Cushion?

[Phoenix]

I'd like to seek yr advice regarding my new upgraded e-ring. Whilst I am not 100% certain that I do want a cushion, I am intrigued by the number of cushions that have been bought by PS'ers. I am confused though by the (seemingly) numerous choices of cushion cuts available. I like a lot of fire & brilliance in a stone and was told that a modified brilliant is the way to go but I don't know if this is true and am pretty sure I don't care for the crushed ice look. I haven't seen many large cushions in person, and that is not helping me in my decision. I also know I don't want a long stone, as I have short fingers and a long stone would make my finger look even shorter.

I would also appreciate any vendors you could recommend. I've been in touch with ERD and Diamond Source of Virginia and am planning to go see a few stones from them when hubby and I go over to Chicago in August. But if you could help with any suggestion, it'd be much appreciated.

My budget is abt USD80-100k, inclg setting. I'd like to have someone like Leon Mege or Lieve (not sure abt spelling??) set it. We might even buy the whole thing from Lieve but understand he hasn't even started yet. My objective is to have something unique and that would stand out. One alternative would be to buy from Signed Pieces or an auction, preferably from a well known brand name, but not sure how long we'd have to wait.

Pls give me yr advice and input. Thanks.

 

[ML2014]

Hi there- you should read Boston Jeff''s thread regarding the search for his cushion. It is very educational and if I were looking for a cushion, I would start by sifting through all the info presented to him by some very knowledgeable PSrs on that thread. I don''t know how to link it here but I am sure someone else will chime in!

Good luck in your search!

 

[chrono]

Lien, I don't know too much about cushions but my preference is for a square cushion where the sides are all equi-distance. I'm sure Cehra will rack up a bazillion posts educating you on how to read the various cushion cuts.

This is the type of cushion I like:

 

[lizardofaz]

I LOVE that cushion! Can you tell me whether it is a 4 main or 8 main pavillion or some other variety? Still trying to figure these crazy cushions out myself!

 

[chrono]

Lizardofaz,

Stats on the square cushion I posted:
2.04 ct
F VS1
7.18 X 6.92 X 5.25
56% table
75.9% depth
Med culet
Flor - none
Polish - VG
Sym - G

 

[chrono]

Lien
The ones with the crushed ice look will almost always say "cushion MODIFIED brilliant" on the cert, so you may want to avoid these types. Yet this is not always the case (see the post above).

This plot will look like crushed ice:

The modern cushions that share that GIA cert name of "cushion brilliant" are not like crushed ice. They're also very cleanly cut, very brilliant, somewhat chunky, but not as chunky as the older type cutsm, which I think is what you are looking for.

 

[diagem]

Date: 7/6/2007 12:43:37 PM
Author: Chrono
Lien
The ones with the crushed ice look will almost always say ''cushion MODIFIED brilliant'' on the cert, so you may want to avoid these types. Yet this is not always the case (see the post above).

This plot will look like crushed ice:
Not Necessarily..., The image above could be the same as this plot! Its categorized as ''modified'' simply because of the extra steps on the pavilion.

The modern cushions that share that GIA cert name of ''cushion brilliant'' are not like crushed ice. They''re also very cleanly cut, very brilliant, somewhat chunky, but not as chunky as the older type cutsm, which I think is what you are looking for.

 

[elmo]

Man that's a small two carater!

I've never seen a 'modified' I liked in person but this one in the photo opened my eyes some.

 

[diagem]

Date: 7/6/2007 2:18:17 PM
Author: elmo
Man that's a small two carater!

I've never seen a 'modified' I liked in person but this one in the photo opened my eyes some.

I have seen plenty of two carat Asschers and Princess Cuts of the same measurements!

This is too classified as a CMB at the GIA..., and I agree, there is allways something to learn when it comes to Diamonds..., plus the fact that the GIA is NOT allways correct in their classifications!!!!!!!!!!

 

[diagem]

Second try...

 

[lizardofaz]

Thanks for posting the cert, Chrono. Just when I think I''m starting to get a handle on these cushions......

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/6/2007 12:19:06 PM
Author: Chrono
Lien, I don''t know too much about cushions but my preference is for a square cushion where the sides are all equi-distance. I''m sure Cehra will rack up a bazillion posts educating you on how to read the various cushion cuts.

This is the type of cushion I like:

oh I dunno about a billion... I don''t even know about 10 thousand

Seriously though... IMO the most classic ratio for a cushion is 1.10-1.15. Mine is 1.26 (somewhat oblong) and some here are under 1.05 (square).

for the modifieds some look like crushed ice and some don''t... of the cushion brilliants there are two types. Antique style and Modern style. The antique style is chunkier, and the modern is much like a cushiony round brilliant depending on how long the lgf are. Mark T said to me he thinks the pavillion for the moderns is identical to a round brilliant. So you can find EX EX for pol/sym and get superb brilliance and fire out of one. The antique styles have fatter facets and make bigger fire. The longer it is the more likely you''ll find some "bowtie" issue, but bowties are just big reflectors and sometimes they reflect dark things (they are not "dead") and sometimes they reflect amazing light that other stones just cannot compete with. Of course since you''ll probably be able to go to 4-5 carats you''ll have pretty big facets no matter what you do!

IMO rounds only look amazing to a certain size and then they just look either fake or boring. Sorry JMO LOL the emeralds and asschers and cushions take off from there... I could see you sporting an xraydoc ring though for a touch more elegance I''d suggest going away from square toward 1.10 or so.

 

[surfgirl]

Cehra, again with the Anti-Roundite comments, eh? To be honest, I didn''t realize how totally different cushions were to rounds. Interesting...

They seem quite similar to me, though I''d never put cushions in the same category as a stepped cut stone...and any stone past a certain size will start to look fake simply because they are so seldom seen in real life, unless of course we''re talking about that wonderful 6+ carat "rock" someone found on ebay recently! I believe it''s posted on the ugly thread...

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/6/2007 5:53:12 PM
Author: surfgirl
Cehra, again with the Anti-Roundite comments, eh? To be honest, I didn''t realize how totally different cushions were to rounds. Interesting...

They seem quite similar to me, though I''d never put cushions in the same category as a stepped cut stone...and any stone past a certain size will start to look fake simply because they are so seldom seen in real life, unless of course we''re talking about that wonderful 6+ carat ''rock'' someone found on ebay recently! I believe it''s posted on the ugly thread...

I am not against rounds. I think rounds really look amazing up to about 3.5 carats then I think other shapes look better. Am I anti-cushion to say that I think cushions really take off after 2 carats? Is someone anti-asscher if they think asschers don''t really start to sing until over 2 carats? These are *preferences*. Some people have shape preferences. Some people have size preferences. I have conditional preferences based on the shape and size. I''d rather have a 1/2 carat round than a 1/2 carat emerald but I''d rather have a 4 carat emerald than a 4 carat round.

And no, I don''t think cushions and rounds are the same at all, and the bigger they get the more obvious that is. And if they are oblong at all the difference is immediate regardless of size.

I know what you mean about rarity equating a fake look, but for ME I really can''t explain it. I would *never* ever ever go to someone and ask if their ring is fake... but... you know what it is? I just figured it out... its that it starts looking like a caracature. You know, the ones you get at the fair where they make your nose extra big or your eyes extra big or... if you had on a big ring they''d make that big? Well... that''s what it looks like to me... still impressive and beautiful but it looks very exaggerated to me. We''re all entitled to our thoughts on this, I''ve read *many* comments from people saying they don''t like long cushions and I can either take that personally or just accept we each have our preferences.

 

[surfgirl]

Date: 7/6/2007 10:58:39 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 7/6/2007 5:53:12 PM

Author: surfgirl

Cehra, again with the Anti-Roundite comments, eh? To be honest, I didn't realize how totally different cushions were to rounds. Interesting...

They seem quite similar to me, though I'd never put cushions in the same category as a stepped cut stone...and any stone past a certain size will start to look fake simply because they are so seldom seen in real life, unless of course we're talking about that wonderful 6+ carat 'rock' someone found on ebay recently! I believe it's posted on the ugly thread...

I am not against rounds. I think rounds really look amazing up to about 3.5 carats then I think other shapes look better. Am I anti-cushion to say that I think cushions really take off after 2 carats? Is someone anti-asscher if they think asschers don't really start to sing until over 2 carats? These are *preferences*. Some people have shape preferences. Some people have size preferences. I have conditional preferences based on the shape and size. I'd rather have a 1/2 carat round than a 1/2 carat emerald but I'd rather have a 4 carat emerald than a 4 carat round.


And no, I don't think cushions and rounds are the same at all, and the bigger they get the more obvious that is. And if they are oblong at all the difference is immediate regardless of size.


I know what you mean about rarity equating a fake look, but for ME I really can't explain it. I would *never* ever ever go to someone and ask if their ring is fake... but... you know what it is? I just figured it out... its that it starts looking like a caracature. You know, the ones you get at the fair where they make your nose extra big or your eyes extra big or... if you had on a big ring they'd make that big? Well... that's what it looks like to me... still impressive and beautiful but it looks very exaggerated to me. We're all entitled to our thoughts on this, I've read *many* comments from people saying they don't like long cushions and I can either take that personally or just accept we each have our preferences.

And yes, I do know what you mean about past a certain size looking a bit cartoon-ish...In fact, my sister had some women at her wedding with VERY large diamonds and others stones. When a diamond necklace has graduating stones that culminate in the middle with a nickle-sized stone? It just looked very fake to me, even though I knew it was real.

 

[boston_jeff]

Date: 7/6/2007 12:08:01 PM
Author:lienTN
I''d like to seek yr advice regarding my new upgraded e-ring. Whilst I am not 100% certain that I do want a cushion, I am intrigued by the number of cushions that have been bought by PS''ers. I am confused though by the (seemingly) numerous choices of cushion cuts available. I like a lot of fire & brilliance in a stone and was told that a modified brilliant is the way to go but I don''t know if this is true and am pretty sure I don''t care for the crushed ice look. I haven''t seen many large cushions in person, and that is not helping me in my decision. I also know I don''t want a long stone, as I have short fingers and a long stone would make my finger look even shorter.


I would also appreciate any vendors you could recommend. I''ve been in touch with ERD and Diamond Source of Virginia and am planning to go see a few stones from them when hubby and I go over to Chicago in August. But if you could help with any suggestion, it''d be much appreciated.


My budget is abt USD80-100k, inclg setting. I''d like to have someone like Leon Mege or Lieve (not sure abt spelling??) set it. We might even buy the whole thing from Lieve but understand he hasn''t even started yet. My objective is to have something unique and that would stand out. One alternative would be to buy from Signed Pieces or an auction, preferably from a well known brand name, but not sure how long we''d have to wait.


Pls give me yr advice and input. Thanks.

Hi Lien, what an exciting project!

I think Mark is a great person to work with as at that price level you want someone with access to as many stones as possible.

I''m obviously partial to the more antique style stones, but one thing to consider is that in larger sized stones the facets are going to be decently sized regardless of the facet plot. While the overall "look" of the stone will be different, what would be tiny pinfire in a 1ct stone will be a flash in a 3+ carat stone. So, while I think you should avoid the modifieds, at least those with the true "crushed ice" plot, I also think you might be better off keeping your search fairly open until you have seen cushions with these different plots in the size you are looking for, because you may find you like a different plot in a larger stone than you do in a smaller stone.

As far as ratio goes, I would look in the 1.05-1.16 range. I don''t know what your color sensitivity is, but unless you were looking for an antique look, I would probably stay at a G or above in a large stone, although an H with fluorescence might do the trick).

 

[boston_jeff]

FYI-- here''s what I consider to be the "crushed ice" plot, which is the 4-main pavillion modiifed-- note it is not the modified plot posted earlier in the thread, which is the 8-main pavillion modified, which I actually think more often than not does not look like crushed ice... but what do I know...

 

[blingergrrrl]

Here''s a link to fatafelice''s thread on cushions and their plots:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/a-cushion-by-any-other-name.36001/

And (ahem

) mine:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-cushion-plots-demystified-somewhat-with-pics.63323/

And definitely take a look at Boston Jeff''s thread!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 7/6/2007 12:18:01 PM
Author: Kajamie
Hi there- you should read Boston Jeff''s thread regarding the search for his cushion. It is very educational and if I were looking for a cushion, I would start by sifting through all the info presented to him by some very knowledgeable PSrs on that thread. I don''t know how to link it here but I am sure someone else will chime in!

Good luck in your search!

I will and thank you!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 7/6/2007 12:43:37 PM
Author: Chrono
Lien
The ones with the crushed ice look will almost always say ''cushion MODIFIED brilliant'' on the cert, so you may want to avoid these types. Yet this is not always the case (see the post above).

This plot will look like crushed ice:

The modern cushions that share that GIA cert name of ''cushion brilliant'' are not like crushed ice. They''re also very cleanly cut, very brilliant, somewhat chunky, but not as chunky as the older type cutsm, which I think is what you are looking for.

Wow, Chrono, thanks sooo much for all the infor and pictures.

It''s weird because I went to Canary Diamonds in S''pore and the owner there pullled out a couple of larger cushions (abt 3 ct) to show me and the ones that I like the best are not the crushed ice type (apologies btw to owners of this type - it is beautiful, it''s just not my personal preference) and when I asked him what type that was, he said to always look for "Cushion MODIFIED Brilliant, LOL!

So what you''re saying is, I should be careful of "modified brilliant" which most likely will be crushed ice but not always? Is that right?

And I should look for "cushion brilliant"? What do you mean by "chunky"? Sorry to be dense!

. I do like the cleaner, modern look.

Thanks for yr help.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 7/6/2007 2:14:10 PM
Author: DiaGem

Date: 7/6/2007 12:43:37 PM
Author: Chrono
Lien
The ones with the crushed ice look will almost always say ''cushion MODIFIED brilliant'' on the cert, so you may want to avoid these types. Yet this is not always the case (see the post above).

This plot will look like crushed ice:
Not Necessarily..., The image above could be the same as this plot! Its categorized as ''modified'' simply because of the extra steps on the pavilion.

The modern cushions that share that GIA cert name of ''cushion brilliant'' are not like crushed ice. They''re also very cleanly cut, very brilliant, somewhat chunky, but not as chunky as the older type cutsm, which I think is what you are looking for.

Thanks for yr input, Diagem! So "modified" means extra steps on the pavillion? So if I want something brilliant, with a cleaner more modern look, what do I look for on the cert?

 

[Phoenix]

ok, so I read through all the posts again and again, and there''s still so much infor to absorb. I think I''d better go read up some more before writing further, otherwise I''d just sound really stupid, LOL!

Thx, everyone, for all yr input and suggestions. Pls keep them coming. yay!

 

[diagem]

Date: 7/7/2007 10:52:17 PM
Author: lienTN

Date: 7/6/2007 2:14:10 PM
Author: DiaGem

Date: 7/6/2007 12:43:37 PM
Author: Chrono
Lien
The ones with the crushed ice look will almost always say ''cushion MODIFIED brilliant'' on the cert, so you may want to avoid these types. Yet this is not always the case (see the post above).

This plot will look like crushed ice:
Not Necessarily..., The image above could be the same as this plot! Its categorized as ''modified'' simply because of the extra steps on the pavilion.

The modern cushions that share that GIA cert name of ''cushion brilliant'' are not like crushed ice. They''re also very cleanly cut, very brilliant, somewhat chunky, but not as chunky as the older type cutsm, which I think is what you are looking for.

Thanks for yr input, Diagem! So ''modified'' means extra steps on the pavillion? So if I want something brilliant, with a cleaner more modern look, what do I look for on the cert?

As I understand it..., any extra facet (any shape facet) what-so-ever vs. a common 57-58 facet brilliant facet structure is categorized by GIA as modified!
If you want a specific look..., you need to pick it with your own two eyes, not the cert!