Cushion Cut - 1.50-1.80 (ish) budget - $6k-$7k

[sking]

Hi all,

I am completely overwhelmed with this process! Looking for loose stones because some of the jewelers in my area are marking up way too much....or so i think...

Can someone here point me in the right direction? Anyone used #1diamondsource.com before? or brilliance.com, even whiteflash.com?

**Edited by moderator. Please do not post personal information on the forums**
Thanks,
Shenton

 

[slg47]

Hi! First off, you can't post your e-mail (rules). But we can answer your questions here For cushions, I would recommend CCL's guide to cushion cuts, there are many different types of cushions with different appearances and that can help you narrow down what you are looking for.

ChunkyCushionLover's Guide To Buying Cushion Cut Diamonds (2.0)

Step 1 (Choose The Type of Cut)

Decide the look of cushion you like best. (Watching the videos should help you the most with this.)
A great video illustrating the best in Cushion Brilliant Optics and a comparison between several varieties http://www.vimeo.com/9188543

Types of Cushions:

i) Cushion Brilliant
a) 4 main http://www.vimeo.com/2120607 (4 main is on the left)
b) 8 main thin (modern style) http://www.vimeo.com/9188543 (1st stone on the left)
c) 8 main thick (vintage style) http://www.vimeo.com/9188543 (3rd stone from the left)
d) BGD modern 8 main cushion (the mains intersect at the corners) https://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/view... ... icID=12849

ii) Square Cushion Hearts and Arrows
http://video.jogiadiamonds.com.au/image...7266-2.mov http://video.jogiadiamonds.com.au/image...XF7266.mov also second stone from the left in http://www.vimeo.com/9188543

iii) Cushette
http://www.vimeo.com/3164922

iv) Cushion Modified Brilliant
(often referred to negatively as the "crushed ice" variety as many in this category have only small flashes and were cut to save weight not to optimize light return),
a) 4 Pavillion main facets (several varieties)
b) 8 mains (several varieties) http://www.vimeo.com/3164922 both the left and the right stones have the same facet structure. Most in this cutting style would look similar to the one on the left.

Step 2 (Choose the 4Cs)

1) Post your budget, Color, Clarity, Carat Weight, LW(length to width) Ratio (do you like perfectly Square or Rectangular?) and cut preference. We will help find stones in your price range or tell you if your budget is unrealistic for the specs you have chosen or if you will have to make some tradeoffs. If you would rather go directly to the vendor at this point I suggest you speak to:

i) Jon at Goodoldgold.com (The most selective and expert vendor for the best light return in cushions especially branded lines like Square Cushion Hearts and Arrows, August Vintage Cushion (8 main vintage) and 4 main cushion brilliants.
ii) Mark at Engagementringsdirect.com (Excellent prices, specializes in 8 main vintage stones and can find 8 main thin modern ones as well)
iii) Bob at Whiteflash.com (Has been known to source decent 4 main cushion brilliants)
iv) Brian at Briangavindiamonds.com (Designed the BGD 8 main modified cushion brilliant above but mostly specializes in hearts and arrows rounds)

Once you know what kind of cut you are looking for we can be most helpful if you post your preferences in your thread.
Example:
Budget: $10,000
Color: H and above
Clarity: SI1 and above (Anything Eye clean from 6 feet away looking face up)
Carat Weight: 1.3Ct+
Lw Ratio: 1 - 1.05 (I want square) or 1.1 - 1.3 (I want rectangular)
Cut: Cushion Brilliant (Modern) 8 main

Step 3 (View and Post ASET Image and Photographs and/or view in person)

Ask the vendor for a Video and/or ASET image (http://www.ideal-scope.com/1.using_ASET_scope.asp) of your possible choices and we can help you narrow down which of your selections we prefer and why.

If you want to learn about cushions cut for light performance a great video by Jon at GOG can be watched here http://www.vimeo.com/7579666 and bonus footage here http://www.vimeo.com/7611843...

Step 4 (View a side by side comparison at a vendor or appraiser for final selection)

If you are still not sure I would send your two or three favorite stones to a PS listed appraisor https://www.pricescope.com/appr_list.aspx close to you, where you can view your final choices in person prior to purchase. Many PS vendors will send stones to a trusted appraiser without you having to pay first and the appraiser will only release the stone to you only upon payment to and consent of the vendor. You may incur small shipping and appraisor fees to view potential choices in person which for many is well worth it to be sure about their purchases.

Happy Hunting,
CCL

 

[sking]

Wow....Thank you so much! A ton of info there that i would have never found. I think GOG and some of the other chaps should do some more google optimising...

I found the image of a ring I'd like to re-create.

I just think this ring is amazing. I forget where i found it, nontheless, here it is.

 

[megumic]

Get in touch with Mark @ ERD. Not sure your budget is large enough for the size diamond you want, depending on the quality of diamond you're looking for, but he is a great resource and a place to start!

 

[antelope1]

OP, I'm going to be honest with you -- your budget is not realistic. The image of what you want shows a pretty high color diamond in a WG or PT halo setting.

The setting you want would be at least $2k in platinum (or a lot more), and not much less in WG (there is a lot of labor involved in setting the pave diamonds). That leaves $4k - $5k for the diamond, and I really don't think you're going to get a good cushion in that carat range without sacrificing both color and clarity.

For example, the only cushion GOG has in that carat range and price range is a W color (W = yellow, no bones about it) diamond at 1.53 carats -- and the cut is iffy (http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/7411/). See how much white is in the DiamXray image? That is light leakage.

You might be able to get a good 1 ct cushion in that price range, with that setting.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi Sking,
Your budget will mean that the center stone needs to have some aspect that reduces the price.
For example, an I1 diamond, a faint yellow diamond, or a badly cut diamond.

I love the value offered by the first two, but not so much the third option.

If you search the PS database for cushions you'll see that the size range you're looking for is generally a lot more than the budget.....

 

[Dreamer_D]

OP, I'm going to be honest with you -- your budget is not realistic. The image of what you want shows a pretty high color diamond in a WG or PT halo setting.

The setting you want would be at least $2k in platinum (or a lot more), and not much less in WG (there is a lot of labor involved in setting the pave diamonds). That leaves $4k - $5k for the diamond, and I really don't think you're going to get a good cushion in that carat range without sacrificing both color and clarity.

For example, the only cushion GOG has in that carat range and price range is a W color (W = yellow, no bones about it) diamond at 1.53 carats -- and the cut is iffy (http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/7411/). See how much white is in the DiamXray image? That is light leakage.

You might be able to get a good 1 ct cushion in that price range, with that setting.

Ditto.

Since you want a halo and that is a great size equlizer, then I would suggest looking for a smaller diamond to keep the specs high.

 

[SB621]

I don't see that you posted your budget anywhere....

I'm pretty sure that ring was made by Mark at ERD. Many PS's vendors make it though. It is a version of a Harry Winston ring. Jewels by Erica Grace also makes the same one. You might want to have them price it out as well.

Goodluck on your cushion search.

 

[slg47]

OK so it seems like you want a more modern cushion in a halo setting, I would contact some of the PS vendors and see what they can come up with...but 7k for a 1.50 in a halo setting isn't going to happen (sorry)

 

[Dreamer_D]

I don't see that you posted your budget anywhere....

It is in the subject/title of the thread

 

[sking]

Thanks all. I realize i will have to bump up my budget. I was however only talking about the center stone itself, not sure if that was clear. Looks like I'm in for a 10-14K ring, depending on quality of the diamond....if not more.

 

[antelope1]

You can use the PS search tool to help you figure out your appx budget based on your color / clarity / ct weight specs. I would select "in-house" so you can see pix of the diamond and request addtional (ASET, Idealscope) images.