Cushion craziness

[kevin329]

Hello all,

So I posted a few months ago for some help with choosing a radiant stone, but it turns out my SO has her heart set on a cushion at this point. But not just any cushion. Oh no. She has chosen the AVC as her stone of choice.

My budget just hung itself.

Originally I was looking for a stone around 1.5cts. But I don't think it will be possible for me to find a 1.5ct AVC with all the qualities she is looking for, and in the setting she wants (Verragio Couture ENG-0400), and still keep to my budget.

Here is a stone I have reserved at this point. Looking for any oppinions y'all can offer, or reassurances as well. I have never spent this kind of money on anything other than purchasing my house. I am still having a hard time swallowing the price to carat ratio, but I suppose you pay for cut quality and I do know the cut is fantastic.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8618/

Appreciate any input!

 

[04diamond<3]

What's the budget? JA has similar cushion cut stones that don't have the AVC premium. It's a beautiful cut for sure.

 

[kevin329]

I was hoping to get a 1.5ct, G/H, SI1 eye clean or better, excellent cut for around $11k.

I have been looking on JA, but the problem is I don't know what "crushed ice" look means to her. All I know is she doesn't want that. I'm assuming it means lots of small sparkly reflections, although she couldn't give me a good example until she saw the AVC.

 

[SCrane]

She wants the look of an antique cushion cut. There are fewer facets and the facet pattern is chunkier. Modern cushions have more facets and they are smaller hence the "crushed ice" look. Take a look at Old World Diamonds. http://www.oldworlddiamonds.com/ If they don't have something that fits your criteria in stock, they will be able to find it.

 

[04diamond<3]

Here's a beautiful one. JA offers a 1-5% discount to PS members, so I'd find out what they'd give it to you for, you can also ask them for an aset. But if you like it, put it on hold asap.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-F-color-SI1-clarity-sku-177021

This is the more "crushed ice", modern cushion:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-D-color-VS2-clarity-sku-142104

Another:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.82-carat-H-color-SI1-clarity-sku-195903

 

[pandabee]

It's definitely a beautiful stone. Is she set on Verragio as well or did you choose that? How much of your budget do you have left for a setting?

 

[kevin329]

She wants the look of an antique cushion cut. There are fewer facets and the facet pattern is chunkier. Modern cushions have more facets and they are smaller hence the "crushed ice" look. Take a look at Old World Diamonds. http://www.oldworlddiamonds.com/ If they don't have something that fits your criteria in stock, they will be able to find it.

Thank you. I didn't know about that site. Checking it out now.

 

[kevin329]

It's definitely a beautiful stone. Is she set on Verragio as well or did you choose that? How much of your budget do you have left for a setting?

She chose the setting as well. She wants a pave type setting.

I would say my total budget is $15k if a 1.5ct stone were involved.

 

[kevin329]

Here's a beautiful one. JA offers a 1-5% discount to PS members, so I'd find out what they'd give it to you for, you can also ask them for an aset. But if you like it, put it on hold asap.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-F-color-SI1-clarity-sku-177021

This is the more "crushed ice", modern cushion:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-D-color-VS2-clarity-sku-142104

Another:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.82-carat-H-color-SI1-clarity-sku-195903

Thank you for the suggestions. That first one definitely has nice facet patterns. I wish they would post ASET images with their diamonds.

 

[04diamond<3]

Here's a beautiful one. JA offers a 1-5% discount to PS members, so I'd find out what they'd give it to you for, you can also ask them for an aset. But if you like it, put it on hold asap.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-F-color-SI1-clarity-sku-177021

This is the more "crushed ice", modern cushion:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.50-carat-D-color-VS2-clarity-sku-142104

Another:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.82-carat-H-color-SI1-clarity-sku-195903

Thank you for the suggestions. That first one definitely has nice facet patterns. I wish they would post ASET images with their diamonds.

You can request an aset image and they'll send it to you.

 

[farmer gal]

HERE ARE SOME MORE OPTIONS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO CALL TO GET THE PRICESCOPE DISCOUNT

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.28-carat-G-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-191546

THIS STONE IS BEAUTIFUL BUT WILL BE OVER 11 WITH PRICESCOPE DISCOUNT

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.51-carat-H-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-191545

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.06-carat-F-color-VS1-clarity-sku-145393

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.09-carat-G-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-191552

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.10-carat-E-color-VS1-clarity-sku-145395

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND DROPPING TO A J
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/2.00-carat-J-color-VS2-clarity-sku-178711

HERE ARE SOME FROM ERD
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.54-carat-i-vs1-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-109134.html

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.54-carat-h-vs2-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-113715.html


ALL THAT BEING SAID YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH AN AVC

 

[kevin329]

HERE ARE SOME MORE OPTIONS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO CALL TO GET THE PRICESCOPE DISCOUNT

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.28-carat-G-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-191546

THIS STONE IS BEAUTIFUL BUT WILL BE OVER 11 WITH PRICESCOPE DISCOUNT

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.51-carat-H-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-191545

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.06-carat-F-color-VS1-clarity-sku-145393

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.09-carat-G-color-VVS1-clarity-sku-191552

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.10-carat-E-color-VS1-clarity-sku-145395

IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND DROPPING TO A J
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/2.00-carat-J-color-VS2-clarity-sku-178711

HERE ARE SOME FROM ERD
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.54-carat-i-vs1-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-109134.html

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.54-carat-h-vs2-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-113715.html


ALL THAT BEING SAID YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH AN AVC

Wow! Thank you for all those suggestions. I actually like that VS1/I 1.54ct from ERD! I think I may go that route...

Do you know if they offer any kind of pricescope discount?

Thank you!!

 

[04diamond<3]

The aset on this one is much better:

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.63-carat-h-si1-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-111100.html

 

[isekii]

The 1.51 H VVS1 looks really nice too. Almost a perfect square ratio. Bump in color as well

 

[farmer gal]

I like the I from ERD as well
There is a video you can watch at the bottom don't know if you saw that or not.

 

[pandabee]

The 1.51 H VVS1 looks really nice too. Almost a perfect square ratio. Bump in color as well

I love this one! Got a great antique looking pattern that you are looking for.

 

[dani13]

Call Mark at ERD!! He will find you a dream stone!!! I think AVC's are pretty, but the premium is SO HIGH. You can get a similar look without spending all the extra $$. JMO. Good luck!

 

[kevin329]

The aset on this one is much better:

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.63-carat-h-si1-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-111100.html

That is a very good ASET image, the only problem I have with that stone is the inclusion straight in the middle of the table plain as day. Even easy to spot on the ASET image. I would be very worried that it is not eye clean.

The hardest thing for me at the moment is that I am in the middle of the ocean with very limited communications. Phone calls are difficult.

Thank you all again so so much!!!

 

[LibbyLA]

Kevin,

The inclusion may not be visible in real life. The photo and ASET are so magnified that things that you can't see at normal size look like boulders.

liz

 

[kevin329]

http://www.engagementringsdirect.co...ut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-111100.html

The ASET on this stone is great, but the clarity is worrisome. I spoke to Mr. Chris at ERD over the phone briefly and he said the stone looks beautiful, but he wasn't comfortable saying if the stone was "eye clean" or not. He said it would depend on how sensitive the individual is to the the clarity and personal preference. Slightly bigger, improvement in color, better ASET, but could have noticeable inclusions, indented naturals, etc etc.

http://www.engagementringsdirect.co...ut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-109134.html

The clarity on this one is fine, no worries there at a VS1. The problem with this one for me is the ASET. It just doesn't show a lot of strong red in the table and that worries me. I would hate to have a stone that just doesn't sparkle/reflect well. The color is one step lower as well and will be set in WG/Platinum.

Do you guys think the ASET is accurate as far as the table being a bit dark? Mr. Chris said both stones are beautiful and have all the right proportions as far as what he considers a great cushion cut.


Right now I am in a predicament deciding between:
1.06ct AVC as stated at the beginning of this post with guaranteed amazing light performance, but small, and expensive.
1.54ct a cut beyond cushion with somewhat worrisome ASET
1.63ct a cut beyond cushion with great ASET, but possibly not eye clean

Advice? More oppinons? Am I being too difficult with this?

 

[04diamond<3]

http://www.engagementringsdirect.co...ut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-111100.html

The ASET on this stone is great, but the clarity is worrisome. I spoke to Mr. Chris at ERD over the phone briefly and he said the stone looks beautiful, but he wasn't comfortable saying if the stone was "eye clean" or not. He said it would depend on how sensitive the individual is to the the clarity and personal preference. Slightly bigger, improvement in color, better ASET, but could have noticeable inclusions, indented naturals, etc etc.

http://www.engagementringsdirect.co...ut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-109134.html

The clarity on this one is fine, no worries there at a VS1. The problem with this one for me is the ASET. It just doesn't show a lot of strong red in the table and that worries me. I would hate to have a stone that just doesn't sparkle/reflect well. The color is one step lower as well and will be set in WG/Platinum.

Do you guys think the ASET is accurate as far as the table being a bit dark? Mr. Chris said both stones are beautiful and have all the right proportions as far as what he considers a great cushion cut.


Right now I am in a predicament deciding between:
1.06ct AVC as stated at the beginning of this post with guaranteed amazing light performance, but small, and expensive.
1.54ct a cut beyond cushion with somewhat worrisome ASET
1.63ct a cut beyond cushion with great ASET, but possibly not eye clean

Advice? More oppinons? Am I being too difficult with this?

My suggestion, get the 1.63 and check it out, you have a 30 day money back guarantee so if you don't like it you can send it back and get the 1.54. Anything smaller and you will absolutely notice a size difference, so I'd stick with those two.

 

[kevin329]

My suggestion, get the 1.63 and check it out, you have a 30 day money back guarantee so if you don't like it you can send it back and get the 1.54. Anything smaller and you will absolutely notice a size difference, so I'd stick with those two.

Yes, this would be a great option. However, I have another wrench to throw at the situation. I will not be back in country for another 38 days. So I pretty much have to decide "sight unseen". By the time I get back, each of these diamonds could be gone.

And I don't know anyone in NY to go take a look for me.

 

[04diamond<3]

My suggestion, get the 1.63 and check it out, you have a 30 day money back guarantee so if you don't like it you can send it back and get the 1.54. Anything smaller and you will absolutely notice a size difference, so I'd stick with those two.

Yes, this would be a great option. However, I have another wrench to throw at the situation. I will not be back in country for another 38 days. So I pretty much have to decide "sight unseen". By the time I get back, each of these diamonds could be gone.

And I don't know anyone in NY to go take a look for me.

Then get the 1.63. I'm pretty sure you'll love it, but in the event that you don't and the 1.54 is gone, I'm sure by then ERD will have something similar.

 

[Roxy]

I think the options folks are giving you are gorgeous! Since your GF specifically asked for an AVC is there a way you could talk to her about going a different route and getting a larger (but still high performing) stone?

The only reason I bring it up is because the AVC you were looking at is an Ideal Cut and if that's what's drawing your GF to it then you probably want to explain that she can get a high performing stone without necessarily getting an "ideal cut" diamond. Personally I'd prefer a larger spread, but if I didn't know a LOT about diamonds and had read that "Ideal cut" is the best, then I'd probably have my heart set on an "ideal" (not knowing about the alternatives).

No doubt, the other stones are going to look phenomenal, but I just wanted to make sure that you'd prepared her for the change before you hand her the paperwork and she see's it's not an AVC. You don't want to start off your engagement with PERCEIVED unmet expectations, when what you're really doing is giving her the best of both worlds (great size AND great light return)!

 

[kevin329]

I think the options folks are giving you are gorgeous! Since your GF specifically asked for an AVC is there a way you could talk to her about going a different route and getting a larger (but still high performing) stone?

The only reason I bring it up is because the AVC you were looking at is an Ideal Cut and if that's what's drawing your GF to it then you probably want to explain that she can get a high performing stone without necessarily getting an "ideal cut" diamond. Personally I'd prefer a larger spread, but if I didn't know a LOT about diamonds and had read that "Ideal cut" is the best, then I'd probably have my heart set on an "ideal" (not knowing about the alternatives).

No doubt, the other stones are going to look phenomenal, but I just wanted to make sure that you'd prepared her for the change before you hand her the paperwork and she see's it's not an AVC. You don't want to start off your engagement with PERCEIVED unmet expectations, when what you're really doing is giving her the best of both worlds (great size AND great light return)!

Thank you for the advice, and I did just as you mentioned. Her exact words were "Just put something shiny on my finger and I'll be happy...for now." haha

She actually did say that she would be happy with a 1ct, but she thinks that she may get accustomed to it and that she would feel like it could be bigger in the future. While she loves the AVC, she said what is most important is that it is a chunky looking cushion. Maybe later we can "upgrade" to a premium cut stone like the AVC.

 

[kevin329]

Time for an update.

After discussing things and prioritizing, we came to the conclusion that she would prefer a 1.5ct stone even if it isn't AVC because she says we can look into changing or upgrading the stone in a few years. This way the ring will be made for a 1.5ct cushion which is really the size she would prefer. My logic was that even though we won't get the purchase price toward the upgrade of an AVC, we could use the non-AVC 1.5ct stone in a necklace or other ring, and just buy the 1.5ct AVC of her dreams separately and have it placed into the original setting.

As far as the setting goes, GOG is no longer an authorized retailer of Verragio, and I was also told by someone with a great deal of experience that for the cost of the Verragio I could have a beautiful custom ring made which would be of superior craftsmanship.

So at the end of the day I have decided to go with this diamond:
http://www.engagementringsdirect.co...ut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-111100.html

And I am having a custom engagement ring and wedding bands designed by ERD.


I would just like to take the opportunity to highlight the fantastic customer service I have experienced with the entire GOG crew, as well as Chris at ERD. Although GOG did not ultimately get the benefit of my business in this case, they have been extremely helpful and accommodating in both my experiences with them through email and my SO's experiences in person. They made every attempt to meet my needs, were prompt in all correspondence even during the hurricane and snow storms, and took their time when explaining and educating my SO and her mother when they visited the store. So far, Chris at ERD has been wonderful as well and has given me honest opinions and information, and is very prompt in his communications. These are all attributes I hope to find and yet rarely encounter as a consumer, generally, so it is an extremely refreshing experience.

And of course all of you have helped me immensely throughout this process, so a sincere thanks to every contributor on these forums. We may or may not have interacted directly in any posts or dialogue, but the knowledge, opinions, and suggestions I have read here were certainly of great benefit to me. THANK YOU!

I will post back as things progress.
Kevin.

 

[04diamond<3]

Time for an update.

After discussing things and prioritizing, we came to the conclusion that she would prefer a 1.5ct stone even if it isn't AVC because she says we can look into changing or upgrading the stone in a few years. This way the ring will be made for a 1.5ct cushion which is really the size she would prefer. My logic was that even though we won't get the purchase price toward the upgrade of an AVC, we could use the non-AVC 1.5ct stone in a necklace or other ring, and just buy the 1.5ct AVC of her dreams separately and have it placed into the original setting.

As far as the setting goes, GOG is no longer an authorized retailer of Verragio, and I was also told by someone with a great deal of experience that for the cost of the Verragio I could have a beautiful custom ring made which would be of superior craftsmanship.

So at the end of the day I have decided to go with this diamond:
http://www.engagementringsdirect.co...ut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-111100.html

And I am having a custom engagement ring and wedding bands designed by ERD.


I would just like to take the opportunity to highlight the fantastic customer service I have experienced with the entire GOG crew, as well as Chris at ERD. Although GOG did not ultimately get the benefit of my business in this case, they have been extremely helpful and accommodating in both my experiences with them through email and my SO's experiences in person. They made every attempt to meet my needs, were prompt in all correspondence even during the hurricane and snow storms, and took their time when explaining and educating my SO and her mother when they visited the store. So far, Chris at ERD has been wonderful as well and has given me honest opinions and information, and is very prompt in his communications. These are all attributes I hope to find and yet rarely encounter as a consumer, generally, so it is an extremely refreshing experience.

And of course all of you have helped me immensely throughout this process, so a sincere thanks to every contributor on these forums. We may or may not have interacted directly in any posts or dialogue, but the knowledge, opinions, and suggestions I have read here were certainly of great benefit to me. THANK YOU!

I will post back as things progress.
Kevin.

YAY! I'm so excited for you!!! Please post pictures when all is done