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Advice for cushion cut halo...is this budget reasonable?

R

riono

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
12
My boyfriend and I have been looking at rings recently, and I'm in love with cushion cut halos. The ones I've liked the most have been 14-16K with a 1 carat center stone. That is way over budget (he said no more than 5K) and I know the brick and mortar stores are overpriced. After looking online, it seems as though one can get a 1 carat VS2 I or better for 3000-3500. James Allen has a halo setting that is $1000. So it seems possible to get the ring I like within budget. Am I missing something? For reference, here is the JA setting: http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-and-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-cushion-center-item-6820

And here is one that I found that is probably the closest to what I liked (the setting in the store was Henri Daussi, but I don't know the setting number and nothing looks quite the same online): http://www.kingofjewelry.com/jewelry/2-23-Ct-Cushion-Cut-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-H-VS2-EGL-Certified-13133.html

Thank you!
 
I think around 4000 is possible for the stone, but I only saw one I VS2 that looked decent and I am not sure it will fit in that setting because you might need one that is more square. But you might have to go to H SI1 if there are any that are eyeclean.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.90-carat-I-color-VS2-clarity-sku-35861

This one might be better:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.91-carat-H-color-VS2-clarity-sku-146080

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.02-carat-H-color-SI1-clarity-sku-165099

They give a little discount for paying by wire and also if you tell them you are a pricescope member, so the last one would cost less than the list price (as they all would). They just have a lot of cushions that are not pretty, in my opinion, so there isn't a great selection.
 
Thank you, diamondseeker! I'm just curious, and still learning, what don't you like about the other JA diamonds? I've looked at them and can't really tell what the differences are amongst most of them.
 
I also don't think that some fluorescence would bother me if it helps offset any color.
 
if I were to get it from JA, I would probably go with either this
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/engagement-rings/halo/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-and-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-cushion-center-item-6822

OR you might consider a plain shank halo, they are cheaper, and the JA one looks a bit nicer. Plus, you pair it with a diamond band its just as blingy, AND you get more options in what type of band you wear.

If you wanted to get the setting from elsewhere, there are a few that are a bit more delicate
http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/halo-french-set-diamond-engagement-ring-in-18kt-white-gold/4649

or there are some nice beverly K ones that should be under 1.5 k
 
And thank you nielseel--you are right on in that I like the more delicate styles. :) That's my main concern with the JA setting; it doesn't look particularly delicate.
 
here is another one, might be worth taking a look at.
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.12-carat-J-color-VVS2-clarity-sku-26424

Yeah ritani is really good quality. My ring is a plain shank halo, and ill just say sure on its own it a tad less diamonds, but you will be wearing it with a band i assume, and if you go plain it opens up the options for all sorts of different bands, and depending on what plain shank you could pop one on either side. Either way its still lots of bling, and to me at least, makes it look like two different interesting rings, verses just a lot of pave all over. But either way its beautiful, I just know those pave ritani are more expensive, and i just dont know if the pave shank JA will really satisfy you in the long ring
 
nielseel|1362320116|3395058 said:
riono|1362319868|3395054 said:
What do you think of this one? It says the fluroescence is strong. http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/cushion-diamond-1-10-Carat-I-color-GIA-certified/D-C1SJYY
Click to expand...

I dont personally like diamonds like that. Its very 'crushed ice"y, meaning it wont have as much sparkle as one with larger facets. Also, more light leakage in those
Click to expand...

I agree. The center of that one is mush and not well cut. I can't see the other James Allen stones right now because the links don't work on my iPad but look how clear and symmetrical the center facets are on the first stones I posted. I love the Ritani settings a lot more, though!
 
diamondseeker2006|1362322364|3395094 said:
nielseel|1362320116|3395058 said:
riono|1362319868|3395054 said:
What do you think of this one? It says the fluroescence is strong. http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/cushion-diamond-1-10-Carat-I-color-GIA-certified/D-C1SJYY
Click to expand...

I dont personally like diamonds like that. Its very 'crushed ice"y, meaning it wont have as much sparkle as one with larger facets. Also, more light leakage in those
Click to expand...

I agree. The center of that one is mush and not well cut. I can't see the other James Allen stones right now because the links don't work on my iPad but look how clear and symmetrical the center facets are on the first stones I posted. I love the Ritani settings a lot more, though!
Click to expand...
Ds there is a bit of a trick to it. When you first click the link it'll take you to the mobile site, scroll to the bottom and click full site, or whatever it says to take you to the actual homepage, then go back to this page and click the link again, it should work that way.
 
For beautiful and reasonably priced halos, I would also suggest gabriel and co. Many PS vendors can order them for you. Also, at a price better than what's listed on Gabriel and co's site.
 
You guys are awesome, thank you! I've learned a lot about cushions over the last month or so, particularly today. I'm going to point my boyfriend to erd, wf, and ja to look for stones...any others? I don't want to overwhelm him. I want an antique-y cushion (no, I don't care for the crushed ice look now that I've looked at so many). Clarity doesn't matter as long as its eye-clean. Fluorescence is ok, especially if it helps whiten, so J or better is ok. Have I forgotten anything? He does want to know what I want, so the more I can tell him, the better.
 
WF isnt the best place to look for stones other than rounds and princesses, good old gold is a great place though

oh and especially for cushions, face up size is more important than ctw, a .9 ct might look larger than a full ct, make sure to look at the measurements as well.

eta it might not be a bad idea for him to come to this site as well, and of course, you have to post pictures when its done!
 
Here are comparisons I pulled up on JA; my favorite as far as faceting is the .86 E VS1 ...not because of the color but the faceting is really really nice. Set E/W it will give a lot of finger coverage.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut//CaratFrom:0.85|CaratTo:1.25|PriceFrom:820|PriceTo:6440|Sort:Carat%20asc,%20DefaultOrder|TabSelected:3|advancedParameter:pn|showAdvanced:show|ps:15||DiamondID:195030,187284,36865,178176,198499,163923,60003,146086,119407,201219,166104,138080,179989,30239,79462,36718|Polish:|Symmetry:|Lab:|Flour:|DepthFrom:45.0|DepthTo:69.2|TableFrom:50.0|TableTo:63.1|





http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.86-carat-E-color-VS1-clarity-sku-163923

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.85-carat-G-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-198499

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-I-color-VVS2-clarity-sku-179989

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-I-color-VVS2-clarity-sku-30239
 
Gosh ... I would just email this seller and see if you can work something out with them. I know risky purchase with no feedback etc but relatively not risky given the GIA certificate and a well established designer (Scott Kay) setting. It is everything you asked for and not something you can get at first hand retail prices. I was hoping a friend would buy this but he went a different direction.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-53-CT-H-VS1-CUSHION-CUT-GIA-CERT-DIAMOND-HALO-ENGAGEMENT-RING-14K-WHITE-GOLD-/181077680464?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=Hq8fMEii%252FR2loCh%252BSoj8abDjY1E%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

GIA Cert - https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=5116963218&weight=1.03
 
Charmypoo, I LOVE your ring; it is very much what I would like--I look at it on a daily basis. :)

I'm wondering if you all could tell me what you like or don't like about these stones. I'm trying to see if I'm getting any better at this. I'm using JA simply because they have pictures of everything and the reports. I think I understand what cut to look for (thanks for CP's guide!).

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut//CaratFrom:1.00|CaratTo:1.50|Color:J,I,H,G,F|Clarity:VS2,VS1,VVS2|PriceFrom:400|PriceTo:3500|TabSelected:3|advancedParameter:pn|showAdvanced:show|ps:15||DiamondID:56892,40881,26022,26059,39606,45590,26058,138080|Polish:|Symmetry:|Lab:|Flour:|DepthFrom:45.0|DepthTo:80.0|TableFrom:50.0|TableTo:83.0|

I'm having a bit of a hard time figuring out depth/table and how it will affect what it would look like in the halo setting.
 
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