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Cushion Cut Help

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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So I've read through these forums and I'm trying to get a handle on the dimensions that would make for a good cushion cut. I understand with cushions it is better to see them in person. With budget concerns I'd like to use the web to make a purchase, making it hard to do a side by side comparison. I'm hoping those who know their cushions and can garner some idea of a good deal and a nice brilliance to it can help me!

I found this diamond that caught my eye. I saw that the table is low and crown height is high which is nice:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/2.00-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-3691333

A little on the high price side of my budget but it caught my eye. I'd like to stay between 1.65-2 ct. h and up. VS1 and up. Also, I think we prefer a more square than rectangle.

please help!!

the setting I'm looking at is a solitaire micropave setting : https://shop.kenanddanadesign.com/products/november-2012
no basket. any help!! or suggestions!
 
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redwood66

Ideal_Rock
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I am trying to learn a bit about these. What was happening on the tilt view with all the gray tint and what looked like losing facet definition? Would that be obvious in looking IRL on the tilt? Is that the mush you are talking about? In colored stones it would be a window right?
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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Does the mush dampen the fire? what is the mush? is it the blurriness of the facets?
 

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
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The "mush" is areas that are not returning light. Yes, mush affects everything (fire, brilliance, sparkle).

Yes, it usually is blurriness or areas where you dont see well-defined facets.

Here is a picture of an oval (I just happen to have) that shows some mushy area.
The donut area looks pretty mushy (donut hole area is returning light).

oval light.PNG

vs an oval that is NOT showing mush (ignore the color of the two stones ...although mushy areas tend to show more color because they dont return light).
big area oval.PNG

Can you see the difference in light return? Well defined facets?
 

farrahlyn

Brilliant_Rock
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ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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Thanks everyone! What sites show ASET images other than good old gold for cushion? I'm not only open to james allen. What about good old gold's signature cushions? or any other recommended stones that you find?

Farrahlyn, I like it but I can see the color a little (?) - maybe it's just in my head. THough i'm going to strongly consider it.
 
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ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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Hi All,

Kindly request your thoughts on the following:
I'm looking for a lot of sparkle and fire. This is will be sitting in a solittaire setting with micro pave band.
58% table with spread measuring 6.74 x 6.60-mm 69% depth
ASSET image below.
cushion modified brilliant x factor - 1.51 carat
I feel that the center of the diamond is not returning light. Am i wrong in my assessment?
G VS2 faint fluro 1.51GVS2A.jpg 151GVS2B.jpg 151GVS2C.jpg
 
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OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
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I am trying to learn a bit about these. What was happening on the tilt view with all the gray tint and what looked like losing facet definition? Would that be obvious in looking IRL on the tilt? Is that the mush you are talking about? In colored stones it would be a window right?
My understanding, which may be entirely wrong (!!), is that when diamonds go all grey and have no light return when tilted, and one can even see the background through it, it must be 'tilt windowing', in the same way as coloured stones 'window'.

I've put it forward as a reasoning for rejecting stones people have put forward and so far no-one has said I am wrong, so hopefully my understanding and advice is correct!!
 

Octo2005

Brilliant_Rock
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Hi All,

Kindly request your thoughts on the following:
I'm looking for a lot of sparkle and fire. This is will be sitting in a solittaire setting with micro pave band.
58% table with spread measuring 6.74 x 6.60-mm 69% depth
ASSET image below.
cushion modified brilliant x factor - 1.51 carat
I feel that the center of the diamond is not returning light. Am i wrong in my assessment?
G VS2 faint fluro 1.51GVS2A.jpg 151GVS2B.jpg 151GVS2C.jpg
Yes, you are losing a lot of light under the table with this stone. Cushions are hard and even great cushions will have some leakage (unless you go with a branded cut for optimal performance), but there are better stones out there than this stone.
 

farrahlyn

Brilliant_Rock
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lots better than your original stone but there is leakage under the table. Not awful (IMO) but it could be better.

did you look at any of the stones ac117 posted? The first and last in particular i really like. You can request ASET images from James Allen on 3 stones.
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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Thanks everyone, I'm going to pass on the diamond I posted. I requested ASET images of the JA stones above. While searching I found this Antique!! What is eveyrone's thoughts on it:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.38-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3596285
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.67-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3596267

THe I color is bothering me.....

Is it smaller than the 1.7 listed by ac117 in size by quite a bit? I do'nt know if i want to sacrifize size for more sparkle. torn.

Looks like I used up my three ASET images before i found the antiques :( :( :(. Um.

also found this: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-3385387

not sure how the arrows diamond lights up though.
 
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ac117

Ideal_Rock
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Thanks everyone, i required ASET images of the JA stones above. While searching I found this Antique!! What is eveyrone's thoughts on it:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.38-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3596285
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.67-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3596267

THe I color is bothering me.....

Is it smaller than the 1.7 listed by ac117 in size by quite a bit? I do'nt know if i want to sacrifize size for more sparkle. torn.

Looks like I used up my three ASET images before i found the antiques :( :( :(. Um.

also found this: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-3385387

not sure how the arrows diamond lights up though.

There are different flavors of cushions and you have stumbled upon a few others! The I colored stones are newly cut antique looking stones (cut for optimal precision and light return). They are gorgeous and an I color would be really pretty with those chunky facets but some people prefer higher color and there's nothing wrong with that! The 1.50 h vs1 is a hearts and arrows cushion which means it has the outline of a cushion shape but more of the performance of a round diamond (hence the arrows). The arrows provide contrast (if you were to get an ASET of that stone, those arrows would be blue - Brian Gavin and Good Old Gold also carry these but I didn't see much in your criteria (https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...nd-ags-104095878008#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/1/ ... https://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond..._hearts-N-GIA-G-VS2-diamond-stock-14383-cert-)

Are you the wearer? If not, do you know what her preference is? It might be best to show her the different options and let her decide.

If you use a different email address you could probably request 3 more ASETs from JA.
 

farrahlyn

Brilliant_Rock
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the 1.67 stone is only slightly smaller than the 1.70 ac117 posted (1%). Not a visual difference. But the smaller antique stone is about 14% smaller than the 1.70 modern stone. On those antique stones, they have the ASET on the AGS certificate. they are August Vintage, specially cut stones.
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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Thanks! I think I like the ASET images of antiques (seems like a no brainer they have more light return - more red) though can't find an H color or above in my budget of 10500 that is 6.5 x 6.5 and greater with ratio of 1.00-1.03. .04 would be a stretch but possible.
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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So I received the ASET images for the JA stones mentioned earlier. Any feedback from anyone please:
1.70 CARAT G-VS2 - 7.19*6.86*4.64 (elongated) -
TABLE %: 63.00

3656099.jpg
1.70 CARAT G-VVS2 - 6.89*6.88*4.72
TABLE %: 63.00
3786994.jpg
1.71 CARAT H-VVS2 7.12*6.87*4.68
Table %: 62 -
3689029.jpg
 

ac117

Ideal_Rock
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#1 is a stunner! A lot of red/strong light return throughout and a reasonable amount of contrast. Followed by #2, which is really nice as well just a bit more green than red. I would eliminate #3 - it's showing some leakage/mush under the table along with some unorganized patterning and too much green around the edges.
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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HI everyone, thank you for your help thus far. I'm narrowing down some choices I guess. Nerve racking. Wanted to get people's thoughts on the below stone compared to the ones I've posted thus far. Also, can someone explain why the brightness of the colors of the ASET image is different than the above ones? Did the saturation get altered post taking the picture? If so, then both aset images can be compared to each other?
1.71 H VS2 6.89 x 6.87 Table Size 59% (x factor stone)
1.71A.jpg 1.71B.jpg
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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I put the diamonds mentioned above side by side for comparison using screenshots and paint. Left is the 1.71 H VS2 ($9,818 ) and the Right is 1.70 G VVS2 ($11,650)

sidebyside.png
sidebyside.jpg
 
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ac117

Ideal_Rock
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AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I love that 1.5!
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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farrahlyn

Brilliant_Rock
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LOVE the 1.5 F VS2, the ASET is beautiful. Did you ask if it is eye clean? I would imagine it probably is but you need to ask. Also, did you request the ASET on the 1.5 D stone? The cut is GORGEOUS! :love:
 

ShoppingForARing

Shiny_Rock
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LOVE the 1.5 F VS2, the ASET is beautiful. Did you ask if it is eye clean? I would imagine it probably is but you need to ask. Also, did you request the ASET on the 1.5 D stone? The cut is GORGEOUS! :love:

No ASET image available for the 1.5 D stone.
 
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