The shocking final diamond choice I gave to my Fiance which one would you pick?

[glitterata]

I would prefer #2. But your girlfriend would prefer #1, and you love it too, so that''s the one you should get.

 

[ficklefaye]

oh gosh, i didn''t read through all the poll options properly, i prefer #2 but it seems from your fiance''s comments that she prefers #1 more, i also think it would look great in a hw micropave halo

 

[Zaphod]

I prefer #2 as well as the more I look at the chuncky faceted cushion, the more I like them. THat''s not to say that the modern cushion isn''t gorgeous though!

I do have a question for you though, GOG seems to have the formula just right on them but from what I have seen in other posts, square is what they get. They''re nice, but she likes a 1.10 to 1.15 l/w ratio. So, that probably means I would have to order one which brings me to my question.

I noticed that you had the 1.15 custom cut, is there a fee associated with ordering a custom cut? I don''t mean to overstep my bounds by asking a price, just wondering if there is or not.

Thanks!

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 7:25:37 AM
Author: Amethyste
If I would find myself in the situation buying a stone for MYSELF, I''d go with #2. It''s a beauty.
But since you are buying a ring for your fiance to wear daily, I''d value what she would want ( granted that
money is not an obejct, as you confirmed ) before what I would want. Since she saw both and keeps pointing
toward #1, I would go with #1.

I lived in Burlington VT for 3 years, right on Church street, I assume that''s where you went. Which store?
Since I moved away from Ben and Jerry''s, my waist line has shrunk hehe.

The appraisor was vermontgemlabs.com right on church street.
The onyl store I was impressed with on the street in terms of stock merchandise was Von Bargain''s nice sales staff.
I will probably buy a George Sawyer Mokume Gane ring for my wedding band there. Pretty good prices compared to online I was very surprised by this.
I don''t want to wear a ring its not my thing but the Fiance insists so if I have to have one its going to be one of those.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 3:10:09 PM
Author: Zaphod
I prefer #2 as well as the more I look at the chuncky faceted cushion, the more I like them. THat''s not to say that the modern cushion isn''t gorgeous though!

I do have a question for you though, GOG seems to have the formula just right on them but from what I have seen in other posts, square is what they get. They''re nice, but she likes a 1.10 to 1.15 l/w ratio. So, that probably means I would have to order one which brings me to my question.

I noticed that you had the 1.15 custom cut, is there a fee associated with ordering a custom cut? I don''t mean to overstep my bounds by asking a price, just wondering if there is or not.

Thanks!

Zaphod,

I am not sure if you are talking about the Carat Weight or LW ratio.
The stone I looked at was a 1.15Carat signature chunky which was almost a perfect square LW 1.01.
The Square Modern Cushion was an almost perfect square as well.

To answer your question I didn''t have to pay anything for the stone up front it was built into the price. Jon is promoting this line and has a number of H color diamonds in this range cut or retouched recently.
I looked at the ASET and video for a 1.2 H SI2 that didn''t meet the strict requirement of his signature line but was still very beautiful so there are others.

If you wanted a specific Square Cushion Hearts and Arrows you would have to contact Jon about that. These are cut to perfect squares because if you want perfect hearts and arrows you need the same symmetrical length of facets 360o around the culet. Not only would a rectangular cushion Hearts and Arrows not be popular but I''m not even sure it would be possible to achieve this pattern. A cushette (which really never took off) could be rectangular with similar optics to a hearts and arrows round although not the same precision. I think Jon has some videos on Vimeo just search for Cushette but I am not sure how many of these are around anymore.

If you don''t need a strict hearts and arrows super ideal cut then there are very nice rectangular 8 main cushion brilliants. Both the antique (thicker 8 main) and modern (thinner 8 main ) would be nice choices.
Mark at ERD can find you either of these at a great price. Jon could as well not sure about his pricing but he will do video comparisons and photographs for you.

My Fiance wanted a perfect square or close to it and the GOG ones are precisely that. I didn''t consider the Square Cushion Hearts and Arrows from GOG because they are are really deep and cut for brilliance and fire. I beleive these precision square cushion hearts and arrows were cut in japan and command a big price premium. If you consider the same spread of diamond in a well cut cushion brilliant you will be paying 50% or more for the same colour and faceup appearance. The complaint in general when you set this diamond in 4 prongsis is that you may think it looks like a round not a cushion anymore.

Regards,

CCL

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 8:04:17 AM
Author: decodelighted
Both are beautiful but it seems she prefers #1 ... and since she''ll be the one looking at it more often, I''d say pick #1 so she''ll be over-the-moon delighted.

Think you made gorgeous choices though! Personally I might lean toward #2 for budgetary reasons & because its more quirky & unique which appeals to me ... but when you mentioned the warmth I started to worry. That''s the thing about Round Brilliant & Cushion Brilliant & other Brilliant Brilliant cuts (#1) -- they do mask warmth better than quirky/cook OMC type cuts. Did *you* compare the two stones pavilion side up against white paper? Or just face up? It would be weird to be so off on grading ...

Fun test! Can''t wait to see which you chose & hopefully see the finished ring pix SOON!

The colour comparison was face down for both stones and the master in front of a white background. I bet you this was a GIA California Weak H not a New York H there are differences in colour grading. So much information us consumers will never get a hold of in this tricky diamond business. EGL isn''t the only company that is inconsistent in its grading.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 8:28:00 AM
Author: Ellen
It seems 1 has the most going for it, as far as she is concerened. And, when I read where she said it had the WOW factor, that''s really what sold me on which she should get. We all want a stone that makes us go wow, and it seems that 1 does that for her. So I voted one.

And I just want to aplologize to you CCL. I had never read a post of yours (I doubt I read them all) that hinted at your gender, and I erroneously referred to you as ''she'' in another thread yesterday. Really sorry about that!!

I never told anyone my gender so you had a 50/50 chance of getting it right. I am guessing most of the consumer posters here are women so its not a bad guess. No I am the man who my GF calls the "Diamond Munster" because of the research I did on diamonds it became an obsession.

 

[Rhino]

My vote is for the diamond that brings you both the most happiness.

 

[Gypsy]

I like modern cushions personally, particularly ones that look exactly like #1 so you can guess which one I chose.

Best of luck and can''t wait to see the final product.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 7:03:46 PM
Author: Rhino
My vote is for the diamond that brings you both the most happiness.

Rhino,

Thanks for checking in here you are a class act and I have learned so much from you.
If you could snap your fingers and produce a 1.5 Ct G-I Signature Square Old Mine Cut I''ll fly down and be waiting by the door to purchase tomorrow.

Regards,
CCL

 

[Rhino]

Just came back from vacation so I''m totally oblivious to what''s arrived and what''s coming this week. That is till tomorrow morning. I know you were under a time crunch. No matter what the choice, the bottom line is you are both happy. All is good either way.

 

[packrat]

The 2nd one makes me foam at the mouth, so that''s the one I''d choose, were it for ME. But for your GF, she seems to like the first one best, so I''d go with that one.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 9:16:41 AM
Author: jet2ks

Date: 7/27/2009 7:25:37 AM
Author: Amethyste
If I would find myself in the situation buying a stone for MYSELF, I''d go with #2. It''s a beauty.
But since you are buying a ring for your fiance to wear daily, I''d value what she would want ( granted that
money is not an obejct, as you confirmed ) before what I would want. Since she saw both and keeps pointing
toward #1, I would go with #1.

Ditto this.

As far as color, since stones are graded face down, I would guess the difference you are seeing is in the cutting style. The chunky GOG is cut for performance, but may trap a little more color due to the faceting. Maybe Jon will be along later to let us know his impressions.

The cut should have very little bearing on the colour especially in face down position and looking at the body of the diamond. I blame GIA for using a colorimeter and being inconsistent from one of its labs to the next.

 

[Lula]

Date: 7/27/2009 7:57:47 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 7/27/2009 7:03:46 PM

Author: Rhino

My vote is for the diamond that brings you both the most happiness.

Rhino,


Thanks for checking in here you are a class act and I have learned so much from you.

If you could snap your fingers and produce a 1.5 Ct G-I Signature Square Old Mine Cut I'll fly down and be waiting by the door to purchase tomorrow.


Regards,

CCL

Ooooohhhh, wouldn't it be cool if Jonathan has a 1.5 in stock!??!! That could change things. I'll be your GF would be very happy to open the ring box and see the larger size in the GOG cushion cut.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 11:43:00 AM
Author: Rock_of_Love
Yeah, it seems to me by your comments you really prefer #1...and even though it is different that what you originally thought you wanted, if it speaks to you, then it speaks to you!

I''m gonna get a bit crazy and throw one more in the mix...my reason for this is that it reminds me of stone #1 a lot, is a little larger, performs really well (I''ve seen it on many videos), and it is at GOG where your $$ already is...
1.61 I VS2 at GOG
You may have already looked at this one and passed, but if not, I thought I''d post it cuz it reminds me of #1, but with a little more chunkiness. Hope that''s okay!!

I think the 1.61 is a great stone and if I was considering pulling it on loan for this lineup.
It crossed my mind to do this but the logistics of sending another wire would not have gotten it there in time.
Although heavier it is significantly smaller than stone #1 faceup.

The 1.61 is just about the best cushion modified brilliant I have ever seen. I have looked at the videos of it many times over the last month.
This stone is a perfect example of why you shouldn''t call all cushion modified brilliant "crushed ice" and Jon has mentioned this before to correct this mistake.

Definitely a good alternative if I had more time.

 

[joelly]

BN doesn''t have an upgrade policy. GOG does. If these factors don''t matter to her, than get the one she likes.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 8:43:55 PM
Author: joelly
BN doesn't have an upgrade policy. GOG does. If these factors don't matter to her, than get the one she likes.

I would never buy a stone from BN. You can find one using their search like I did and then have a PS vendor call it in for you at a better price with better service.

1) They are drop shipper but their prices are not as good as the drop shippers here.
2) They have a monopoly policy where the stones offered to them cannot be advertised online by any other vendor. They push around their weight with the suppliers who have to comply with their policy or they won't list their stones. I think they do this so that they can charge more and not have to worry about the competitive internet market.
3) Their customer service reps can't tell you anything more than you can read off the certificate.

There is no value added to using this vendor BUT they have the best search engine on the internet and a certificate for almost every stone.
Other vendors should take note of how they list their stones, being able to sort criteria in a table in ascending or descending order by any criteria and being able to view the dimensions on the stone by popup box really helps in finding specifics.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 8:16:41 PM
Author: sarap333

Date: 7/27/2009 7:57:47 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 7/27/2009 7:03:46 PM

Author: Rhino

My vote is for the diamond that brings you both the most happiness.

Rhino,


Thanks for checking in here you are a class act and I have learned so much from you.

If you could snap your fingers and produce a 1.5 Ct G-I Signature Square Old Mine Cut I''ll fly down and be waiting by the door to purchase tomorrow.


Regards,

CCL

Ooooohhhh, wouldn''t it be cool if Jonathan has a 1.5 in stock!??!! That could change things. I''ll be your GF would be very happy to open the ring box and see the larger size in the GOG cushion cut.

No doubt! Otherwise I have to change my name to only CushionLover which I bet is already taken.

 

[litebrite]

First of all, I have to say it''s hilarious that you included both perspectives in this. You really are a devil''s advocate, aren''t you?

If money''s no object I pick one. If money''s an object I pick 2.

You have a way of telling a tale. I await the conclusion.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Personally I like stone #2 better as that is my taste - but I voted bullet 2 for stone #1 because you said your fiance prefers that shape and that''s a winner to me!

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/27/2009 9:42:12 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 7/27/2009 9:30:57 AM
Author: sarap333
Hi, CCL,
Here are my thoughts:
1) Burlington, VT is gorgeous. I''d relocate there in a heartbeat. There used to be a great Thai restaurant right off the main drag.
2) Silly rabbit, given the choice, no woman will pick 1.0 over 1.50 (I''m talking normal curve here, not outliers).
3) I think you had the expectation that you''d love the GOG cushion and were surprised that while it is ''unique'' you (and your GF) liked the 1st stone better in terms of performance and color.
4) ''Unique'' is the way you describe something that catches your eye, but does not, in the way you and your GF are using ''unique,'' bode well for an engagement ring that she will wear hopefully for your life together. In this case, I''d say maybe it means that she appreciates its beauty but can''t see herself wearing it (but would love it on her best friend, e.g.).
5) Ditto, Ellen: ''Wow'' is a reaction that I think any man would want to hear from his GF (get your minds out of the gutter, folks!) with respect to an engagement diamond.
6) Both will look stunning in a HW halo.

What is the thai restaurant called? I am going back to the appraiser to pick up the ring when its done.

 

[Zaphod]

Thanks for such a detailed response, I appreciate the insight!

Sorry I wasn''t more clear. She really likes the rectangle shape as others have noted in a few different places, the squares sometimes look like an oddly cut round especially to someone that doesn''t know what a chuncky faceted cushion is.

I''ve done business with GOG before and have the utmost respect for them and would not hesitate one bit to do so again. I am sure that I will be making a trip in the future.

 

[risingsun]

CCL~when are you going to tell us which one you picked

 

[boredstiff]

Date: 7/27/2009 8:29:12 PM
Author: ChunkyCushionLover

Date: 7/27/2009 11:43:00 AM

Author: Rock_of_Love

Yeah, it seems to me by your comments you really prefer #1...and even though it is different that what you originally thought you wanted, if it speaks to you, then it speaks to you!


I''m gonna get a bit crazy and throw one more in the mix...my reason for this is that it reminds me of stone #1 a lot, is a little larger, performs really well (I''ve seen it on many videos), and it is at GOG where your $$ already is...

1.61 I VS2 at GOG

You may have already looked at this one and passed, but if not, I thought I''d post it cuz it reminds me of #1, but with a little more chunkiness. Hope that''s okay!!

I think the 1.61 is a great stone and if I was considering pulling it on loan for this lineup.

It crossed my mind to do this but the logistics of sending another wire would not have gotten it there in time.

Although heavier it is significantly smaller than stone #1 faceup.


The 1.61 is just about the best cushion modified brilliant I have ever seen. I have looked at the videos of it many times over the last month.

This stone is a perfect example of why you shouldn''t call all cushion modified brilliant ''crushed ice'' and Jon has mentioned this before to correct this mistake.


Definitely a good alternative if I had more time.

Does that stone have a strong fish eye? Isn''t this undesireable? Other than that the optics are great! I''m a n00b, so pls let me know if I''m wrong on this.

 

[amyjokerette]

I voted for #1 because she seemed to really really LOVE #1. Also... its bigger and brighter as you said.

I also just spent several minutes drooling over GOG''s new cushions... in fact my jaw literally dropped and one of my classmates said "what?! what are you looking at?!"

Can''t wait to hear which diamond you choose!

 

[LadyBlue]

Number 1!!!

 

[Luckyeshe]

bump

Do we get to find out the results yet?

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 7/29/2009 1:14:58 PM
Author: Luckyeshe
bump

Do we get to find out the results yet?

If you click the link for the GOG stone, it's still for sale. So i'm going to guess he got stone #1?

 

[Luckyeshe]

Date: 7/29/2009 1:41:56 PM
Author: elle_chris

Date: 7/29/2009 1:14:58 PM
Author: Luckyeshe
bump

Do we get to find out the results yet?

If you click the link for the GOG stone, it''s still for sale. So i''m going to guess he got stone #2?

Should have looked at that...my bad...

Now I wonder if we''re gonna have to wait a long while to see the finished ring in SMTR....*hint hint, CCL*

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Thank-you all for the comments and votes. I chose stone #1 and could sense it from my Fiance that that was the one she liked best.