Cushion brilliant - unsymmetrical?

[HoratioNelson]

I have been looking for the most perfect cushion cut diamond I can find over the last few months, and have found some great gems, but nothing quite perfect.

I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on this particular stone and the way it is cut.

In person, it looks lovely (it's a GIA G VS1 1.64ct), with a good spread and dimensions. 7.45 x 6.47; talbe 60% depth 68.6%. I've attached a picture below.

Now, there's only one very small thing putting me off. I've attached a picture from the certificate - you can see on the right hand drawing in the plan that there are a couple of extra facets in the bottom left and bottom right corners, to the point that it makes the stone unsymmetrical horizontally as well as vertically. Is it noticeable from the photo of the stone itself? Probably not. And I don't think anyone who looks at the stone once mounted will ever know.

But would you avoid a stone like this? We're also quite keen on it because it looks more firey than most of the "crushed ice" modidied brilliants.

Would be great to hear peoples' thoughts as to how significant the extra facets are.

Thanks

 

[HoratioNelson]

I should add, although I am an amateur, I have seen probably 100+ cushion certificates now over the last few weeks and haven't once seen a plot which remotely looks like this, in terms of the aymmetric extra facets!

 

[Slickk]

That is a beautiful stone to my untrained eye. I cannot even notice the extra faceting in the live picture of it. I don't think anyone will notice, but will you and will it bother you? If so, keep looking maybe as that may always bother you. I am a little OCD myself so my eye might constantly be drawn to that area if I could see it in real life. Good luck

 

[tyty333]

To be honest I dont think anyone could tell anything from that picture. Its just not up close enough and has too much glare
on the stone.

Can you get a more up close picture?

 

[HoratioNelson]

These pictures are graeter resolution in native form than when uploaded onto here.

I have attached some zoomed in versions of the stone from same/similar pictures. This is the best I can do for now as I don't think the dealer will take a photo of the stone.

 

[Draco]

GIA facet plots do not accurately reflect the relative size and proportions of facets nor are they meant to be used for anything other than viewing the location of inclusions.

This facet plot is one of a 4 main cushion brilliant with extra facets from the indented naturals. By definition this should be called a Cushion Modified Brilliant(CMB) due to its extra facets (the indented naturals) on the pavilion. GIA may call this Cushion Brilliant and consider the extra facets the indented naturals as inclusions. The optics in the photo (small flashes) are what i would expect from a CMB.

Physical facet structure is one thing but how the facets are aligned with one another determines how bright a diamond is, I'm afraid that looking at facet plots is really not going to help you find the brightest diamond.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Interesting discussion.
IMO the small facets will have no visual impact detectable by the human eye.

I do think Draco raised some interesting points
1) will a few additional facets ( may be naturals) on the pavilion take a stone from Cushion Brilliant to Cushion Modified?
2) Does GIA consider optical performance in determining if a stone is brilliant of modified.
In the case of #2, I think it's pretty clear GIA does not base this on optical performance, but rather facet placement.
Having said that, I'm not sure- maybe someone else will chime in.
As far as #1-OP- did GIA call the stone Cushion Brilliant, or Cushion Modified Brilliant?

 

[HoratioNelson]

The GIA cert calls it a cushion brilliant. However; the stone was certified in March 2009, before GIA seemed to change their naming conventions.

This article here shows it being closest to one of the Cushion Brilliant cuts. https://www.pricescope.com/journal/new_gia_and_agsl_naming_conventions_cushion_cut_diamonds

Do you mean the two small extra facets on the bottom left and bottom right make it modified? All a bit confusing to me.

 

[Rockdiamond]

The GIA cert calls it a cushion brilliant. However; the stone was certified in March 2009, before GIA seemed to change their naming conventions.

This article here shows it being closest to one of the Cushion Brilliant cuts. https://www.pricescope.com/journal/new_gia_and_agsl_naming_conventions_cushion_cut_diamonds

Do you mean the two small extra facets on the bottom left and bottom right make it modified? All a bit confusing to me.

That's the interesting aspect.
If the facets are not "systematically" added - as the PS link mentions, maybe it does not affect the naming convention.
Why would a cutter add facets that are not "systematically added" - which is another way of saying they are added in a random fashion.
The reasons have to do with natural characteristics of the rough.
There are grain lines in diamonds that make polishing along certain planes incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Such areas might have caused the cutter to add a few additional facets on the pavilion.

 

[diamondloveaffair]

it the extra facets can be seen from the face up view, it negatively impacts the diamond's symmetry. Unfortunately, you need better pictures to do this.

 

[HoratioNelson]

Unfortunately i haven't got anything of closer magnification.

i understand it would be useful to see one to come up with a more technically accurate opinion on the extra facets' consequences, but on the basis the above images show nothing obvious and are probably about 50x magnified, is it safe to say that it isn't a huge defect?

 

[Draco]

Unfortunately i haven't got anything of closer magnification.

i understand it would be useful to see one to come up with a more technically accurate opinion on the extra facets' consequences, but on the basis the above images show nothing obvious and are probably about 50x magnified, is it safe to say that it isn't a huge defect?

It does look like a bright stone from the pictures but I would pay special attention to how bright the diamond is in the middle under the table and make sure that area lights up as often as you would like.

I would characterize the flashes as small to medium sized and would agree with the above poster that the indented naturals likely have very little impact on the light return or on the size of the flash in this stone. It really doesn't matter from your perspective if the grading report says CB or CMB for these 4 main cushions, some better cut versions of the latter often look quite similar to the former. What matters more is having the stone in hand and comparing it to others which it sounds like you have done to some extent. Have you seen other styles of cushion cuts?