Sacrifice on color or carat? Help!

[roguesoul]

So I have a dilemma. I've found the perfect cushion stone, 1.3 carat, vvs2, ex cut, very nice table/depth/LW ratio. No flourescence. Its perfect except the color is an I. If it was an H I would go for it but the I is throwing me. I'm going through Ritani and doing the in store preview before i buy so that I can see it in person first, but I wanted some opinions. I know that cushions show color better than rounds in the first place...in the second place...I am very color sensitive. I would hate to see warmth in the diamond. I know a lot of people like it and it is majorly a personal subjective decision, but I specifically do not like a tint. Also the diamonds in the band I'll be getting will be higher color and I don't want that to make the center stone more obvious.

My real question is, should I sacrifice a little size and go to an F or a G in color? I would be looking at 1-1.1 ct stones instead of the 1.3 to stay within price range because I still need all the other ex specs. May go down to vs1/vs2 clarity as well. Not willing to go to SI range.

Anyway, I am a size 3.5 finger...Wondering if the ring will still look to be a good size at the 1 ct range with good color? Or if I should go big or go home and stick with my I 1.3?

Also should mention I'm doing a platinum setting which makes me more worried warmth will be apparent.

Thanks all!!

 

[ac117]

With cushions, you need to look at dimensions NOT carat weight. You could very well find a stone with a lower carat weight but the same spread as a larger stone. Therefore I would personally keep looking...as a person who is also color sensitive, I could tell you that if the tint bothers you now, it always will.

 

[roguesoul]

When you say spread are you talking lxw ratio and table/depth? I'm new to this and looking at all the specs is overwhelming. Trying to decide where a difference is negligible and a difference matters is difficult.

 

[Queenie60]

This photo is of a cushion diamond, 1.70 carat, I color, shank is F/G color stones. There is not a contrast and this stone faces up very white, under indoor lighting as well as outside under the sun. This is not my ring, was made for my nephew by Yekutiel at ID Jewelry. Also, I have an I color mrb pendant and it faces up very white as well. You will need to see the stone to determine if you like the way it looks in different lighting. Good luck.

 

[ac117]

When you say spread are you talking lxw ratio and table/depth? I'm new to this and looking at all the specs is overwhelming. Trying to decide where a difference is negligible and a difference matters is difficult.

Not the ratio, the actual measurements (length, width, depth in mm).

VVS is very high in clarity. Maybe they could expand the search to G/H color and VS2 clarity or eye clean SI1?

We have cushion experts who could help in your search if you post your budget and desired specs!

 

[roguesoul]

Thanks for your help guys. I will really have to see the I in person before I make a total judgement as it does really depend on the specific piece. Here is the one Ill be previewing for a better idea
https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/cushion-diamond-1-30-Carat-I-color-GIA-certified/D-Q51MQY

this is the other option I'm considering if I don't feel the previous faces up white enough
https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/cushion-diamond-1-02-Carat-F-color-GIA-certified/D-FFW73Y

I do like that 1.7 cushion! you're right it does not seem to contrast with the side stones.

 

[dollyanjuli]

First- the whiter stone you posted is going to be much smaller. When you look at the GIA cert it is Almost a MM smaller in length- that's a lot at this size! Are you looking for a more rectangular stone? A more square stone? Have you looked at different facet patterns? There is much much more to picking a cushion than just color and carat weight, more so than with almost any other diamond shape.

The I stone you posted actually has a pretty big size for being only a 1.3! As AC said make sure you pay attention to the measurements. I also think that cushion stones with the more scattered cut ( like the one you posted) can look very different color wise from a cushion brilliant, which has broader flashes. I always recommend seeing different facet patterns in person for cushions, as different folks are drawn to different things. You can also go on Jamea Allen and look for cushions in your price range, then peruse the different facet patterns- see what you like. Maybe the only thing you care about is color and that's ok too, but again not even all "I" stones are the same. I have a "J" and saw it next to H, I, and J stones and it was amazing the range of color in person. Don't make any quick decisions, take your time if you can.

Good luck!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would say that a person who is "very color sensitive" should be looking more at G color and possibly H. I am a little color sensitive and it has taken me awhile to adjust to an I color stone with pretty much ideal light performance. I'd still switch it for an H if I magically could!

Oh goodness, I just looked at that Ritani cushion and that is not a well cut cushion. If you will start a new thread, people here can try to help you find some good ones. I'd say you can look at that one for educational purposes, but I would not buy it because I know for certain that you can find a better one. The second link had a sample image, so that shouldn't even be a consideration. Good cushions are not eacy to find and there is no way to judge that without images of the actual stone. We usually use James Allen and Good Old Gold sometimes has some good ones. I'll see if I can find you a couple of examples of better cut stones.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Okay, here's an example of one that has a more defined facet pattern and less mushy area under the table.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.13-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1126760

I am having trouble getting pictures to show up on Good Old Gold, so I can't see if they have any right now.

 

[AdaBeta27]

What mounting are your considering? There are settings that hide the profile of the diamond. If you are looking at halos, it's possible to pick one that drops the center diamond down into the ring so that the pavilion isn't seen. If all you're seeing is the face of the diamond (well, primarily the face), then tint in the I range shouldn't be much of a problem for a very well-cut diamond.

There are square H&A brilliants and other square-ish cuts that are not deep like cushions, too. Cushions, step cuts, and some princess stones carry a lot of weight below the girdle, and I'd rather have face-up size. Personally, I'd look at the square H&A diamonds.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Okay, here's an example of one that has a more defined facet pattern and less mushy area under the table.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.13-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1126760

I am having trouble getting pictures to show up on Good Old Gold, so I can't see if they have any right now.

I much prefer this one that DS found - the faceting is much better and it is a G color stone so there should be no worries about color with this one!

 

[roguesoul]

hm this is a lot to take in...the only thing i don't like about the JA site is that i have to purchase before i get to see it in my hand. I like the one DS posted, however i am looking for a more rectangle cushion as I find the more square ones kind of...squatty? idk.

What is it about the ones I'm picking that aren't well cut? Im not sure what i should be looking at in regards to that. I was trying to match the depth/table as close i could to what the lumber site says is in the excellent range. But I'm a rookie so

Almost thinking id rather get a round stone and set it in my halo instead of the cushion just because they're so hard to find what i want.

 

[fair75]

Unlike round diamonds, fancy-shaped stones can't be judged on the numbers alone, since there isn't any consensus on cuts. I recommend doing some research on the type of diamonds you want to buy and request ASET scope images for those.

 

[roguesoul]

Okay...although I am still going to see some cushions in person i think I have ultimately decided on a RB to be put in a cushion halo. I feel as though for the august vintage cushion that I really want it is not within my budget. Due to the fact that I can still get that soft feel with the cushion halo, and the bigger face up area and brighter shine PLUS better cut with this RB below...I think I'm going with that. & i know the stock photo is not the actual diamond so i am having some pictures sent to me of it through the site.

https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-07-Carat-G-color-GIA-certified/D-J2JNQ5
any opinions?

 

[Gypsy]

Okay, here's an example of one that has a more defined facet pattern and less mushy area under the table.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.13-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1126760

I am having trouble getting pictures to show up on Good Old Gold, so I can't see if they have any right now.

Now that's a great stone. I was able to load GOG, but they have nothing this nice in house.

 

[AdaBeta27]

... i am having some pictures sent to me of it through the site.

https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-07-Carat-G-color-GIA-certified/D-J2JNQ5
any opinions?

HCA score is a whopping 5.2 on that one, sing the HCA at http://ideal-scope.com/online-holloway-cut-adviser/
A 60 table is very large. Generally those large-table diamonds lack fire, or the fire is all in a little ring at the very outside edge of the diamond. 80 LGF makes more slender and sliver arrows, and you might prefer more like 76 or 77 LGF if you want chunkier flashes.

You want a HCA score under 2. HCA is just a rejection tool. The GIA Excellent cut grade is too liberal. There are some really bad performers in there. Run the HCA on GIA stones. If the diamond is graded by AGS, that lab has already done the correct and more strict cut & performance evaluation, so you don't need to run the HCA on a AGS 000, but might want to on AGS 1 or whatever the next lower cut grade is.

 

[roguesoul]

Adabeta27.....I used your site to check out this diamond.
it comes up as a 0.9 which is great. My concern is that its an SI1 and the comments include a variety of things. should these be concerning? Wondering if its probably not eye clean
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pagename=GST%2FDispatcher&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6221426005

 

[Gypsy]

Adabeta27.....I used your site to check out this diamond.
it comes up as a 0.9 which is great. My concern is that its an SI1 and the comments include a variety of things. should these be concerning? Wondering if its probably not eye clean
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pagename=GST%2FDispatcher&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6221426005

It has a good chance of being eyeclean. As for an image and for a gemologist to check it out. And no, I didn't see anything I'd be worried about.