Pricing Question

[peonies]

I have learned so much from this forum already, so I was hoping someone could explain something I have noticed about pricing on cushions. Looking at prices on Good Old Gold''s website for an AVC or hearts and arrows cushion, they are much more expensive than the cushions found on other websites such as Engagement Rings Direct. Is that purely because ERD has just "cushions" where as Good Old Gold has "August Vintage Cushions" and "Hearts and Arrows Cushions"?

Thank you for your help!

 

[elle_chris]

GOG''s AVC and H&A cushions are branded stones from what I know. Hence the price difference.

 

[Hest88]

AVCs are branded cushions created for a specific "vintage" look and optimized performance. Thus, you''re paying an extra premium for essentially a guarantee of a certain kind of diamond.

 

[missydebby]

I'm sure someone can explain this better than me, so I hope they chime in. I know for sure that GOG developed the August Vintage line (cushions and also round) because it was very hard to source well performing cushions on a regular basis. He funded all the research and development and thus they cost more. But I think all the experts on this forum would agree that August Vintages are the best light performing / most consistent cushions on the market. Not that you can't find other great cushions out there, (or have ERD or Leon Mege source you beautiful awesome cushions) but that it's much more of a needle in a haystack thing. Also, in 99% of the times even an absolutely gorgeous well performing cushion will not have the light performance of an AVC, precisely because they were developed to maximize performance. Not necessarily a drawback, because for many a sacrifice in light performance is ok for a lower price per carat or a different look/aesthetic.

 

[kenny]

Now that we have tools like HCA and Idealscopes selecting a well-cut round is easy.
Selecting other cuts is hard.
Getting a branded cut is an effortless way to be sure you are getting top cut.

I don't mind paying a price premium for that.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 6/21/2010 10:59:57 AM
Author:peonies
I have learned so much from this forum already, so I was hoping someone could explain something I have noticed about pricing on cushions. Looking at prices on Good Old Gold''s website for an AVC or hearts and arrows cushion, they are much more expensive than the cushions found on other websites such as Engagement Rings Direct. Is that purely because ERD has just ''cushions'' where as Good Old Gold has ''August Vintage Cushions'' and ''Hearts and Arrows Cushions''?

Thank you for your help!

There are many different factors that determine pricing for cushions, one of the greatest factors is yield or how large the finished diamond that can be obtained from the same piece of rough diamond.

1) Branded cuts designed specifically with light performance in mind like the AVC and Square Cushion HA have the lowest yield and highest cost per carat. The square cushion HA being the most expensive and having the lowest yield of all the cushions.
2) Cushion Brilliants/Old Mine Brilliants where the pavillion mains extend all the way to the girdle are the next lowest yield and still command a premium although not as high as a branded line.
3) Cushion Modified Brilliants are the cheapest cost per carat and the highest yield.

It is also important to distinguish between hand selected in house inventory (with known light performance) and virtual lists of diamonds(where the vendor hasn''t even seen the diamond). In general the former will cost more than the latter but it ensures you get a top performing diamond.

 

[peonies]

Thank you all for your help, I really appreciate it!

 

[missydebby]

Date: 6/21/2010 12:13:20 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 6/21/2010 10:59:57 AM

Author:peonies

I have learned so much from this forum already, so I was hoping someone could explain something I have noticed about pricing on cushions. Looking at prices on Good Old Gold''s website for an AVC or hearts and arrows cushion, they are much more expensive than the cushions found on other websites such as Engagement Rings Direct. Is that purely because ERD has just ''cushions'' where as Good Old Gold has ''August Vintage Cushions'' and ''Hearts and Arrows Cushions''?


Thank you for your help!

There are many different factors that determine pricing for cushions, one of the greatest factors is yield or how large the finished diamond that can be obtained from the same piece of rough diamond.


1) Branded cuts designed specifically with light performance in mind like the AVC and Square Cushion HA have the lowest yield and highest cost per carat. The square cushion HA being the most expensive and having the lowest yield of all the cushions.

2) Cushion Brilliants/Old Mine Brilliants where the pavillion mains extend all the way to the girdle are the next lowest yield and still command a premium although not as high as a branded line.

3) Cushion Modified Brilliants are the cheapest cost per carat and the highest yield.


It is also important to distinguish between hand selected in house inventory (with known light performance) and virtual lists of diamonds(where the vendor hasn''t even seen the diamond). In general the former will cost more than the latter but it ensures you get a top performing diamond.

Hey there CCL! I was hoping you''d chime in. Nice to know about all of these different types and their yields. Good info.