Rate this cushion cut MMD from Vrai

[Idamus]

Hi everyone! First post here.

Im considering getting myself a new ring and I do love a cushion cut. I'm aware that cushion cuts are usually smaller than a round brilliant cut unless it's cut very shallow.
I'd love your opinion on this H VS2 1.32 cushion cut from Vrai - why is it so huge?!
I'm also aware that some Vrai dianonds have a pink/brown tinge but I don't really mind.

https://www.vrai.com/diamonds/d/cushion-1-32-excellent-h-vs2-f504364/?productSlug=signature-prong&metal=yellow-gold&diamondType=cushion&goldPurity=18k&bandAccent=plain&ringSize=5.5&flow=setting

 

[AprilBaby]

First of all I know NOTHING about cushion cuts. Personally it looks really pretty to me. You already know about possible tint. This one looks pretty white to me. Good luck! It’s returnable if you don’t like it. I will say Vrai took a long time to issue a return.

 

[Idamus]

First of all I know NOTHING about cushion cuts. Personally it looks really pretty to me. You already know about possible tint. This one looks pretty white to me. Good luck! It’s returnable if you don’t like it. I will say Vrai took a long time to issue a return.

Aw thanks!

I dont know the slightest bit either - I just know that it looks super pretty, it might have a teeny bit of tint (it's gonna be set in yellow gold so that's fine) and I can live with the inclusions visible on the video.

I'm not a US resident so I'm a bit iffy about returns. I'd love to get it right the first time to avoid being taxed even more by my tax-loving government

 

[elizat]

Being honest, this is not a very nicely cut stone. It has no discernable pattern and it is very mushy. I don't think it's going to perform well.

What exactly is your budget? Do you have a size goal? Any minimum specifications? I did a quick search and it looks like a lot of their cushions are cut very poorly.

 

[elizat]

Something like this has a much more pleasant pattern and will be less dead looking.

https://www.rarecarat.com/product/88097989?ntb=1&online=35,23,32,17,27,55,54,30,24,107,39,53,146,38,15,103,52,37,105,12&local=&searchId=2d3c6eb0-fb58-4d48-9b5d-9aa4ef7272cd&postalCode=

or something like this:

https://www.rarecarat.com/product/88401589?ntb=1&online=35,23,32,17,27,55,54,30,24,107,39,53,146,38,15,103,52,37,105,12&local=&searchId=47044afc-442e-453d-8a3d-b7120b2d93ea&postalCode=

I found about 13 stones on Rare Carat initially when I put in a max budget of 2300 USD, at least G color and VS2. I eliminated a few out of the gate and there are some ones that have potential there in that range there.

 

[monipod]

So hard to tell from that big a## video lol The tint is warm but not obviously not white if that makes sense. Could also be the video lighting

@elizat 's selections are much nicer. Crisp, crisp facets. If you like the crushed ice look then they may not appeal. Depends what you're into

 

[Idamus]

Something like this has a much more pleasant pattern and will be less dead looking.

https://www.rarecarat.com/product/88097989?ntb=1&online=35,23,32,17,27,55,54,30,24,107,39,53,146,38,15,103,52,37,105,12&local=&searchId=2d3c6eb0-fb58-4d48-9b5d-9aa4ef7272cd&postalCode=

or something like this:

https://www.rarecarat.com/product/88401589?ntb=1&online=35,23,32,17,27,55,54,30,24,107,39,53,146,38,15,103,52,37,105,12&local=&searchId=47044afc-442e-453d-8a3d-b7120b2d93ea&postalCode=

I found about 13 stones on Rare Carat initially when I put in a max budget of 2300 USD, at least G color and VS2. I eliminated a few out of the gate and there are some ones that have potential there in that range there.

I'm looking for both a setting and a diamond, and I do love Vrai's settings. As I'm not a US resident it will cost me hundreds of dollars in extra taxes to purchase from more than one vendor. I'm gonna be paying quite a lot of taxes just to purchase from Vrai. In my country we don't have the tradition for solitaire diamond rings so the local jewellers are of no help (their work on solitaire rings looks very clumsy tbh).

The thing with Vrai is that their videoes are so poorly lit as Monipod says, it's impossible to guess what it really looks like. I can hardly make up the facets without taking screenshots and altering contrast and lighting. I wonder if they do this to cancel out the tint?!

This particular diamond still baffles me size wise. The proportions seem OK.

 

[Pearl19]

My suspicion is that the measurements Vrai are showing are 'corner to corner'. I have a 1ct cushion (from Lightbox) which is quite nicely cut and a sparkle bomb - measuring on the square rather than on the diagonal it's in the region of 5.6mm x 5.6mm.

Vrai will do a video call for you - you can ask them to sit it next to a 1ct round for comparison - it will be broadly the same size looking 'square on' because as you'll know cushions face up a bit smaller than RBs. In my experience cushions also show a little more colour because they tend to be cut deeper.

 

[Idamus]

My suspicion is that the measurements Vrai are showing are 'corner to corner'. I have a 1ct cushion (from Lightbox) which is quite nicely cut and a sparkle bomb - measuring on the square rather than on the diagonal it's in the region of 5.6mm x 5.6mm.

Vrai will do a video call for you - you can ask them to sit it next to a 1ct round for comparison - it will be broadly the same size looking 'square on' because as you'll know cushions face up a bit smaller than RBs. In my experience cushions also show a little more colour because they tend to be cut deeper.

Aww she sounds like a beauty! What did you set her in?

I have already scheduled a video call - I was just too confused! This exact diamond measures almost 1 mm more than their other cushion cuts of similar carat weight, that's what I think is a bit weird. I have looked through pretty much all of their cushion cuts. It would be great to see it compared to a 1 ct round as you say, thanks for the advice!

I want something in the 6.5 mm department (give or take) for my size 7 ish hand. I swear my paws havent lost the pregnancy weight, I've gone up a size in surgical gloves!

 

[Pearl19]

This exact diamond measures almost 1 mm more than their other cushion cuts of similar carat weight, that's what I think is a bit weird.

Ah, gotcha - yes 1mm is a very big difference in stones of similar weight.

I've just done another quick measure of my 1ct cushion, it's just about 5.5mm side to side and about 6.5mm on the diagonal - which is about what it should be for its weight. Due to its shape it looks about the same size as a 0.8ct round brilliant. It came as a ready made pendant from Lightbox. I think a 1.5ct cushion would give you the 6.5mm (side to side) dimension you're looking for - agree the stone you're currently considering seems oddly large for its weight.

 

[Idamus]

Ah, gotcha - yes 1mm is a very big difference in stones of similar weight.

I've just done another quick measure of my 1ct cushion, it's just about 5.5mm side to side and about 6.5mm on the diagonal - which is about what it should be for its weight. Due to its shape it looks about the same size as a 0.8ct round brilliant. It came as a ready made pendant from Lightbox. I think a 1.5ct cushion would give you the 6.5mm (side to side) dimension you're looking for - agree the stone you're currently considering seems oddly large for its weight.

That sounds stunning! I'm bummed that Europe is so far behind, lab diamonds are just being introduced this year and only a select few online retailers are offering them with really high mark ups.

I thought I was going bonkers about the size I'm glad its not just me!

I'm feeling really sketchy about Vrai right now, at least for their cushion cuts. I have looked at their ovals and they seem like they are cut better and they are reasonably priced (also more finger coverage, yay). I might keep an eye out for a square(ish) radiant cut, they just introduced them.

 

[Pearl19]

Not sure where you are in Europe, but this place (UK) appears to have a good variety of stones: Ethica Diamonds | Ethical Man Made Diamond Jewellery | Cornwall UK

I've not used them, so cannot comment further. The prices are higher than in the US (notwithstanding taxes) but not by a huge amount.

 

[elizat]

I'm looking for both a setting and a diamond, and I do love Vrai's settings. As I'm not a US resident it will cost me hundreds of dollars in extra taxes to purchase from more than one vendor. I'm gonna be paying quite a lot of taxes just to purchase from Vrai. In my country we don't have the tradition for solitaire diamond rings so the local jewellers are of no help (their work on solitaire rings looks very clumsy tbh).

The thing with Vrai is that their videoes are so poorly lit as Monipod says, it's impossible to guess what it really looks like. I can hardly make up the facets without taking screenshots and altering contrast and lighting. I wonder if they do this to cancel out the tint?!

This particular diamond still baffles me size wise. The proportions seem OK.

The vendors for the above stones also sell settings. If you click add to setting, they have traditional solitaire settings starting at 650 USD in 18kt gold, and a touch lower for 14kt. But, you only want to do Vrai, then I think your stone options are limited.

That video is giant. Much easier to watch the videos on the filter page when all the results come up. Out of the batch, I saw maybe one or two, that are not even close to the specs you seem to want that are possibly cut okay, but not anywhere close to the others I linked. Some people liked the crushed ice look, but a lot of their stones are really not crushed ice. They are supposed to be modern cushions with a pattern, but just poorly cut. Hopefully they can help you, but when I watched the videos from the filter page, where they are not at a zillion zoom in so it's fuzzy, I could see the facet patterns clearly and saw what to me, would be undesirable, but YMMV.

Cushions are hard, because you can't buy by numbers or proportions.

I also suspect they measured corner to corner on the diagonal to yield a larger surface area. Honestly, though, even if they didn't I'd rather have a smaller well cut stone than a larger dead/mushy stone.

ETA: the stone I linked above is the same one, but from two different vendors. It's slightly cheaper at one vendor v the other.

 

[Buttercookies]

Interesting that it is unexpectedly huge for its size. Do you like it?
I personally think the front view is too dark and I'm afraid you might have a dark stone.