Help with Antique Cushion LGD please!

[paperumbrella]

Hi all, this group was so helpful when we were purchasing my initial engagement ring (I miraculously remember my password for this site 10 years later!) It’s our 10 year anniversary this year and I have always loved antique cushions, but didn’t feel comfortable buying one online 10 years ago, so we went with a MRB, which I still love, but I have been dreaming about an antique cushion ever since. So, I would love some help sourcing a great stone with the following parameters:
- 2.5-3 ct
- H color or higher
- eye clean
- L/W ratio 1.1-1.2ish
- most importantly, a beautiful chunky facet pattern with great optics
- 8k or less

I love the look of the slightly elongated AVCs, but sadly I think they are out of my price range in the size I am hoping for. I would greatly appreciate any other suggestions! Thank you!

 

[winnietucker]

Check out Ouros. They might have something. Or Alex Park.

 

[paperumbrella]

Check out Ouros. They might have something. Or Alex Park.

Thanks! Am I looking at the incorrect place on the Alex Park website- when I search for lab diamonds, it says there is no inventory??

 

[winnietucker]

Thanks! Am I looking at the incorrect place on the Alex Park website- when I search for lab diamonds, it says there is no inventory??

Alex Park (@parksantiquelab) • Instagram photos and videos

instagram.com

Here you go. His IG is where it’s at. Best bet is to set up alerts because his stuff sells so quickly.

 

[vintageinjune]

Lauren B Jewelry has well cut antique- style cut stones.

Product

Lauren B specializes in custom engagement ring design, loose diamonds, fine jewelry, moissanites and more. Browse online or in our New York store

www.laurenbjewelry.com

One moment, please...

One moment, please...

 

[foxinsox]

Would it be worth reaching out to Distinctive Gem and seeing if they do their AVC in lab grown? They have plenty of standard cushions in your desired size and price range. They also show a new old mine style in moissanite which they may also cut in LGD.

 

[Alybetter]

Would it be worth reaching out to Distinctive Gem and seeing if they do their AVC in lab grown? They have plenty of standard cushions in your desired size and price range. They also show a new old mine style in moissanite which they may also cut in LGD.

They do AVC in lab grown. And they do custom cuts in lab grown as well.

 

[Kim N]

I agree with foxinsox and Alybetter, it doesn't hurt to inquire about pricing with Distinctive Gem.

www.distinctivegem.com/collections/the-private-reserve/products/your-custom-cut-lab-grown-square-august-vintage-cushion-cut-diamond?variant=31663467298921

 

[ariel144]

Check out Ouros. They might have something. Or Alex Park.

Ouros has not been getting such great reviews lately. I would us caution with them.

Try Leon Mege lab antique cushions:

Lab-Grown diamonds - Leon Megé | The Art of Platinum®

Learn more about lab-grown diamonds and why you should consider them.

leonmege.com

 

[emmy12]

Ouros has not been getting such great reviews lately. I would us caution with them.

Try Leon Mege lab antique cushions:

Lab-Grown diamonds - Leon Megé | The Art of Platinum®

Learn more about lab-grown diamonds and why you should consider them.

leonmege.com

LM is doing lab grown antique cushions? Dangggggggggggggg he makes a good setting.

This is 3ct fits your L/W Ratio (1.15) but price is just outside your budget. No ASET or other images posted for light performance.

3.02 carat F/VS1 Antique Cushion

02 ct F/VS1 Antique cushion lab-grown IGI LG539233970…

leonmege.com

 

[petrock<3]

LM is doing lab grown antique cushions? Dangggggggggggggg he makes a good setting.

This is 3ct fits your L/W Ratio (1.15) but price is just outside your budget. No ASET or other images posted for light performance.

3.02 carat F/VS1 Antique Cushion

02 ct F/VS1 Antique cushion lab-grown IGI LG539233970…

leonmege.com

Wow his prices are good!

 

[paperumbrella]

LM is doing lab grown antique cushions? Dangggggggggggggg he makes a good setting.

This is 3ct fits your L/W Ratio (1.15) but price is just outside your budget. No ASET or other images posted for light performance.

3.02 carat F/VS1 Antique Cushion

02 ct F/VS1 Antique cushion lab-grown IGI LG539233970…

leonmege.com

I saw this one and I’m tempted; I just have to decide if I’m going to increase the budget!

 

[emmy12]

I saw this one and I’m tempted; I just have to decide if I’m going to increase the budget!

Dooooooo it!

Or contact Jon at Distinctive Gems to see what he could make work within your budget.

His current stock that he has for AVC's in your size range is closer to $10k, but with his custom cutting program right now for lab growns you can get a pretty good deal. More info here:

Rhino's Private Reserve of Ideal Cut Lab Grown Diamonds

Welcome to my Private Reserve! Each of the diamonds you'll see in our Private Reserve were specifically designed by your truly for facet design, superior precision and most importantly optics in way of brightness, fire, contrast and scintillation that will kick the pants off of any other shape...

www.distinctivegem.com

He guarantees G-H colour and minimum VS2 clarity, which is what you're after. Once the stone is cut and comes back from grading you're only paying the maximum per-carat price of a G VS1 if the quality comes back better than that (eg. If after cutting it was graded as E VVS1, then you'd only pay per carat the same as G VS1). I know he'll be able to work within your budget, so if you said "Jon, I can't afford more than $8k for this stone" then he'll get the cut to the weight you need for it to be in budget.

Here's the links for his various custom old cuts.

• Square AVC
• Elongated AVC 1.32:1 ratio
• Old Mine Brilliant (AVOMB)

 

[emmy12]

Alex Park just posted this 3ct old mine on his lab grown page that looks like it's in your range. @parksantiquelab on IG. Message him ASAP!

Alex Park (closed on weekends) on Instagram: "3 carat old mine cut coming soon. Model after "Gisele" #oldminecut #labgrowndiamond #antiquecushion #alexpark"

303 likes, 25 comments - parksantiquelabAugust 17, 2022 on : "3 carat old mine cut coming soon. Model after "Gisele" #oldminecut #labgrowndiamond #antiquecushion #alexpark"

www.instagram.com

 

[paperumbrella]

Alex Park just posted this 3ct old mine on his lab grown page that looks like it's in your range. @parksantiquelab on IG. Message him ASAP!

Alex Park (closed on weekends) on Instagram: "3 carat old mine cut coming soon. Model after "Gisele" #oldminecut #labgrowndiamond #antiquecushion #alexpark"

303 likes, 25 comments - parksantiquelabAugust 17, 2022 on : "3 carat old mine cut coming soon. Model after "Gisele" #oldminecut #labgrowndiamond #antiquecushion #alexpark"

www.instagram.com

I LOVE this one!! I messaged him, but it’s not graded/for sale yet. We are going out of the country and I will have limited internet access next week and I just know I’m going to miss it!

 

[emmy12]

I LOVE this one!! I messaged him, but it’s not graded/for sale yet. We are going out of the country and I will have limited internet access next week and I just know I’m going to miss it!

He won't put it on hold in advance? Ahhhh that is so tragic. Is this one of those moments you pay for a the international roaming data plan? This qualifies as a true (bling) emergency

 

[emmy12]

I LOVE this one!! I messaged him, but it’s not graded/for sale yet. We are going out of the country and I will have limited internet access next week and I just know I’m going to miss it!

I hope your trip has been going well. He hasn't posted it up on the page yet (I keep obsessively stalking the Lab grown page and hoping that it doesn't pop up before you're back in the country!)

Fingers crossed! I saw another commenter asked about a 3+ct OEC and he replied saying he had a few of those in stock soooooo maybe you'll get lucky and he'll also have a few of these guys available

 

[AL12]

I hope your trip has been going well. He hasn't posted it up on the page yet (I keep obsessively stalking the Lab grown page and hoping that it doesn't pop up before you're back in the country!)

Fingers crossed! I saw another commenter asked about a 3+ct OEC and he replied saying he had a few of those in stock soooooo maybe you'll get lucky and he'll also have a few of these guys available

I've also been VERY curious to how this will look compared to the simulation (is that the right term?) he posted. The simulation does look to be more of antique cushion versus OMC but the original owner of the OMC he replicated is a PS-er and it very much is an OMC...it's intriguing.

When I reached out to him he said he anticipates the color grade to be E-F.

 

[emmy12]

Is it a render? I thought that was the actual stone

 

[AL12]

Sorry if it’s unclear. When I talk about “simulation” I’m talking about that spinning image that’s currently up. To me I’m never able to get a true idea of what really diamond looks like from those.

But yes, the OMC lab was replicated from a real OMC, which Alex indicates in his caption.

 

[emmy12]

Ohhh you mean as opposed to video of it with a hand shot or loose in a holder and moving around

 

[paperumbrella]

The trip was great, thanks for asking! We had good wifi, so I was obsessively checking Alex’s IG all week- his stuff sells so quickly!

 

[emmy12]

The studs he's been posting all week I swear sold in under an hour

 

[emmy12]

HE POSTED IT! It was an hour ago and already on hold *cries*
Edit: link https://www.instagram.com/reel/CiLlRKQAy6f/

 

[paperumbrella]

Ugh- I just checked this morning! Darn work getting in the way of checking SM! I’m going to get on his waitlist.

 

[petrock<3]

I saw it it’s so pretty!! If I didn’t just order an antique emerald….

 

[AL12]

Ugh- I just checked this morning! Darn work getting in the way of checking SM! I’m going to get on his waitlist.

Were you not interested in the other one? It looks to be still available? Personally between the two I think the one that went faster had the more pleasing faceting.

And personally seeing both it confirmed that they look more antique cushion than OMC (to me). Tagging @Muluver to see if she thinks it looks like the original Gisele

 

[oldcutclubmember]

Tagging @Muluver to see if she thinks it looks like the original Gisele

The 3.05 looks closer to Gisele than the 3.01 for sure.

The 3.05 is on the right and the 2 left pics are of Gisele. The 3.05 has a more rounded shape and is a bit more elongated than Gisele. The shape of the table is also more elongated than Gisele’s table (I think this, more than the outer shape is what’s bothering you the most @AL12, and in general, I know you prefer more of a square shape than rectangular or rounded for the outer shape as well).

 

[paperumbrella]

Were you not interested in the other one? It looks to be still available? Personally between the two I think the one that went faster had the more pleasing faceting.

And personally seeing both it confirmed that they look more antique cushion than OMC (to me). Tagging @Muluver to see if she thinks it looks like the original Gisele

I like the facet pattern better on the 3.05 and it also faces up larger. I can’t put my finger on why, exactly, but I’d be willing to pay 9k for the 3.05, but not the 3.01- I like that one a lot, but I don’t LOVE it!

Edit- after looking more, I think I like the more curved shoulders of the 3.05 rather than the slightly more rectangular shape of the 3.01.

 

[AL12]

The 3.05 looks closer to Gisele than the 3.01 for sure.

The 3.05 is on the right and the 2 left pics are of Gisele. The 3.05 has a more rounded shape and is a bit more elongated than Gisele. The shape of the table is also more elongated than Gisele’s table (I think this, more than the outer shape is what’s bothering you the most @AL12, and in general, I know you prefer more of a square shape than rectangular or rounded for the outer shape as well).

Yup, again confirmation you know me so well. The big things that stood out were 1) the elongated table that seems to be the continued trademark of the lab omcs which therefore makes it more of an antique cushion in my book and 2) lesser of an issue but yes, I prefer a more square shape and these are definitely more rectangular…however the original Gisele seems just square enough to my eyes… perhaps the elongated table on the labs give a heightened sense of “rectangular-ness”?

Thanks for the comparison pics! I stared at each lab for a good five minutes on IG but it was still a pretty easy pass for me