Help with Cushion Cut please

[jcindc]

It's happening soon I think! Been lurking here for a few weeks but now am ready to start looking for a 2.75+ carat cushion with specs of:

Color: D - H (this will go on a platinum band so if H is too warm, as I suspect it might be.....?)
Clarity: eye-clean
Shape: ratio between 1.0 up to 1.2 but if more square, with very rounded corners!
Budget: +-$30k

I would _REALLY_ appreciate some tips on stones I should start looking at please! This is my first purchase like this online so am a little nervous going into it and could use the wisdom of PS to help me!!

 

[Gypsy]

Hi. A large stone color shows more. That said there isn't a lot of selection at that weight range. So, where are you located? I think you should go see a 3 carat H color next to other colors and see what your personal preferences are.

Unless you are ready to buy this week, there's not much point in search for stones for you. So when you say "soon" how soon are you talking?

Also, your budget is frankly low for the range you want. So either you need to increase the budget or adjust you expectations downward when it comes to weight.

 

[Gypsy]

Best stones for your budget (and actually the only stones in your budget worth buying at all):
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/3.02-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-840854
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/Cushion/GIA-Certified-3-01-Carat-G-Color-SI1-Clarity-Diamond-MC1VQF

 

[jcindc]

Hi Gypsy and thank you

I can gladly add another 20-30% to the budget if you think that might help secure a better stone.

"Soon" won't be until mid July - so not tomorrow. I'm based near DC and can make a trip up to NYC easily if you think that would be appropriate? Do I call and arrange to see brokers/dealers ahead of time?

Thanks!

 

[Gypsy]

Yes, upping the budget to $45,000 is recommended if you can. If you can't 40,000 will still be great. It will increase your options. 2.75+ carat stones are expensive and relatively rare. Good cushions are even more rare. So, overall, you are looking at a very limited pool of options. You will need to be ready to act fast and be decisive once you are ready to buy. And your best bet is to do some research on cushions before that. I will help you with that.

If you live near NYC, then I suggest that you contact Brilliantly Engaged at the start of July with your revised budget and specs and make an appointment for a date to go in and see the stones they've found for you. Or we can help you directly and find stones for you that you can order. Since the pool of options is limited. Contacting more than one vendor is not recommended. They will be competing for the same stones and it will be counter productive.

I recommend you stick go view stones in F-G-H color so you can decide for yourself. Clarity SI1 and require eyeclean (realizing that as stones get larger the likelihood that an Si1 will be eyeclean, goes down a bit, and you are likely going to be looking at a Vs2 or better). Excellent light performance verified by an ASET. Square (1.0-1.05 ratio) with an approximate diameter of 8.2mm square minimum (dimensions instead of weight is a better idea).

I recommend you read this thread (the op narrows their choice down to a beautiful cushion): [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/e-ring-search-30k.218669/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/e-ring-search-30k.218669/[/URL] The op ordered several stones 2 carat stones and looked at the color ranges you are in person.

 

[Gypsy]

Here is what you need to know about cushions:

Read this:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/opinions-on-ja-cushion-cut.207957/#post-3783194#p3783194']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/opinions-on-ja-cushion-cut.207957/#post-3783194#p3783194[/URL]
And this:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-and-looking-for-help-choosing-cushion-cut-diamond-to-oz.205195/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-and-looking-for-help-choosing-cushion-cut-diamond-to-oz.205195/[/URL]
Then this:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-need-opinions-about-this-cushion-cut-diamond-pics.206771/#post-3763444#p3763444']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-need-opinions-about-this-cushion-cut-diamond-pics.206771/#post-3763444#p3763444[/URL]

Here's some information to start you off:
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 cushions for performance. Only AGS does. And any lab other than GIA or AGS is not worth considering at all. Vendor cut scores on websites are generally not reliable although the top cushion lines (Signature lines) at BGD (hearts and arrows), BE and GOG are usually excellent performers.

 

[jcindc]

Gypsy,

Thanks again for the resources - I will spend a couple of hours reading through this today and using the information to get very specific wrt what we want and also what we should be asking the vendors.

Seeing the stone and the ASET seems king here so I won't commit to purchasing anything, anywhere, without seeing images of both.

I'll come back in when I have found some stone(s) of interest - thanks again!

 

[Gypsy]

ASET is just one tool in the box. Faceting is very important too. So a flat picture is good. And frankly a video is very nice. Although much rarer. You have to also pay attention to spread. A 2.7 stone can easily be larger (dimensions) than a 3 carat with cushions. So pay attention to spread, not carat weight.