Culets on Cushion Cuts

[brandonman22]

I have a misc question, are large culet on cushion cut diamonds bad? Can they take away from the performance of the diamond?

 

[oldminer]

You will see large culets on some modern and many old cushion cuts. It isn''t so much as "bad", but really helps to give these diamonds the "look" of an old cut or a hint of the light pattern expected from cushions which follow the old cut style. The high performance, modern configuration
cushions generally have no culet just as modern rounds now don''t often have more than a small one.

A large culet allows the cutter to leave more weight on the diamond. You can''t ask the butcher to trim it for you, so you will take home this extra weight. Whether you have paid for the extra weight depends greatly on individual pricing, exact weight and cut quality. It is one of the things which makes cushion cuts a very difficult shape to quantify by measurements.

 

[neatfreak]

Oldminer hit the nail on the head as usual. It's really a personal preference, so just look at a lot of stones and see what you (or more importantly, your fiancee!) likes.

But one tiny addition to what Oldminer said...some modern cushions have a bit of an open culet...but usually nothing like the older style stones. My cushion has a tiny one that you can only see at certain angles.

 

[brandonman22]

Is it possible for a slightly large culet to create a black dot or black hole in the diamond. For example, here''s two photos of a diamond with a slightly large culet.

 

[brandonman22]

Here''s another...

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 3/11/2008 4:55:56 PM
Author: brandonman22

Is it possible for a slightly large culet to create a black dot or black hole in the diamond. For example, here''s two photos of a diamond with a slightly large culet.

an "open" culet will create the effect of a window where you can simply see through the stone. Whether you like this or not is mostly preference. I personally like it as long as the culet isn''t extremely large!

 

[diagem]

Yes... and they could be much, much larger to the fact they create a hole on the middle and also a reflection in al the eight main crown facets and sometimes also in the eight star facets by the table..., a total of 17 hole reflections...,

What I call character in these Cushions...

 

[CrookedRock]

Being that I just finished my diamond search. I can tell you that unless you see it in good pics or in person you cannot judge a culet by what GIA says it is. I wouldn''t describe a large culet as a black hole, but more of just a hole. It kinda shows what ever it is that is behind it. There is a pic in one of the good cushion threads where a lady is holding a cushion cut ring over her red nail and you can clearly see her nail. I''m not sure if you saw my thread today where i posted the pics of the stone we just bought, but it is graded as a small culet, but Leon told me yesterday that he would consider it medium. It really comes down to personal preference, for me I didn''t want a big culet. Check out this thread it has some good pics of culet examples in it.

 

[brandonman22]

So when a guy like Mark Turnowski says "The culet is slightly large but has no effect on the brilliance of the diamond." Should I trust what he's talking about? Is there any reason to be concerned?

 

[scarlet16]

I would trust Mark to the Nth degree. He knows his cushions like no one''s business.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 3/11/2008 5:24:15 PM
Author: brandonman22
So when a guy like Mark Turnowski says ''The culet is slightly large but has no effect on the brilliance of the diamond.'' Should I trust what he''s talking about? Is there any reason to be concerned?

I would definitely trust Mark''s advice!

 

[brandonman22]

That''s good to hear because I''ve heard some horror stories about cushions and all the hidden flaws they could possess. I''ve also heard from many that you can''t judge a cushion until you''ve actually seen it in person for yourself. I get a little nervous when I hear things like that.

 

[pauly1]

Couldn''t agree more. Go to Mark, you will be not be dissappointed.

For the record, I like the a culet, but as others have pointed it''s totally a personal preference.

My Fiance''s stone was rated slightly large on the GIE report. The old mine cushions tend to have more of a round culet, while other can be longer, like mine below. Good luck!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-new-cushion-with-setting-to-follow-shortly.73335/

 

[neatfreak]

I would, and did, trust Mark 100% he is fabulous.

 

[brandonman22]

Well my search is complete, I''m on board, and I should have the ring within a few weeks. I''m excited!!! Now I just need to think about how I''m going to propose.

 

[dani13]

Date: 3/11/2008 8:55:30 PM
Author: brandonman22
Well my search is complete, I''m on board, and I should have the ring within a few weeks. I''m excited!!! Now I just need to think about how I''m going to propose.

That''s great, Brandon! What stone did you end up choosing, and how will you have it set? YAY for you!!!