Cushion VS Round??? What is/was your decision making process????

[jewelgal]

For many many years I thought about cushions (before my original e-ring) and now that it's time to upgrade to a new diamond (whiter, sparklier, bigger) I have some tough choices to make.......

P.S. Pics of Old Mine Cut Vs Cushion

Pros and Cons I'm facing:

Rounds :
Pro Con
Sparkles a lot Modern , Everyone has it
Fits in various
settings over lifetime
can change the look of the round to "square" by setting in illusion mount

Cushion:
Pro Con
Soft looking Not sparkly enough?
It represents my true Can look small on my hand
love of antiques
Unique diamond cut
not so common

What kind of pro/con lists did anyone have who selected a
round over a cushion or vice versa????

 

[moremoremore]

Oh geez- I wrote a reply and then it got deleted! Yow!

OK- here's my take. I would like a VERY WELL cut modern cushion over a round. I don't care for the dull older cut cushions. Even though even a well cut cushion will not come close to the light performance as a round, they are unique and very pretty. I like the shape. It IS a b*tch to find a good one...but I think if you find one, they are great. Again, they can't compare to a round in terms of quality...but I'd still prefer a cusihon

 

[Robyn12]

What ct weight are you going for? I think cushions tend to look their best in bigger ct weights -- over 1.75 or so... shows off the shape better.

Cushions are very unique and classic... IMO, they are romantic and stunning... Have you seen any in person? If not, I'd suggest comparing a cushion to a round in person and see which one speaks to you...

Another pro for cushions, you've already had a round -- wouldn't it be fun/exciting to have something different?

Good luck!

 

[jewelgal]

You're right, I do have a round, a small one though,
not too sparkly or white - so that's a Pro for the cushions!

I tried one at fortunoff about 3 years ago and it was breathtaking and i thought that's it i want a cushion!
I can't remember the size.

A month ago I tried on a cushion - veyr small size -
about 1.1 carats? or was it 1.2? I have a bad memory!

I only love cushions on my finger (size 7) when they
are BIG! If I can afford $8k for a diamond, what size
cushion will that get me? What measurements???

Thanks!

 

[chrono]

Jubilee anyone? Or a Square Cushion H&A instead?

They both sparkle a lot but are not round. Some people think they look antique-y too.

 

[lsmathis1]

In the end, it was down to a cushion and round brilliant. I've always loved the classic round, but was very intrigued by the cushion. I loved the antique and more unique look. Almost all of my friends have round or princess and I really wanted something different.

However, you'd be suprised to find that I chose a round brilliant unltimately and here's why:

The cushion looked dramatically smaller.
At the size I thought we were looking at...it was hard to tell much difference between the cushion and the round (I wanted a more square/round cushion).
I liked the fact that the rounds have "ideal" proportions...
The setting I fell in love with (and had always dreamed of) looked best with the round. I picked a setting that's solitaire in style and I really didn't like the way it looked with the cusion.

So, there's why I chose to go round. I'm happy with my choice and haven't questioned it. Now if I could have both... hehe

That would work just fine!

Cushions are beautiful and I would have been extremely happy to have one. The round worked best for me, but would not for everyone else. The best thing is to try on lots of ring & diamonds and you will KNOW when it's the right one...or at least I did.

Happy shopping!

 

[sparkler29]

I'm getting a cushion because I too love the look of antique stones. I like the softer look, and I love the shape of the true "pillow shaped" cushions. I just think they're still unique, and most people I've spoken to haven't even heard of them. I agree that unfortunately they do look smaller than rounds of comperable size. Part of me just wants to get a round because my BF seems to be having a hard time locating the "perfect" stone since each cushion is so different - that's a con. But in my opinion, the Jubilee (while gorgeous) just doesn't have the same kind of feeling as a true cushion cut. When set they seem to look closer to round. There's something really intriguing about the cushions.

 

[jewelgal]

I just saw some pictures of Old Mine Cut stones,,
I really love how they look, how are they different from cushions?

Does anyone have any shots to put next to eachother to
explain the differences in cut??

Maybe I was thinking about OMC for many of the cuts/photos
i had in my mind??

 

[alexah]

Ok jewelgal - what can you get for $8K in a cushion?

This one looks intriguing I SI1 around $7500 GOG LINK

There's also this H SI2 under $7K GOG LINK

 

[reena]

i second that sparkler! you already know this JG but i just love, love, love cushions. RBs just don't do it for me at all (they're gorgeous, of course, but just not my thing) and i really wanted something with an antique look that you don't see every day. but yes, they tend to be a little deeper than RBs so they may look somewhat smaller, and its tough to find a good one. on the bright side, they're a fancy shape so may be somewhat less expensive than a RB (which everyone says is the most expensive cut).

i really just think that the two shapes are soooo different; as lsmathis said try a bunch on and you should "know". ps i also like your oval idea from before--they're probably my second favorite.

 

[jewelgal]

Now I think I Love the Old Mine CUt and perhaps that is the shape I've been thinking of for a while...that squarish
large faceted stone

What's the difference between OMC, OEC and Cushion?
Egh!

 

[moremoremore]

I THOUGHT that a true old fashioned cushion is an old mine cut. I think I saw that somewhere...not sure. Then I think there are modern cushions...and I"m not even sure if the modern cushions are the same as "brilliant" cushions! Well, I'm not help at all!

 

[moremoremore]

doesn't really splain, but here are pictures:

http://www.oldeuropeandiamonds.com/Old_Cut_Diamond.html

 

[moremoremore]

Hmm. this one says the old mine IS the cushion. Now I'm really confused too..
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:bktl7_P5nNgJ:www.diamonds-gemstones-jewelry.com/diamond-cuts-antique/diamond-old-mine-cut.aspx+old+mine+cut+cushion&hl=en

 

[moremoremore]

Per Valeria on another thread:

The old cushion cut were... old mine cut. Modern cushions have the same outline (a rectangle or square with rounded corners, basically) but not much else in common with the old ones.

Both old and new cut models are done today and are very en vogue You definitely cannot go wrong. Old miner cut diamonds are usually less expensiver per carat than modern models - the typical smaller size for a given weight of the older model contributes to this pricing but otherwise it is just so happens.

There are quite a few version of "cushion cut" around - from the old model to H&A! Prices go from about 10% discount from the price of a round brilliant of same weight to branded premium shapes.

There must be a line up of cushions on my HD...

 

[alexah]

This photo of an old mine cut is borrowed from Wink's freecz site

 

[reena]

i also thought that the old mine and the antique cushion were very similar cuts, if not one and the same. and i think modern cushions (which to my understanding ARE "cushion brilliants") are similar to the antique cushions but just cut a little differently, with more modern cutting techniques, to maximize brilliance. and OEC i believe are usually round, but obviously cut a lot differently than a modern RB, which gives them an antique look.


i could be wrong about any of this however.

 

[alexah]

...and here's an old european cut, also borrowed from freecz.com

 

[alexah]

...and, lastly, a square cushion from freecz.com

 

[jewelgal]

Wow this is very interesting! I love both the old mine cut and cushion (squarish) - do you know what happend today?
I went to a jeweler to see diamonds and asked him if he had an old mine cut and he was like, "What? Old Miner?" That's garbage (basicallY) and
that i could never resell it because buyers get it around $500 per carat and it's "Worthless!!" and that i would be throwing my money away and i'm basically crazy if i don't get a round brill. because that's classic.

I love those cz's! I wonder if they have bigger ones? I would love one!

I linked up to GOG to see those 2 cushions. they look great but i don't know what the #'s mean. I wonder if these are squarish and if they willlook like a big rock on my size 7 finger???

p..s. what do i look for for cushion measurements? depth? look for the one w/ the lowest depth number??

 

[reena]

there's no "standard" for cushions but if you post the numbers i can give you some idea (from having seen a bunch) of what the stone might look like.

if you want to know whether the stone is going to look square or rectangular, you need to get the L to W ratio, which you get by dividing the length (usually the first number in the measurement) by the width (the second). then if you go to www.gemappraisers.com, go to the fancy shape selector and choose "cushion", you can plug the L:W in and get an idea of what the stone will look like. generally though, any ratio from 1:1 to about 1:1.05 is going to look pretty square, after that you get a little more oblong. my stone is 1:1.1 and is not really rectangular (at least not in the way you'd think of an emerald or radiant looking), but not "square" either.

as far as table and depth . . . they say you should look for something that falls between the cut chart numbers (also on gemappraisers.com) for oval and radiant (i think this is right). also, just generally i believe that they say well proportioned stones usually have a depth that is a few % points larger than the table.

there is really no science behind this except looking at those charts and reading up on the issue, but when i looked at numbers for cushions (so that i could decide on some to see in person) i tried to eliminate stones with tables over 65 or below 55 and with depth above the low 70s or below the high 50s. (that's a broad range, but then you can look at some stones in person and get a better sense of what you like in terms of T and D.) the depth number is particularly important if you're concerned about size because obviously a stone of larger depth is going to look smaller. (same for an extremely thick girdle.) but you can't go to shallow either, or you may sacrifice brilliance.

something that i found really useful in terms of picking a stone of the right size (in terms of measurements, or how big it looks to your eye) was that once i saw a stone that i liked in terms of how "big" it looked on my hand, i looked at the specs and multiplied the L times the W (to get a sense of the "surface area" of the stone). that enabled me to compare it with numbers for other stones and get a sense of how big a particular stone would look to my eye in comparison with the stone that i liked. make sense? you can't live and die by that obviously, because so many other factors like cut, D, T etc. are going to make a huge difference. but that was the only way i could really compare the measurements of two diff stones and get a feel for how "big" they'd look (since cushions are proportioned so differently from one another, it's often tough to just be able to tell by just eyeballing the L and W of two stones which will look "bigger".)

anyway, as i said nothing scientific, but just some guidelines i used to pick stones to see in person. seeing them in person is the MOST impt thing, however, cause thats the only way you'll be able to judge the brilliance and the cut.

good luck!

 

[alexah]

good morning jewelgal

Wink does indeed have larger CZs on his site - they're supremely reasonable too! I won't talk about them any more tho since this is a diamond forum & Wink's not promoting his www.freecz.com site here

 

[linny14]

i agree that i think a cushion needs to be a larger size so the beauty of the cut to be seen. although i did go with a RB, i think a brilliant cushion is a gorgeous and unique cut and in the right setting even more WOW. another poster who has a cushion has posted some spectacular settings. i did not know to much about it when my husband got my diamond since i need to get a new stone i wanted to keep the RB. but i also plan to have a cushion or royal ascher in the future so that influenced my choice.

 

[jewelgal]

Reena, thanks for all the info, i took a bunch of notes and will take it w/ me today (going to look at some cushions) - probably will be small~
i told the lady my budget was 7500k. At least I have much more knowledge about what measurements to look for and what they mean.

so Thank YOu! (Post your pic of cushion!!!)

Linny - what exactly does a Cushion Brilliant look like? Is it different facets than an antique cushion cut / or an old mine cut? Not the same as the cushette, though, right?

Alexah- good morning to you to!

(i'm still tired, but woke up again thinking of diamonds!)

I will post a pic of my new wedding set (270bucks!) tonite! took pics this am -

 

[reena]

good luck JG--where are you going to look today?

i'll post pics of the cushion if i can ever figure out how to do it--fyi my stone is a "cushion brilliant" which i believe is just a modern cushion cut. (i don't think the "brilliant" part has any independent significance.)

and i don't think the stones you will see will necessarily be small--$7500 is a good budget for a stone. when i was looking for 2c stones i did see some G/H SI1s for around $8k. now, i don't know what they looked like in person; perhaps they were poorly cut. but since you said you're thinking more like 1.3 c, i would think you would be able to get a great-looking cushion in that price range. (oh shoot just remembered you want a D. still, though.) let us know how it goes!

 

[valeria101]

Yay! I didn't even see how many typos there were in that old post of mine !!!

But yeah, old cushion is the old mine cut and modern cushions have a different facet pattern. There is really no standard for old mine cut proportions - by reputation, these stones should be smaller than modern rounds or cushions because they would allegedly be deeper cuts. But this is a very generic statement - you can find anything from a 50% deep old mine to a 80% deep modern cushion!

There are two things I thought to add to this thread:


#1: old mine cuts can be very brilliant. It is all in those proportions, as usual (and there is no easy standard). I would compare them with modern fancy cuts for what their best achievable brilliance can be.

Good old Gold sells old mine cuts (at least one is on their "Educational" page). Many such stones get the same label...


#2: Are you set on a square stone? rectangular ones seem larger to some (optical illusion, but an effective one) - including myself. Both modern cushions and old mine diamonds can be either square or rectangular.

 

[reena]

it's true about the optical illusion--i cant figure out why but the slightly more rectangular ones DO look bigger.

hence my 1:1.1.

 

[jewelgal]

Hey guys! I went to look at cushions and guess what, the other day i got there and they didn't have the diamonds OR settings as promised! Then they said to come back today, so we went.

They showed me absolute Garbage! 2 $4500 stones
both totally included, i mean they looked like so dirty! We saw carbon without even squinting-it was so apparent. They were G color
1.60 carat. (Round no less, she didn't even get me any cushions!!, plus the diamonds weren't even in my range ! I asked for 8k!! , D or E color!!)
Plus NO settings!

What a disappointment!! Anyway I went somewhere else and saw an
Old Mine Cut - I love that cut! I also saw the cushion (modern) and liked it but I don't think that's what I mean by "Cushion" - I'm talkin' bout the
chunky facets, type - not the newer cuts....

Yesterday a jeweler told me that Old Mine Cuts are "garbage" and they "buy them for $500 a carat" and "you'd be throwing your money away"
because you could never re-sell them for what you paid!

Is this true?? Does anyone know the truth? If it's true, then that stinks

Now I'm discovering that it is OMC that I really like afterall ... plus round brilliants (because i still can't decide). Actually I should look for
OEC (Old European Cuts) I was told today by the 1st jeweler that
the difference between OMC and OEC 's is that OMC's they cut the cutlet off .... the OEC's (a later cut) kept the cutlet bec. they felt that maxim. the brilliance and that OMC's technique was wrong (for max. brilliance).

Very interesting!

If anyone can post some OMC's and OEC's I sure would love that!

 

[reena]

oh no JG you didnt go back to that awful place you were complaining about a week or so ago did you??? honestly, if they've shown you crap twice in a row id just stay away . . . there are sooooo many better options available to you.

glad you ended up liking the OECs--makes sense given your preference for cushions and rounds. i think OECs are so beautiful. do you think you'll go with one of those?

out of curiosity, can you explain a little more about the modern cushion you saw today and didnt like? i only ask because i WOULD describe even the modern cushions ive seen as having the type of "chunky, blocky facets" you seem to like . . . as opposed to the look of an RB or a princess/radiant.

 

[valeria101]

If they want to sell OMC with $500/ct, well, I happen to need a set of matched 50 pointers of high color and clarity right now. At this price they'd be better than rough!

I'll try to address each point, but it is hard. Let's see:

#1. OMC can be very brilliant. Here's one (LINK) that beats modern ovals off the scale

I must have linked this to PS posts a dozen times... but I know of no other old mine with matching rpesentation.

#2. There is more difference between OMC and OEC. Both can have open culets, and the OECs are definietly closer to round and the facet pattern of the modern brilliant. Round OMC are unusual - most are squarish or rectangular, but other shapes (ovals and marquize like) are possible too.

#3. It is not fair that the respective seller does not even try to meet your needs. I can understand why they prefere to sell their stock as opposed to memo more diamonds to show you. All more so if what you demand (a clean, valuable diamond with outstanding cut) does not match their common stock (smaller, included diamonds). To each his own. If that is a small shop, it makes sense for them to serve only some customers. It should be very helpful to shop around more - it would be quite unusual to hear the same stuff from a couple more jewelers (preferably not on the sam e street though). What you have heard is a very unusual view of the facts

Hope this helps.