yellow gold setting are helpful. From the top view the P is going to have a warm creamy white look. From the side view, where you tend to see a lot of body color, it will have a ginger ale look.

Once set in yellow gold the very warm colored AVC's (let's say L and beyond), from certain angles and in certain light conditions, will unavoidably start looking like lighter fancy colored diamonds.

Same effect happens when set in platinum but the eye gets distracted by the icy white platinum reflections the stone picks up.

 

[ccuheartnurse]

I like the K, it's a nice size & shape. You mention it's a bit overpriced for you though. Maybe put the biggest chunk of your budget into the stone & a simple setting for now? Is that an option? Or, go for the best stone & get something custom made & not go with a designer brand. Definitely will be cheaper if you do that. I would contact David Klass as he's done some gorgeous rings and has reasonable rates.

If you go with a K stone, I would use a white metal head & if your girlfriend likes yellow gold, do the shank in yellow. Would be a pretty look.

Good luck & all the best.

 

[hooty]

Danielxlin - I agree, and that is kind of my fear. I definitely do want that sort of soft lace white from the top view but without the heavy tint from the side view. Now maybe that sort of ginger ale color that appears in the temporary yellow setting would only show up under certain styles of lighting, or maybe it would tend to look like that more often than not. That is what I don't know and what is killing me!

ccuheartnurse - I like the K a lot as well. It definitely eats up a VERY large chunk of my budget though. Unfortunately I don't have a ton of wiggle room with the setting style, because it is really the only thing that my gf wanted input on. I am ok sacrificing some of what she wanted if it means a bigger/nicer center stone but don't want to go too far. I'm going to be a grad student for three more years in the fall, so I don't really have the luxury of going ultra cheap on a setting and promising that we can upgrade in the near future as my financial flexibility will be tied up for a few years. I can maybe swing it with my original setting design if I go without hand engraving, or maybe I need to send out a few more requests for quotes. But honestly it is my preference to go with GOG for the setting too, because they have been really great to work with. Though I am obviously willing to budge on that if they are unable to make the ring in my price range.