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Am I picking the right 2 ct. Cushion?! HELP!!!

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MajorlyChic

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Hello everyone,

This is my first post with a question on the forums!
My Boyfriend and I need to choose immediately between the following two cushions which are quite different. I think we have made our minds up, but wanted all of your opinions so as not to make a very expensive mistake:

2.08 G VS1 Cushion Brilliant
7.91 x 7.57 x 4.40mm
Very Good Polish
Good Symmetry
No Flourescence
No Culet
58.1% Depth
63% Table
Medium to Very Thick Faceted Girdle
Comments: Crown angles are greater than 40 degrees.
(The only inclusion is a very small feather on the lower left pavillion- four pavillions)
Notes:
This G color looks like an F color (I am VERY color sensitive and was not even considering G''s...)
This cushion shows standard light leakage for a cushion

-----or-------

2.05 F SI1 Cushion Modified Brilliant
7.41 x 7.16 x 5.09 mm
Excellent Polish
Very Good Symmetry
No Flourescence
No Culet
71.1% depth
57% table
Medium to Very Thick Faceted Girdle
Notes:
Not eyeclean. Very difficult to see, but black inclusion in lower left section of diamond
No light leakage!!! Crazy for a cushion, I know!!!!


We plan to work with Leon Mege on a setting with a VERY thin micro-pave halo and shank (half pointers).

Our sales associates have been nothing short of amazing and we just want to give them some piece of mind with a final decision right away (they have been helping us for the past month with the utmost patience and diligence).

Thanks in advance for any and all input you guys can offer!



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rainierinspring

Rough_Rock
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I don''t know enough to make a judgement really...
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But I would go for the one that sparkles the most! I am interested in what others have to say.
 

soycoffee

Shiny_Rock
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Mar 23, 2009
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Those are pretty close. I''d go with the one that really struck you the most. It''s hard to make a judgment about cushions without a picture, they are so hard to judge purely on paper. Does the inclusion in 2 bother you? If not, I''d probably go with that one just because it doesn''t have any light leakage (I''m pretty picky about that, generally)
 

soycoffee

Shiny_Rock
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Oh, and, call me crazy--just a sidenote--but aren''t SI1''s suppose to be ''eye clean'' generally? Correct me if I have a misconception about that!
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elle_chris

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I don''t know enough about cushions to comment, but do you have any pics you can post? maybe some of the experts can chime in.

soycoffee- i think it depends on size, where the inclusions are, and how good your vision is. I can generally see inclusions in SI clarity stones above 1.50-1.60 cts.
 

MajorlyChic

Rough_Rock
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Unfortunately I don''t have pictures of either diamond....

The fact that the second diamond is an SI1 is not the issue, but the fact that it is not eye clean is. Both of the options are gorgeous cuts (neither looked like crushed ice, and both had brilliance throughout so that the center of the diamonds were not dull).

Had I not seen the lightscope of each, I am not sure that I would have really been able to tell the difference between their brilliance and fire.... Then again, I wasn''t looking at them side by side. But I can say I had turned down previous cushions based on a lack of brilliance, and both of these passed my test.
 

CharmyPoo

Ideal_Rock
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Is the table and depth percentages reversed in the first one?
 

MajorlyChic

Rough_Rock
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The table and the depth are correctly represented....
 

CharmyPoo

Ideal_Rock
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If you picked a stone you like and it looks good .. that is all that matters.

If you really want my opinion, I would have passed on both. First one - too shallow and table too big. Second one - a little deeper than I like .. faces up smaller.
 

MajorlyChic

Rough_Rock
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I know, the measurements of both are not on the mark, but yet the cuts on both look gorgeous. Cushions are too complicated!

Charmy, if you took the depth and table percentages out of the equation, which would you choose based on all other factors?
 

CharmyPoo

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Date: 4/4/2009 11:33:19 PM
Author: MajorlyChic
I know, the measurements of both are not on the mark, but yet the cuts on both look gorgeous. Cushions are too complicated!

Charmy, if you took the depth and table percentages out of the equation, which would you choose based on all other factors?
It''s hard to say - all personal perferences! The other specs look fine to me but without seeing photos, aset images, etc .. it is really hard for me to pick. At the end of the day, as long as you like .. that is really all that matters.

I am a super picky person - I own a cushion already but have been on the market for the perfect one. My boyfriend loves the stone he got me but he spoils me so he is indulging me in my obsession. I have been looking for 6 months now and nothing has come close. I passed on 3 stones already and my options are limited. He is getting really inpatient with this search.

I am very color sensitive and would like to stay in the D to F range (happier if it was a D). I also don''t go in the SI range. This is very very different from other PSers who like warmth in their cushions and don''t want to spend unnecessarily on clarity as long as they don''t see inclusions. I also like square cushions whereas others like a slightly elongated shape. Everyone has their own perferences!
 

julia.marson

Rough_Rock
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I always prefer a VS instead of a SI. So its my personal opinion that the 2.08ct G VS1 is much much better.
Also as you said that there is a black spot in the SI1 diamond, i would suggest you to go for the VS1
 

Lorelei

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Are there any other cushions the vendor can show you which might suit you?
 

MajorlyChic

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Lorelei: The vendor has been working with me for a month now, and I have passed 4 other nice options for one reason or another (IE: perfect everything but culet was too large, or too rectangular for me, or not GIA certified). I am very very picky and both of these diamonds are really beautiful so appearance wise there is no issue with either. I just wanted to post this question to see which was the better value choice
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Lorelei

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Date: 4/5/2009 12:27:10 PM
Author: MajorlyChic
Lorelei: The vendor has been working with me for a month now, and I have passed 4 other nice options for one reason or another (IE: perfect everything but culet was too large, or too rectangular for me, or not GIA certified). I am very very picky and both of these diamonds are really beautiful so appearance wise there is no issue with either. I just wanted to post this question to see which was the better value choice
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Ok no problem, I just wanted to see if you had looked at some others in order to really know what appealed to you the most!
 

neatfreak

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Date: 4/5/2009 12:27:10 PM
Author: MajorlyChic
Lorelei: The vendor has been working with me for a month now, and I have passed 4 other nice options for one reason or another (IE: perfect everything but culet was too large, or too rectangular for me, or not GIA certified). I am very very picky and both of these diamonds are really beautiful so appearance wise there is no issue with either. I just wanted to post this question to see which was the better value choice
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We really can''t tell you anything without pictures. Just based on the numbers alone I also would probably have passed on both (for the same reasons as Charmy)-but cushions really need to be seen-so if one speaks to you-go for it.
 

DiamondFlame

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Date: 4/4/2009 8:23:16 PM
Author:MajorlyChic
This G color looks like an F color (I am VERY color sensitive and was not even considering G''s...)
This cushion shows standard light leakage for a cushion
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Hmm... I''m not quite sure what you meant by standard light leakage since there is no standard cushion.

2 carat is a lot of stone. If it doesn''t get me from the get go, I would want to scout around for others.
 

Rockdiamond

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I''m reminded of the old saying: A wink is a good as a nod to a blind man.
You''ve seen the diamonds, you''re the one who can tell us about them!
The idea that other people who have not seen the diamonds will be able to add anything meaningful from the GIA measurements can really hamper a consumer shopping......

JMO
 

MajorlyChic

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What I meant by standard light leakage is that almost all cushions show a similar range of light leakage as compared to say a round brilliant which generally will always be a more brilliant rock. The second diamond I have put up for comparison was unique in this sense because it had no light leakage which is very rare for a cushion cut (or at least rare for a cushion that is not specifically cut for performance).

Dmitri: BOTH of these stones spoke to me:) If they didn''t they would not be contenders as this is a very expensive purchase!
 

Lorelei

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Date: 4/5/2009 1:10:34 PM
Author: MajorlyChic
What I meant by standard light leakage is that almost all cushions show a similar range of light leakage as compared to say a round brilliant which generally will always be a more brilliant rock. The second diamond I have put up for comparison was unique in this sense because it had no light leakage which is very rare for a cushion cut (or at least rare for a cushion that is not specifically cut for performance).

Dmitri: BOTH of these stones spoke to me:) If they didn''t they would not be contenders as this is a very expensive purchase!
Then as you have compared these with others and they stand out the most, check them out if possible away from the store lights so you can see which one looks the best. Jewellery store lights can be deceiving, so give them a good test drive in more normal lighting if possible, that should help you determine which one.
 

DiamondFlame

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Date: 4/5/2009 1:10:34 PM
Author: MajorlyChic
What I meant by standard light leakage is that almost all cushions show a similar range of light leakage as compared to say a round brilliant which generally will always be a more brilliant rock. The second diamond I have put up for comparison was unique in this sense because it had no light leakage which is very rare for a cushion cut (or at least rare for a cushion that is not specifically cut for performance).

Dmitri: BOTH of these stones spoke to me:) If they didn't they would not be contenders as this is a very expensive purchase!
So it must be one of these 2 and you're asking us to decide assuming we are the ones buying it? I would say NO to no 2 IF I can see the black speck without a loupe.

Would I pick no.1 then? Only if it performs as well as some of GoodOldGold's featured chunky cushions.
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CharmyPoo

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Date: 4/5/2009 1:10:34 PM
Author: MajorlyChic
What I meant by standard light leakage is that almost all cushions show a similar range of light leakage as compared to say a round brilliant which generally will always be a more brilliant rock. The second diamond I have put up for comparison was unique in this sense because it had no light leakage which is very rare for a cushion cut (or at least rare for a cushion that is not specifically cut for performance).

Dmitri: BOTH of these stones spoke to me:) If they didn''t they would not be contenders as this is a very expensive purchase!
You are set on one of these stones so pick one and go. I think you heard from a few of us that we wiill not pick either just based on numbers but we haven''t seen them. I am not sure what type of evaluation or suggestion you are looking for. You make it sound like you have done your research and is knowledegable - I am just not sure what else we can contribute other than go with your heart? On the flip side, if you can''t decide, maybe you don''t like either of them?

I have found that when I can''t decide between two .. it is usually because I don''t love either of them.
 

icekid

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Unfortunately, without more information I don''t think we can help you much to make a choice here. Based on the numbers alone, I probably would have passed on both of these stones too. You''re the only one who has seen them; if one of them is not the obvious ONE, then I would wonder if either of them really are.
 

Rockdiamond

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MajorlyChic- I agree with Dmitri- based on the fact that you can see a spot in the diamond, and it would bother you- don;t choose that one.


I guess what I was trying to say before, and how it applies to you, is that you're working with , what you described, as a competent sales associate who's showing you diamonds in person.
Cushions in particular can take so many forms. I don't base opinions on rounds just based on numbers- but f you were going to, that would be the cut to do it with.

Some folks have mentioned too large a table, or other factors which certainly do affect the look of the diamond- but not always as one might predict.
SO- say the salesperson has a stone you might love.
My point is, look at the diamond. If someone has indicated that a certain size table, or depth is not to their liking, I feel that it would be a shame to color your thinking based on preferences that might not match what you see.

Did you feel the light leakage in number 1 was a bother?
 

purrfectpear

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Date: 4/5/2009 3:23:11 PM
Author: Rockdiamond
MajorlyChic- I agree with Dmitri- based on the fact that you can see a spot in the diamond, and it would bother you- don;t choose that one.


I guess what I was trying to say before, and how it applies to you, is that you''re working with , what you described, as a competent sales associate who''s showing you diamonds in person.
Cushions in particular can take so many forms. I don''t base opinions on rounds just based on numbers- but f you were going to, that would be the cut to do it with.

Some folks have mentioned too large a table, or other factors which certainly do affect the look of the diamond- but not always as one might predict.
SO- say the salesperson has a stone you might love.
My point is, look at the diamond. If someone has indicated that a certain size table, or depth is not to their liking, I feel that it would be a shame to color your thinking based on preferences that might not match what you see.

Did you feel the light leakage in number 1 was a bother?
But that is exactly what OP is requesting. No pictures, only leaves evaluation on stats.

Personally #2 is a non starter for me due to a visible black inclusion, but that''s just me.
 

MajorlyChic

Rough_Rock
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Thank you to everyone who gave their opinions. As the subject of my post implied, I always had a preference between the two, but I did not want to color anyone elses opinions by sharing it. All along I was always willing to choose my cushion based on its appearance and not on paperwork, but then I started to wonder if that was the way to do it, and thus wanted to see what everyone thought having not seen the diamonds. I understand now, just how hard that is, and why my inclination to make a decision based on appearance really is the way to go.

My boyfriend and I have chosen stone #1 for a few reasons:
1) The color and clarity are terrific. I am VERY curious to see if it gets appraised as an F color since every other G we saw were signifcantly "warmer."
2) The cut, oddly enough with it''s weird proportions, is really amazing. It looks like the more modern cushion in the GOG video that Dmitri placed a link to. It is neither super chunky nor crushed. Somehow the large table is working for this stone...espically since the clarity is so terrific.
3) The spread and ratio are exactly to my specifications
4) The light leakage is something I am simply not finding when I see it in different lighting?! Had I not seen the lightscope for it, I would never even have mentioned this earlier.

Yes, stone #2 was a stunning cut. Interestingly, although technically it was a "modified brilliant" it was actually more chunky yet not quite antique (since there was no culet) than the other cushion. But the fact that I could spot the inclusion really was a deal breaker....I could have gotten over the small spread issue.

I will with out a double post photos of the ring when my boyfriend proposes, but I have no clue how many weeks it will be since it needs at least 4 weeks with Leon for the setting.

Thanks again for taking the time to try and help!

Best,
Tracy
 

MajorlyChic

Rough_Rock
Joined
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One more update: here is a photo of the lightleakage for the stone I decided upon. This is what I was referring to as "average light leakage" for a cushion.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Yekutiel at ID Jewelry for being so kind, patient, and helpful with us over these past few weeks
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lightleakage.jpg
 

MajorlyChic

Rough_Rock
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AND...finally a photo of my baby (thanks Yekutiel!!!!) although I don''t think this does it ANY justice (sorry Yekutiel
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)

Tracydiamond.jpg
 

Dee*Jay

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Wow -- it looks beautiful!
 
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