Help finding ideal Cushion cut diamond

[919]

i have been looking for an engagement ring off and on for about the last 2 months and have finally settled on trying to find the following:

Cushion cut (preferably rectangular or >1.15 ratio)
Budget: $50,000
CT: 3.8-5
Clarity: SI2 or better
Color: H or better
Fluorescence: None or Faint

Looking online it seem like it can be challenging to find a good cut cushion in terms of optical performance without seeing the diamond in person. The James Allen photos seem to help but I get the sense that I should be requesting ASET images on any diamon I am considering to purchase online.

Would appreciate any advice or recommended diamonds to check out.

Thanks

 

[tyty333]

Not able to find much. You may want to contact Yekutiel at ID Jewelry and have him find one for you.

JA
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/4.06-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-757708 square

GOG
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond-search/3.50-platinum_select_modern-I-GIA-H-VVS1-diamond-stock-14398-cert- smaller, 1.07 ratio

Enchanted - I, with 1.05 ratio
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/rings/search?cost_max=10000&cost_min=100&metal=PT#diamond=C406-72674253Z

b2c
1.15 ratio but aset is just "ok"
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8406962-4.05-carat-Cushion-diamond-D-color-VS1-clarity.aspx
1.11 ratio, VS2 but something under the table, Fluo strong
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8559860-4.00-carat-Cushion-diamond-H-color-VS2-clarity.aspx
1.05 ratio, I, aset is probably only going to be ok
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8556242-4.01-carat-Cushion-diamond-I-color-VS2-clarity.aspx
1.05 ratio, strong blue, hits the 5 carat mark, black inclusion upper left corner
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8257954-5.01-carat-Cushion-diamond-F-color-SI1-clarity.aspx

 

[E B]

Maybe this one too, to add to tyty's list: http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8468740-4.01-carat-Cushion-diamond-G-color-SI1-clarity.aspx (IDJewelry may be able to source it so they can give you more info.)

 

[919]

Thanks for the advice and appreciate your guys help with tracking down a quality cushion cut

 

[LLJsmom]

That is a big stone. Definitely call IDJ and GOG. Maybe you would consider Victor Canera CAC. Call them. You've got a big order.

 

[919]

That is a big stone. Definitely call IDJ and GOG. Maybe you would consider Victor Canera CAC. Call them. You've got a big order.

Anyone in particular to speak from those 3?

 

[Gypsy]

Yekutiel or Denise at IDJ.

John or Sarah at GOG.

Victor himself at Victor is who I have spoken to. I don't know if he has a lot of staff.

 

[Gypsy]

Your budget is tight for what you want. I'm not saying it's not possible. But it is on the low side which is going to limit your options significantly. And most cushions on the 'low' side of pricing are deep and face up smaller than they should for their weight. Add to that the fact that you want a rectangle, you are really asking for a miracle. Not saying it's not possible, just want to set your expectations accordingly. So SOMETHING is going to have to give. Or possibly more than one thing: you may end up with an I color stone and still be over budget.

Best stones for your budget (and I would ask Yekutiel at IDJ if he can get these in for you and get an ASET on them):
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/3.71-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-604733 I color and 3.7 carat but stunning. Dimensions are 8.8 square.

I color and slightly over budget: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/4.22-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-789331 9.3mm ish square. Very nice performance.


So I would ask Yekutiel to screen these two for you. They are both going to be strong performers. But like I said, you will likely have to compromise on something.

 

[919]

Your budget is tight for what you want. I'm not saying it's not possible. But it is on the low side which is going to limit your options significantly. And most cushions on the 'low' side of pricing are deep and face up smaller than they should for their weight. Add to that the fact that you want a rectangle, you are really asking for a miracle. Not saying it's not possible, just want to set your expectations accordingly. So SOMETHING is going to have to give. Or possibly more than one thing: you may end up with an I color stone and still be over budget.

Best stones for your budget (and I would ask Yekutiel at IDJ if he can get these in for you and get an ASET on them):
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/3.71-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-604733 I color and 3.7 carat but stunning. Dimensions are 8.8 square.

I color and slightly over budget: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/4.22-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-789331 9.3mm ish square. Very nice performance.


So I would ask Yekutiel to screen these two for you. They are both going to be strong performers. But like I said, you will likely have to compromise on something.

Can you explain what you mean by "deep and face up smaller"?

And thanks for the two links

 

[Gypsy]

Cushions are not like rounds. With rounds, as long as you are talking well cut stones there are 'standard' dimensions that correlate to weight. So a one carat round will face up 6.5 mm. A 2 carat at 8mm. And so on. It's very standardized. Why? Because with Modern Round Brilliants, in general you are talking about one facet pattern.

Cushions are nothing like rounds. There are well over a dozen facet patterns for cushions. And each facet pattern requires different proportions and since there are no light performance standards for cushions, as there are with rounds, many stones are cut for weight retention instead of light performance (so the majority of cushions are crap when it comes to performance).

So you can have a one carat cushion that is very deep and the cushion will have a 'face up' (length and width dimensions) of 5.5mm. Or you can have a really shallow one and have a face up of 6.4 square. And both are one carat. And then you might have one that's actually cut for excellent performance (and that's the one you want) for it's facet pattern and you need to still check the dimensions to make sure that the stone is the SIZE (not weight you want) because if that facet pattern and stone rough required certain dimensions to execute the stone could be smaller than you expect for the weight, or larger than you expect.

That's why when you shop for fancy stones (anything other than rounds) it is much more precise to say you want a stone of X size, instead of X weight. And when you try fancy diamond out in local stores and you see one that is the right 'size' to you it is much more helpful to ask for the dimensions of the stone, not just it's weight. For example I like 7mm cushions on my hand. Now that could be a shallow 1.5 carat cushion or a deep 2+ carat cushion. I want the best performance possible, and WEIGHT doesn't matter to me. I just want a 7mm cushion. So I look for stones from 1.5-2 plus carats that are in the budget focusing on stones with 7mm SPREAD to hit the SIZE I want, and forget about what the end weight is. Because that's the way to shop for cushions that makes the most sense. Most cushions that are well cut and proportioned will have depths above 70. Slightly over 70 is okay too. But you don't want a stone that is too deep because it will be very small for its weight.


Here are three one carat cushions all at G VS.
This one is very deep: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-356734 spread is 5.6x 5.15mm It's a deep iceberg of a stone. That faces up like an 80 point cushion that is properly cut. 4k.

Here is what a cushion that is cut well for its facet plan and beautiful. This one was in the around 4400 (it's not available right now).
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-1800801 spread is 5.7x5.8. Depth is in lower 60s.

Here is a shallow cut stone: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-182380 6.2x5.9mm. This one is 4,600. It's an ugly stone, but you get the point.

So you see. All one carat cushions. All G VS. Very different and VISIBLE size differences (.2mm is a visible size difference). But see how the deepest cushion is the cheapest? That's because the stone does not 'face up' like a one carat stone. It is small for its weight and is discounted as a result.

That's why I said that if your budget is on the low side of the WEIGHT you want, you would look for stones that are better weight for your budget, so that you can get stones that are cut correctly for their weight.

About cushions.

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. This is why we say cut is king. With fancies though (anything other than a round brilliant), that is a little complicated. But no other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut.

There really is no other way to determine if you have a good cushions is to see images of the stones, and then you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.

That's what an ASET image does. http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-performance Please read.
And ASET shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return That is why you won't see us recommending vendors like Blue Nile, as they do not provide images or ASET images for their diamonds. James Allen and Good Old Gold do this. So do Brian Gavin and Whiteflash and High Performance Diamonds.

Or you can get an AGS0 cushions, but those are rare, and usually branded. GIA does not grade their princesses for performance. Only AGS does. And any lab other than GIA or AGS is not worth considering at all.

 

[919]

Thanks for the quick respons Gypsy. I had heard that about cushions and that measurements don't mean squat due to the variety of facet cutting patterns. I had ASET images on 3 different diamonds from JA a week ago or so but their email went to my junk mail and they canceled the request.

I think at this point I will chat with some of the vendors you recommended and hopefully they can acquire and review the ASET images to make sure I get one with good light performance.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay. So I revised what I wrote above and added stuff to it. So review that.