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Narrowing Down Cushions 3 Choices w/ ASETs

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wolverine_man

Rough_Rock
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Nov 15, 2011
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Hello everyone, I am narrowing down my choices. I had some assistance from a couple venders what do you think of the below choices:

1.24 Carat, VS2, I Color, w/ large culet, VG Symm, VG Polish, 6.43 mm x6.07x4.15 (AGS) from A Cut Above selection at EGR

*edited by moderator. please upload photos to forum directly**

1.20, VS2, H Color, no cutlet, 69 depth, 69.1 table, no florescence, VG Symm, VG Polish, 6.20 mm x5.96 x 4.12 (GIA) from James Allen
*edited by moderator. please upload photos to forum directly**

or

1.08 VS2, G Color, w/ large cutlet, G Symm, EX polish, 6.59 mm x5.68x3.92, from A Cut Above selection at EGR

*edited by moderator. please upload photos to forum directly**


Leaning more between first two. Looking for most sparkle, acceptably clear clear color, and largest showing face up.

Thanks
 
ASETs with black backgrounds are not very helpful unfortunately, because leakage is masked.

First you need to decide if you want a modern or antique style cut.

Will you be able to see these in person or are you selecting online only?
 
It is hard to tell with black backgrounds but I think I like the first one the best. I would contact ERD and see if they can make a video for you comparing the two stones.
 
The first one would be my choice. Not liking the middle one. The 3rd one would be my second choice.
 
The first one.
 
As dreamer stated, decide if you want modern or antique. If you're still on the fence, then decide if you want square or rectangle.

As you know, #1 and #3 are antique, #2 is modern. #1 and #2 are square, #3 rectangle (obviously)

I recently completed my cushion purchase (rectangle modern 2.43 J/VS2; 8.5mmx7.5mm), and looked at over 50 stones in an ASET.

Personally, I prefer the modern, but to each their own. As far as a modern goes, #2 is a winner. The ASET will highlight inclusions, and as you see on it, there appears to be two small crystals under the table, but its VERY likely they aren't visible to the naked eye. I would, however, confirm this; posting a link to the JA website would be helpful, but I wouldn't do so until you put the stone on hold. Use their virtual loupe and see if you can pick up those inclusions. Most will say that a VS2 won't have visible inclusions, but I've seen a GIA VS2 stone with a very visible inclusion from 12 inches, so I only suggest to exercise caution.

I would absolutely pass on #3. It is small, and you're paying a significant premium for that G color (25% over I at VS2 1-1.49ct), and I don't find the ASET exciting. Also, keep in mind that on those chunky faceted antiques (more so than on moderns), they seem to lose some light performance the less square they are.

My personal preference is for #2.

Good luck!!
 
wolverine_man|1324660629|3087533 said:
Number 2 again
*edited by moderator. please upload photos to forum directly**

I thought I liked moderns better as well. Just want most fire and scintillation for my range.

You don't really get more fire and scintillation with a modern cut. You will get more of those things with a *better* cut diamond than a worse regardless of the style of cut. If you can hold cut quality constant and compare styles, you will get bolder broader flash in chunky cuts, and slower scintillation, but faster smaller flash and faster scintillation in a moder.

Honestly, if you want a fantastic top of the line cut in cushions you have to go for branded cuts IMO. For the more modern look I adore the square cushion hearts and arrows. Saw one in person and it was knock out. It is the optics of an RB in a cushion shape. I think the brand is now called Brellia. And for antique cushions I think that GOGs AVC really excells. But you do pay for either. You need to decide your own priorities. If you want a different brand, or generic makes, then I think you need to ask a trusted vendor to cherry pick a winner for you in person, don't rely on ASET which will only get you so far.
 
wolverine_man|1324660629|3087533 said:
Number 2 again
*edited by moderator. please upload photos to forum directly**

I thought I liked moderns better as well. Just want most fire and scintillation for my range.

Not for nothing, but I just looked at the actual stone photo on the JA website. The cut reminds me of a square version of what I got, and I enjoy the optics of it. Again, personally, this would be my choice, but you probably need to see an antique in person to make sure you don't like it. In fact, if this were 4 months from now, I'd be jumping on this stone for my wedding band.
 
Its now between that second stone, and three other ones which I will not mention until the hold on them has been confirmed. That faceting of the starburst type style, seems to end up showing best under ASET. Unfortunately, I am limited, as I already got my three ASETs from JA. Will be making a decision, likely within the next 24 hrs. Due to stone cost, I will likely go with some kind of fairly simple white gold solitaire for now.
 
I am not a fan of the second stone. I find tha the table is too large.

Have you seen cushions with a smaller table and higher crown? Beautiful!
 
Yes just saw a smaller cushion 1.02 with a 58 table online. Looked pretty good. Head top measurement of 5.8 mm. I am not contemplating maybe a smaller stone in a halo setting. I could either go larger stone in solitaire or smaller in halo, given my budget.
 
I believe I have narrowed it down to one stone, just waiting on an ASET, but have gotten confirmation from three people at James Allen that the diamond is a nice one. Will be getting set in a white gold four prong, 2 mm solitaire. At the risk of being disappointed, I am posting a link to it below:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1376324.asp


Setting:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/2mm-Comfort-Fit-White-Gold-Solitaire-Ring.html

Opinions welcomed.
 
I wish we knew if she like modern cuts or antique cuts more. Did she tell you she wanted a cushion? I love the antique style like #1 a hundred times more than the modern ones, although they look nice in halo settings, too. I am just not loving the idea of a slightly rectangular modern cushion in a tiffany setting. That first antique stone is more of a rounded square and would look better in a solitaire setting, in my opinion.
 
She actually has no preference whatsoever, other than she would like the diamond to be very close to square. When getting into the antique cushions, it seems as though many have a large and bigger cutlet, and I don't think she'd like to see that in the center of the diamond when looking down. In addition, size wise, I'd have to go down to about a 1.0 carat to be in the same price range as a modern cushion.

I am also considering this french cut micropave setting from James Allen, vs the tiffany solitaire for a square cushion:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-White-Gold-Thin-French-Cut-Engagement-Ring.html

I decided against a halo setting because I wanted to place more of the cost in the diamond vs a large part in the setting.
 
I don't think the last stone you linked is very square, though. I like the plain setting better than the one with pave on the shank because I think a diamond wedding band with the plain solitaire looks better. But that is just my personal preference. Are you going to set it so that the greatest length is North-South?

Here is a 1.08 ratio cushion in a solitaire setting (regardless of whether there are diamonds on the shank):

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/sold/pave/3755/Diamond-Ring.html

I don't think it looks too rectangular, but keep in mind that a halo really boosts the size appearance of a cushion.

Modern cushion with 1.08 ratio in a halo setting (and these are pretty expensive, unfortunately):

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/sold/pave/3755/Diamond-Ring.html
 
1.24 Carat, VS2, I Color, w/ large culet, VG Symm, VG Polish, 6.43 mm x6.07x4.15 (AGS) from A Cut Above selection at EGR. This is probably the one I would pick of the original choices. Although I'm not a fan of the maltese cross and this one has a prominent one-- but that's a personal preference. The ASET has the most red in it and the green areas are also present. The patterning of the 'blue' areas' (hard to see with a black background) is even and consistent.

I do not like the modern one from JA at all, personally. I don't like how it will perform under the table.

I flipped the ASET of the antique "I" so you can see it N/S (which is how I would set it).

124CaratI-VS2.jpg
 
This shows a center that is close in proportion to the ones you are looking at. I think it's a good match.

Pave-Ring-Set.jpg
 
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