Two cushions, finalists!

[antelope1]

After much back and forth, we're down to two cushion candidates. Here's a video of them at http://www.vimeo.com/13891079. Let me know if you prefer the one on the right or the one on the left!

Both are I color stones. I'm a little worried about the color -- will it clash with a platinum setting with pave?

Please help!

 

[elle_chris]

hard to say. I'd want another video is various types of lighting. But if i was forced to pick, it would be the one on the right.

I know you said they're both I's, but the one on the right looks whiter to me for some reason.

 

[antelope1]

I totally agree, 20 seconds was not enough. We're going up to NYC this weekend (also, our 3rd anniversary, but not the wedding kind) and I'm practically hopping with excitement. I hope one works out!

 

[Frenchgirl]

Right cushion.

 

[TruLuv858]

What are the specs of both diamonds??

 

[septsparkle]

I prefer the one on the right.

 

[MrsChil]

It's so hard!!! They're both so beautiful! Hopefully when you see them in person you will KNOW if one of them is THE ONE I wouldn't worry about the "I" color. I have an "I" color cushion (a low "I" at that) that used to be set with F/G melee 18k white gold (currently being reset into a similar setting) and it was perfectly fine! Good luck!

 

[antelope1]

Specs:

Right stone (antique cushion brilliant):
1.5 carats
I color
SI1 clarity (but looks eye clean to me)
VG polish
VG symmetry
No Flour
68.5% depth
50% table (I love me a small table)
Large culet (GIA plot has 8 mains and a round/oval culet)
7.28 x 6.24 x 4.28
1.17 L/W ratio

Left stone (modern cushion brilliant):
1.6 carats
I color
VS2 clarity
VG polish
VG symmetry
No Flour
68.3% depth
62% table
medium culet (GIA plot has 4 mains and a diamond-shaped culet)
7.18 x 6.24 x 4.26
1.15 L/W ratio

Note: I picked the left stone out myself via the internet and searching based on numbers. Gary at ERD picked out the right stone once he understood that I wanted a culet and a smaller table.

 

[antelope1]

@vgirl17 -- I just searched for a pix of your e-ring and got nada. Do you have a picture handy? Or linky to a thread with pix? I would love to see what your I color cushion looks like with pave.

 

[TruLuv858]

They are both beautiful!! But I would tend to lean towards the one on the right...Based on those ratios I would have assumed them to be more rectangular? Either one is a lovely choice.

 

[rosetta]

I also love a smaller table so vote for that stone too.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Specs:

Right stone (antique cushion brilliant):
1.5 carats
I color
SI1 clarity (but looks eye clean to me)
VG polish
VG symmetry
No Flour
68.5% depth
50% table (I love me a small table)
Large culet (GIA plot has 8 mains and a round/oval culet)
7.28 x 6.24 x 4.28
1.17 L/W ratio

Left stone (modern cushion brilliant):
1.6 carats
I color
VS2 clarity
VG polish
VG symmetry
No Flour
68.3% depth
62% table
medium culet (GIA plot has 4 mains and a diamond-shaped culet)
7.18 x 6.24 x 4.26
1.15 L/W ratio

Note: I picked the left stone out myself via the internet and searching based on numbers. Gary at ERD picked out the right stone once he understood that I wanted a culet and a smaller table.

Dear Antelope1,

The video unfortunately is too small to see the stone's facets and the lense of the camera is making the stones look obstructed and dark.
If flying to New York I suggest exploring many options, calling ahead to call stone's with your preferences would be crucial. Some vendors I suggest at least looking at would be ArtofPlatinum(Perry and Leon)(Manhattan), Harry Winston(Manhattan) and GoodoldGold(Jonathan)(Long Island).

Good-luck with your search.
CCL

 

[antelope1]

I've been to Good Old Gold. I think I'll give ERD a shot based on the still photos that I got of both stones. The stills look pretty good, and the strange thing is that the area that appears dark in the RH stone in the video is actually really bright in the stills. I'm not quite sure what to make of them.

 

[antelope1]

In case anyone is wondering, the dark area in the antique stone is a maltese cross. The video isn't high enough resolution to see it clearly.

Also, we looked at ASETS of both stones, IdealScopes, and 70x magnification -- so if anyone is wondering if ERD has the fancy tools, they do. The IdealScope was the toy vesion, but the ASET was set up to display via USB.

 

[CharmyPoo]

In case anyone is wondering, the dark area in the antique stone is a maltese cross. The video isn't high enough resolution to see it clearly.

Purely for eduction, a Maltese Cross need not show up all dark. If you look at the AVC, the Maltese Cross lights up uniformly which is important to me as it is almost the entire table of the diamond. I am not a fan of significant obstruction but can live with minor.

It is a skill to take good ASET photos. Some shops have invested heavily in learning how to use the tools and taking consistent photos for their buyers.