2 cushion cut diamonds -- Urgent, please help!

[cushionseeker]

I have been looking around for a cushion cut diamond and finally narrow down to two options.
Unfortunately these two diamonds were found in different stores so that I can't do side by side comparison.
And I need to give the stores answers in two days.

Both diamonds are cushion modified brilliant. The GIA report details are:

Diamond 1
1.35 carat H/VS2 (extra facet on the corner bottom)
7.71 x 6.51 x 3.30
65% table & 50.7% depth
Polish: good
Symmetry: good
Culet: none
Gridle: medium to thick
Fluorescence: none

Diamond 2
1.32 carart E/SI2 (you can see the black crystal with naked eye when you turn the diamond upside down. However, it is eye clean when face front and in a setting)
7.07 x 5.87 x 3.98
61% table & 67.8% depth
Polish: Very good
Symmetry: good
Culet: none
Gridle: very thin to very thick
Fluorescence: none

Diamond 1 is about $700 more than Diamond 2. Diamond 1's table is visibly larger than diamond 2.
Diamond 2 looked very sparkly in the jewery store.
Diamond 1 looked pretty colorless under the office lighting tube.
I know that I will be putting the diamond on the micro pave setting.

Which diamond would you pick and why?
I am really confused at this point and don't know how to make the decision......
And I have to give both sellers answer by Monday morning.....
Any input would be appraciated.

Please help!!

 

[neatfreak]

No offense, but we can''t really help you. YOU need to decide with your own eyes unless you can provide us with pictures.

Not that this is helpful, but if forced to choose blindly, I would probably choose #1 because to ME the table on #2 is a bit big, and I also don''t like how much variation is in the girdle.

But that being said, the first one only has good polish and symmetry which bothers me in modern stones too.

You really need to choose with your eyes. Did one speak to you more than the other in the stores? Were you more captivated by one for any reason?

 

[elmo]

I think it will be unusual to find any stone but particularly a cushion with 50% depth that has an optimal appearance. So I think that although #1 faces up large for its weight, stones with more typical proportions have a higher chance of being more lively. When I was looking I found that 65-70% depth most often gave the "best" look for me. I also prefer a smallish table (smaller than 61% even), which also tends to result in deeper stones.

Good luck. The good news is that in that size, cushions can be a particularly good buy relative to rounds.

p.s. Make very sure any SI-2 you consider is truly eye-clean. It will be hard to see in any sort of jewelry store lighting.

 

[beebrisk]

Perhaps the best advice (and I''m no expert) is not to buy either stone. I think your best bet is to check out some of the very reputable and highly regarded vendors you can read about here on PS. These guys have proven track records, great reputations, and are also extremely knowledgeable.
A short list:
Engagement Rings Direct
White Flash
Good Old Gold
James Allen

Good luck!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 6/17/2007 9:14:21 AM
Author: beebrisk
Perhaps the best advice (and I''m no expert) is not to buy either stone. I think your best bet is to check out some of the very reputable and highly regarded vendors you can read about here on PS. These guys have proven track records, great reputations, and are also extremely knowledgeable.

A short list:

Engagement Rings Direct

White Flash

Good Old Gold

James Allen


Good luck!

I think this is the best advice of all...and Mark from Engagement Rings Direct is particularly talented with cushions.

 

[MWG]

Welcome to PS Cushionseeker,

Check out this video on CUSHION CUT diamonds at GOG. It is the 14th video in the list. I hope this helps.


Remember, check out the stores'' return policy just in case you change your mind about the stone.

Good Luck
MWG

 

[yellowsparkles]

Please, before you buy a cushion - do a search here on Pricescope on "cushions" and you will learn a lot. There are many different facet patterns and they don''t always tell you what the stone will look like in person.
Stone number 1 seems a bit shallow to me - table is too large for my taste. The dimensions seem large for a 1.35 carat.

You really need to see pictures of either of these before buying.

 

[MWG]

Date: 6/17/2007 11:23:26 AM
Author: MWG
Welcome to PS Cushionseeker,

Check out this video on CUSHION CUT diamonds at GOG. It is the 14th video in the list. I hope this helps.


Remember, check out the stores'' return policy just in case you change your mind about the stone.

Good Luck
MWG

Here is the link that I forgot to put in the above post:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/video/

It is the 14th video down

MWG

 

[kcoursolle]

Engagement rings direct is known as *the* place to buy cushions. They consistently make amazing rings with cushion centers here and offer beautiful cushion loose stones.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Gotta use your eyes, they both could be gorgeous or they both could be ugly. The shallow depth on #1 is a yellow flag as is the big tables on both IMO. I didn''t even look beyond that because it''s really impossible to say without seeing them. They might not even have the same faceting LOL

 

[Cehrabehra]

Okay I read the rest of your post and my answer is neither. I''d keep looking until I *knew* what my answer was.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Don''t buy either one. Since you didn''t LOVE one more than the other they are both probably just OK.

The numbers/stats you posted say they''re just OK.

You really need better Sym.

Please do some more research and look through all the cushion photos on PS!

 

[boston_jeff]

Date: 6/17/2007 9:07:17 AM
Author: elmo
When I was looking I found that 65-70% depth most often gave the ''best'' look for me. .....

*Threadjack*... Elmo, did you get a stone and I missed it?!?!

 

[elmo]

Date: 6/18/2007 12:22:00 AM
Author: boston_jeff
*Threadjack*... Elmo, did you get a stone and I missed it?!?!

Yes, didn''t post anything about it while I was waiting for a real antique during the return period - it''s mine now. D color just under two carats with nice proportions that will work, off getting set now, more later.