Missydebby's Review: Perry Cushion vs GOG AVC w/pics

[missydebby]

When I first got wind of cushions and decided to get one, I had NO IDEA it was like starting all over. When someone wants a diamond, they first start with a shape. When you say cushion, - whoaa! whole 'nother bag of worms. So many types, and as we have beat over and over the numbers almost mean nothing. Someone, either your trusted vendor, or your setter, or yourself has to see it and have a feel for what it is you like. imho.

Totally. I feel that getting a cushion from any vendor whose eye you didn't know for sure you could trust is a total crapshoot.

 

[Hest88]

Missdebby, thanks for doing this! Can't wait for the next installment.

 

[sparklyforever]

Miss Debby -
I don't think we have seen any hand shots..
What do you say? Can we get a few?

 

[vbnet]

Loving this thread Debby! Thanks for starting it and eagerly awaiting more, much more!

 

[missydebby]

Miss Debby -
I don't think we have seen any hand shots..
What do you say? Can we get a few?

Yes indeedy do! Plus forgive me for not posting more of my review last night... Needed a beer break.























Let me tell you, there is no way to do this ring justice. It is the most delicate and alive ring I've ever been around. It's like it's a kinetic sculpture... you can hardly believe it doesn't have moving parts. I was in jewelry store yesterday, with my mom picking up her sized ring not buying , and the sales lady was all like (I'm paraphrasing here) "Gurl.... DAYUM!" It was like 8 million times sparklier and the setting was like 8 million times nicer than anything in the showroom. And it's not a crappy store by any means. Just that this is a spectacular piece, for reals.

 

[missydebby]

Just also wanted to say: Wintotty basically has the big sister version of this ring and with a D 3 carat AVC. And it is beyond belief. And also looked perfect. You can see the difference in the profiles, as her center stone is def more rounded and puffed out and mine looks more flat. If somebody has a picture of that, can you also post it to this thread? It would be, in my opinion, very helpful to anyone reading this and deciding between sources.

 

[CharmyPoo]

As you wish, our Wintotty's lovely ring - this is not a re-upload, simply linking to her previous upload. I miss her dearly and wish she will return.

 

[missydebby]

I mean, My God, you can't go wrong with a either an AVC or a Perry sourced Leon ring. I think it comes down to....

Ok, tease tease tease. I'm gonna give my reviews of FIRE and then sum it up...

 

[chicky monkey]

I mean, My God, you can't go wrong with a either an AVC or a Perry sourced Leon ring. I think it comes down to....

Ok, tease tease tease. I'm gonna give my reviews of FIRE and then sum it up...

I completely agree!

If it sounds as though I have been bashing the AVC, I apologize. I shopped them, and they are not out of the question for me for a future project! I've seen many a beautiful rings with AVC stones.

Also under consideration for me was size (which was a factor!) I got a 2.70 ct Perry/Leon sourced cushion for 25k, whereas the 2.2 ct AVC I was looking at was $30k. That was a deal I just couldn't pass up.

Eagerly awaiting your next post....

 

[missydebby]

Def true about cost. If you adore AVCs, then it's totally worth it. If it's a toss up, then the L/P cushions are way less expensive. Example: my L/P cushion was $5100 for an E VS2 1.01, the closest AVC is the 1.01 F SI1 for $6220:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7448/

Which I also think would have been outrageously beautiful in my Leon. It's a bit rectangular, not as much as mine... but right up there. But Since I was on a 10k or lower budget, I could not have bought that and gotten this ring made. (setting with sidestones was $4500)

PS... My daughter wants me to put up some faces:

 

[Frenchgirl]

Thank your for your pics!!!! I want a cushion...

 

[SparkleNut]

I'm with Frenchgirl, you've got me wanting a cushion now Missydebby, your ring is to die for.

 

[sparklyforever]

thanks
your ring is very beautiful

 

[vbnet]

Yea! The pictures are beautiful! I just love your ring Debby! Thanks so much for posting more!!

 

[missydebby]

POST NUMBER 80 MILLON: A Discussion of Fire and Leakage

Hi guys! Sorry for the delay. But who can blame a girl for stringing thangs out. I'ma cushion drama-queen

Let's talk sparkles! You know, when it comes down to it, this just might be the most important element for me. It's why I wanted an antique chunky cushion in the first place... big beautiful facets and big beautiful flashes of color.

First up, the ring. A reminder:







It's almost impossible not to catch this P/L sparkling. It goes from bright reds, to cold blues, from pale peach to delicate violet. It's indescribable... it's easy to just get lost staring at while gently rocking the ole hand to and fro. Truly what makes a diamond breathtaking. And, in a plug for Leon and his selection of sidestones, the french cuts are rocking the P/L cushion's world. I can't get over how bright the side stones are. These are obviously insanely great cuts.

What I don't know, in my diamond ignorance, is how much the overall color of the stone, E, affects what colors it reflects back. What I can say is that from real life, it has a far greater range of colors popping off of it than my J AVC.

The AVC is also a little fireball. I don't notice it as much, cause he lives on my earlobe, but last night, I just held him in may hand while watching a little Monty Python on the DVR. Turning the stud as I sat, I could see him reflecting back fireworks all over the place. But like I said, not the same range as the P/L cushion. I see a lot of saturated sparks (reds, blues, greens) and not so many pales (peach, pinks, violets) .

Some of my best AVC fire shots:





And of course, these little AVC's are standing on their own without little french cut wingmen.

LEAKAGE:

Ok, here's where I get real nitty gritty honest. My P/L has leakage my AVC does not.

Ring leakage photo:



Notice how you can see my finger color right on through. But here's the thing. I really only capture that in a photo. I don't see that at all gazing down with my hand a foot from my eyes. What I do see soemtimes are the center facets not reflecting light back, per se, but just looking very deep, like I'm looking through many layers of diamonds. It gives the diamond a real depth and character.

Here's a picture that captures that.



So in real life, the leakage is no issue whatsoever.

The AVC, on the other hand, just so no leakage whatsoever. The center facets are like mirrors , and with it's puffy crown, just give off a really full look.



In summary of this fire and leakage post, I think if you have a guys with fabulous eyes and artistic reputations on the line, like Leon and Perry, you have a great chance of getting the most fiery best cut non-branded chunky cushions out there. But they, as far as now, don't give asets. On the other hand, the asets would probably never compare to the AVC, which is perfect, imho, in light return and leakage stoppage. And I think that just goes to show that asets are only a tool, and do not have to be the be all end all. Cause my L/P cushion would have certainly have a lesser aset than any AVC, yet it blows fireworks into every direction form any and all light sources.

Next Post: Customer service and conclusions

 

[yssie]

Thanks for posting these reviews missydebby!

I think the leakage arguments you make are PROOF that David (rockdiamond) in RT is not in fact nuts for acknowledging that these sorts of stones can be beautiful, and that people can actually have a preference for them, as you say you have I don't know that tradespeople venture into SMTR often but he would no doubt love to see this!

 

[yssie]

Also, you make an interesting comment about the colours you see in/out of your E vs Js. I've been trying to think it out for a few days now, and I'm coming to the conclusion that describing what you see is NOT a trivial 'think it up' question, despite how simple it sounds.. I'm going to try to work out the math just as soon as FI gives me my optics textbooks back! It'd have to be a function of both absorption - so wavelength, and reflectivity..

 

[missydebby]

Thanks for posting these reviews missydebby!

I think the leakage arguments you make are PROOF that David (rockdiamond) in RT is not in fact nuts for acknowledging that these sorts of stones can be beautiful, and that people can actually have a preference for them, as you say you have I don't know that tradespeople venture into SMTR often but he would no doubt love to see this!

True: but what needs to be said is that it's much more risky if you don't TOTALLY trust the eyes of your vendors. I def think that if you're risk adverse/don't want to totally trust the eyes of your vendor/are unable to see the stone in person, you MUST (so to speak) go AVC. The extra price pretty much equates to a scientific type of guaranteed light return, as proven by each AVC's aset and other info that GOG provides. I'll go into that a little more in my next post.

 

[missydebby]

Also, you make an interesting comment about the colours you see in/out of your E vs Js. I've been trying to think it out for a few days now, and I'm coming to the conclusion that describing what you see is NOT a trivial 'think it up' question, despite how simple it sounds.. I'm going to try to work out the math just as soon as FI gives me my optics textbooks back! It'd have to be a function of both absorption - so wavelength, and reflectivity..

I'm no scientist, but coming from an painter's perspective... is it possible that it's because it starts from a non-white background? I mean, maybe it's tint overpowers/devours the pastels?

 

[missydebby]

Thank your for your pics!!!! I want a cushion...

I'm here to inspire and enable!!!

 

[missydebby]

I'm with Frenchgirl, you've got me wanting a cushion now Missydebby, your ring is to die for.

TY my dearest nuttiest of sparkles *kiss kiss*

 

[missydebby]

thanks
your ring is very beautiful

THANK you!!!!!

 

[missydebby]

Yea! The pictures are beautiful! I just love your ring Debby! Thanks so much for posting more!!

I LOVE your ring VB! It's like a miracle of cushion awesomeness. I want more pictures from you. Since you have 5 L/P cushions on your finger, does any of what I have written about ring true for you?

get it... huh huh?... "ring " true?!?

 

[yssie]

Thanks for posting these reviews missydebby!

I think the leakage arguments you make are PROOF that David (rockdiamond) in RT is not in fact nuts for acknowledging that these sorts of stones can be beautiful, and that people can actually have a preference for them, as you say you have I don't know that tradespeople venture into SMTR often but he would no doubt love to see this!

True: but what needs to be said is that it's much more risky if you don't TOTALLY trust the eyes of your vendors. I def think that if you're risk adverse/don't want to totally trust the eyes of your vendor/are unable to see the stone in person, you MUST (so to speak) go AVC. The extra price pretty much equates to a scientific type of guaranteed light return, as proven by each AVC's aset and other info that GOG provides. I'll go into that a little more in my next post.

That is a good point - trusting your vendor.

I'm looking forward to reading more (and seeing more of your pics )

 

[missydebby]

Can't wait to see what you come up with on the scientfic side, yssie!

 

[clgwli]

I just had to say I am enjoying reading everything you are writing so far. I have a lot of things I'd love to comment on, but limited time right now. So I wanted to come in and reply so I can easily find this later. Can't wait to read more too!

 

[rosetta]

This is a very informative thread indeed!

 

[TakingthePlunge]

Jumping in late on the cut conversation but Ive been staring at AVCs for quite a bit. Im on the GOG site at least 4 times a week. Ive counted at least (4) different cuts of AVCs They are not cookie cutter. It seems the newest cut is a sqare with some really big culets. The easiest way to spot when he tries something new is the ASET images. It seems hes been playing around with how many facets he wants reflecting from head on (the blue region).

Personally I like the enlongated culet and high crowns o the rectangular AVCs. Theres a bunch more that were recently added to the site too. I just need to plump up the old ring account a bit before I can pick one up.

 

[SparkleNut]

Missydebby, after reading everything you have posted, I do know that if and when I do go to purchase a cushion I will be going back to alot of the things you have said here and I've learned from your post. So informative!

 

[missydebby]

So cool! That's what I was hoping for.