newbie: need advice on cushion cut vs round brilliant

[tom_01]

Hi everyone,

Am a novice here - been reading up on diamonds for the past month as I began my search for an engagement ring and was focusing mostly on the round brilliant diamond and solitaire ring.

Had put the deposit and was set on purchasing a classic Tiffany (girlfriend loves the brand) setting ring (1.30ct, VVS2, F, TripEx cut) when my girlfriend highlighted that she would not want a plain solitaire ring - that got me into a dilemma and am now exploring purchasing either a tiffany novo or a round brilliant with channel-set ring.

however, am totally clueless about how to judge a good cushion-cut diamond (in my layman's view, the cushion-cut diamond doesn't "sparkle" as beautifully as a round-brilliant cut diamond).

grateful for any expert advice on how I can get a "brilliant" / "sparking" cushion-cut ring? or should I focus on a round-brilliant with channel-set ring?

also, another thing that puzzle me is that based on some of my readings from guides, only VS2 & above is deemed at "eye-clean" & "F" colour and above is deemed as "colourless to the eye" - thus am puzzled when some of the posts highlight that SI is also "eye-clean" and "G" is also colourless to the eye. So do you think I could save a bit of money going for a G colour Tiffany instead?
grateful for the team's advice.

 

[chrono]

The sparkle of a cushion cut is different from a round brilliant. Some have a strong preference for one over the other. Do you know which one your GF prefers?

Yes, all VS2 and above are eye clean. There are quite a few SI1 and even SI2 are are eye clean. This is on a case by case basis. You might spot something from the side, or nothing at all depending on the type of inclusion and location. As an example, I have a SI1 stone that is clean from all angles and from 6 inches viewing distance.

G and F are very close so it will be difficult to spot the colour difference, more so when they are set.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/25/2009 1:15:18 PM
Author:tom_01
Hi everyone,

Am a novice here - been reading up on diamonds for the past month as I began my search for an engagement ring and was focusing mostly on the round brilliant diamond and solitaire ring.

Had put the deposit and was set on purchasing a classic Tiffany (girlfriend loves the brand) setting ring (1.30ct, VVS2, F, TripEx cut) when my girlfriend highlighted that she would not want a plain solitaire ring - that got me into a dilemma and am now exploring purchasing either a tiffany novo or a round brilliant with channel-set ring.

however, am totally clueless about how to judge a good cushion-cut diamond (in my layman's view, the cushion-cut diamond doesn't 'sparkle' as beautifully as a round-brilliant cut diamond).

grateful for any expert advice on how I can get a 'brilliant' / 'sparking' cushion-cut ring? or should I focus on a round-brilliant with channel-set ring?

also, another thing that puzzle me is that based on some of my readings from guides, only VS2 & above is deemed at 'eye-clean' & 'F' colour and above is deemed as 'colourless to the eye' - thus am puzzled when some of the posts highlight that SI is also 'eye-clean' and 'G' is also colourless to the eye. So do you think I could save a bit of money going for a G colour Tiffany instead? (current ring that I was going to purchased is ~$30k)

grateful for the team's advice.

Welcome!

Eyecleanliness is not as straightforward as you might think, not all VS2 might are eyeclean, it is important to evaluate each on a case by case basis. We have had some buy VS2 and to them the stone was decidedly not eyeclean. Also shape of the diamond can make a difference, some step cuts such as emerald cuts can show inclusions more easily so some VS2 might not be eyeclean in these shapes. Some SI1 might be eyeclean but the only way to know is to make your expectations crystal clear to the vendor you are working with so you are both on the same page. For example if you don't want to see any visible inclusions from any angle or distance make sure the vendor knows that. The thread below is very useful and goes in depth concerning the matter of eyecleanliness.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/clarity-eye-clean-definition-interpretation-and-taste.30483/

ETA - thanks C, if you want a cushion from Tiffany the best thing to do is to compare as many as you can to see which appeal to you the most.

 

[chrono]

Lorelei,
It sounds like the GF is set on a Tiffany (loves the brand name).

 

[tom_01]

thanks Chrono and Lorelei - now i have a better understanding that the gradings does not represent a 100% "eye-clean" visual and it''ll be a ''case-by-case'' scenario.

yes, GF loves the tiffany brand (i reckon it''s the marketing / branding efforts over the years / decades as we grow up) - so am considering the Novo (cushion-cut) or the Round-brilliant with chanel setting cut.
However, i think carat size is impt and the chanel-setting rings seem to take away the "shine" from the main crystal (looking only at 1.5ct and below - can''t afford one larger than that) compared to a solitaire ring.

anyone who had experience in choosing / reviewing these 2 designs? (i personally like the "sparkle" of the round brilliant cut more - but couldn''t get GF to choose as she would prefer everything to be a surprise)

 

[geckodani]

Date: 7/25/2009 2:28:43 PM
Author: tom_01
thanks Chrono and Lorelei - now i have a better understanding that the gradings does not represent a 100% 'eye-clean' visual and it'll be a 'case-by-case' scenario.

yes, GF loves the tiffany brand (i reckon it's the marketing / branding efforts over the years / decades as we grow up) - so am considering the Novo (cushion-cut) or the Round-brilliant with chanel setting cut.
However, i think carat size is impt and the chanel-setting rings seem to take away the 'shine' from the main crystal (looking only at 1.5ct and below - can't afford one larger than that) compared to a solitaire ring.

anyone who had experience in choosing / reviewing these 2 designs? (i personally like the 'sparkle' of the round brilliant cut more - but couldn't get GF to choose as she would prefer everything to be a surprise)

Well, if the lady has her heart set on Tiff's, definitely go with Tiffany.

As for the cushion Novo or the Channel setting, it really is a personal preference. If you want to go for a round brilliant and aren't sold on the channel set band, there are other options from Tiffany's that incorporate round brilliant stones and more interesting bands. The two that jumped out at me were the bead set band and the round brilliant with the channel set squares. It's an interesting look.

Has she given any indication about what shape stone she wants? Any friends rings she's commented on?

ETA: I just reread and realized she said she wanted it to be a surprise. In which case, go with your gut - you know her better than we do!

 

[DiamondFlame]

You seem to favor the round brilliant. Unless she''s dead set against it or have stated a clear preference for a particular cut e.g. cushion, round brilliant has always been a popular choice. Opinions on side diamonds however are split; some feel they detract from the centre diamond while others claim they accentuate it. I feel it comes down to personal preference. What does she think about it?

 

[tom_01]

thank you geckodani for the ideas - i personally feel that the brilliant round with channel setting looks pretty good; glad to hear that round brilliant has typically been the more popular choice dmitri!

really appreciate everyone''s swift response and help - this forum rocks!

GF just doesn''t want a solitaire and had hinted that she''d like a more unique/fanciful design (with good taste too) - so am exploring round brilliant + various combination to see what looks best.

thank you everyone for your advice!