Cushion or Asscher...What Color and Clarity is needed.

[wistletown]

This question is actually for a friend. He wants to get a Cushion or Asscher 1.5-2.0 carats. Fancy shapes of course don''t compare to rounds in brillance. He wanted to know what color and clarity is recommended so that he can still have an outstanding stone...

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 2/16/2007 10:30:03 AM
Author:wistletown
This question is actually for a friend. He wants to get a Cushion or Asscher 1.5-2.0 carats. Fancy shapes of course don''t compare to rounds in brillance. He wanted to know what color and clarity is recommended so that he can still have an outstanding stone...

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Both need to be very eyeclean - I''d stick with VS2 to be safe (might be able to go one lower but neither of these cuts hide inclusions well, especially the asscher) and color is really a choice. I''d go really low in either because I like the antique look that J/K stones can get and both of these cuts lend themselves well to the antique look. Both also work really well in high colors - especially the asscher so that''s really just a preference thing. I will say that both show every bit of their color so if you don''t like to see any color you''re gonna wanna stay higher than you would with a round for either of these cuts.

And no, they don''t have the brilliance BUT they can have just as much, maybe more, fire. If you want that, look for a stone that has over 15% crown preferrably up to a 20% crown with the smallest table you can find. Under 55 is best but try to keep it under 60. I wouldn''t go under 60% for depth because you really want the big crown. Other than that there''s really nothing to do but use your eyes - in fact there are probably pretty stones out there that don''t follow this logic of mine at all, but this is what I would look for.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 2/16/2007 10:30:03 AM
Author:wistletown
This question is actually for a friend. He wants to get a Cushion or Asscher 1.5-2.0 carats. Fancy shapes of course don''t compare to rounds in brillance. He wanted to know what color and clarity is recommended so that he can still have an outstanding stone...

Thanks for any help you can provide.

An Asscher is very "see through" (my own personal technical term LOL) so for an Asscher I''d go down to a G in color and VS2 in clarity. And I''d probably try to see some RA''s in person. From what PSers have said picking a RA makes finding a well cut stone easier.

Cushions are less "see through" and can have alot of sparkle. I''ve seen some that don''t interest me at all but I think those were deep. If he wants an antique look he can go very low in color maybe to an L. Inclusions would show up differently in different facet patterns. I looked at an SI1 but I rejected it for it''s color. He might be able to go SI1 if they were white and well placed. For a cushion I would focus on whethor he wants a visible culet and what type of faceting. I also like a depth 60% to 70% but would try for 65% with a table 10% lower. A smaller table gives more sparkle per alot of PS posts and my own experience. And sparkle hides inclusions.

HTH

 

[UCLABelle]

After having an "I" asscher and now an "E" emerald cut, which are both step cuts...I would say "G" is safe! I would also stay VS2 or up. Just my opinion. Many on here have I-J-K asschers and cushions that are to-die-for...

 

[momof3]

Date: 2/16/2007 10:30:03 AM
Author:wistletown
This question is actually for a friend. He wants to get a Cushion or Asscher 1.5-2.0 carats. Fancy shapes of course don''t compare to rounds in brillance. He wanted to know what color and clarity is recommended so that he can still have an outstanding stone...

Thanks for any help you can provide.

oh phooey - apples and oranges.

asschers and rounds are two different animals - the cut - hall and mirror affect of the asscher is mesmerizing - you have to see it to believe it!

given that - i think color you get depends also on your setting - my setting is open below my diamond and a bit of my skin color comes thru the diamond (it''s an F color) so i prob could have gone lower - but at the same time it is set in platinum and i love how white it is!

I also went with VS2 - but have heard of people gettins si1 - but i think you would have to see it in person to verify you are comfortable with it before purchase - i bought only w/ pics so i didn''t want to risk it.

good luck!

 

[MMM]

I have a 1.71 cushion and love, love, love it.
It''s a 100% Eyeclean SI1, Color H.

I have practiacally gone blind with a loope tring to find the inclusions and one day I thought I maybe could kinda see something while looking through the bottom and that was it, and I havent even been able to find what I think I saw since!

The H color is sometimes noticable in certain lighting situations if I am looking really hard, but I dont think I''m very color sensitive. If someone was, I would say go lower, but since I put all my energy into finding a great cut, the stone almost always looks blindingly white - at least to me.
And when I took it to get appraised, the very first thing the lady said to me was, "wow, what a white diamond!" Granted, she might say that to everyone, but I tend to agree with her.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Above 1.5ct G is preferable, but H with some blue fluoro woks because the main times you will see the color in below G is when you are in daylight and then the fluoro kicks in to save the day.

There may be SI1''s that people can see, but generally speaking labs grade the clarity a little tougher on step cuts - so do not fear the SI1''s and even occasionally an SI2 if it has several smaller invisble to the naked eye marks. Remeber too that just because a mark is in the table does not mean it will be eye visible - labs are nearly twice as strict on the size of a table grade maker than they are on one near the edges under the crown.