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Torn between two Cushion cut diamonds - opinions needed

M

miatard

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 21, 2016
Messages
9
Hey everyone,

I know it's difficult to evaluate between two diamonds sight-unseen, but I've reached an impasse so I must at least try.

Attached are a couple of GIA reports on two diamonds I'm considering. We'll call the first one Diamond A (X), sticker price is $5,800

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=2151955043&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547



We'll call the second one Diamond B (x) sticker price is $4,800.

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=2217547405&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547

The salespeople seem to "prefer" Diamond B, because it "looks" bigger. I prefer Diamond A, because it just more pleasing to the eye, somehow, in my uninformed opinion. What do you think? Does the table/depth ratio of Diamond A turn you off? Something else?

Any input is much appreciated - thank you in advance.
 
Not only difficult...impossible. You cant evaluate fancy cut stones by the numbers. We need pictures and aset images.

Things to think about...which stone has the most appealing faceting pattern (to you)? Which stone returned light the best
(brightest stone)? Were both eye-clean?

I can tell you that the 1.4 (B) has a large table and also has a girdle that goes from very thin to very thick. Things we usually
try to avoid. I cant say that one stone is better than the other but maybe with what you have seen (I'm assuming that you
have seen these stones in person???) with this little info I've provided that you can decide for yourself.
 
tyty333|1461274533|4022190 said:
Not only difficult...impossible. You cant evaluate fancy cut stones by the numbers. We need pictures and aset images.

Things to think about...which stone has the most appealing faceting pattern (to you)? Which stone returned light the best
(brightest stone)? Were both eye-clean?

I can tell you that the 1.4 (B) has a large table and also has a girdle that goes from very thin to very thick. Things we usually
try to avoid. I cant say that one stone is better than the other but maybe with what you have seen (I'm assuming that you
have seen these stones in person???) with this little info I've provided that you can decide for yourself.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input - believe it or not, this actually helps. I'm a complete moron when it comes to this so the fact alone that there's nothing "concerning" right off the bat between the two is comforting. All I understand is how to read the reports but not from a very critical perspective unless it obviously sucks.

Diamond (B) does have a visible turd in it while (A) does not. The sales people seem to love the fact that (B) has a "large table" and thus "looks" larger but honestly I don't get the obsession over it "looking big." I'd rather get her a quality stone. Something about (B) also looks hazy or greasy for some reason. I don't know if it was just oil from our hands or a quality of the stone itself.

Also FWIW, the reason I'm not so adamant about color is that she wants a rose gold setting, so in my uninformed opinion, an extremely colorless stone wouldn't really provide as much "value" as it would in a typical platinum or white gold setting.
 
Are you opposed to buying online. We could help you find something beautiful .
 
Gypsy|1461295700|4022303 said:
Are you opposed to buying online. We could help you find something beautiful .
Click to expand...
It does make me a little weary buying a stone sight-unseen... And if anything happens, it would be difficult to correct the situation. What I've found is local.

The database you guys have on here is pretty impressive, though - is this what you're referring to?
 
No. I'm talking about me and the other prosumers here.

We do not get paid. We are only here because it is our hobby to help people select stones that maximize their budgets. And we do it all day long. I have 36,000 posts. Over 90% of them helping people on this board.

I help people find excellent cushions on here day after day. Many of us do.

So you actually have MORE security here than you do in person, ignorant and alone. But it is your choice.

And most of our vendors have great return policies. All you have to do is mail back the diamonds. It's actually quite easy.
 
Why are you looking at K colored stones though?
 
Something like this would be a more balanced choice:
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/Cushion/GIA-Certified-1-2-Carat-I-Color-VS2-Clarity-Diamond-8TJRAE
Or this one, if you want something at the top of your budget:
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/Cushion/GIA-Certified-1-2-Carat-H-Color-VVS1-Clarity-Diamond-CEU2SL ( I like this one better, I'll admit)

Either would be a great choice. It's going to be a looker that knocks your socks off. You can take it to see the ones you have listed and see what you think. If you don't like it just send it back. You can read their return policy for yourself.

If there is some reason you are looking at J and K stones these are very nice choices:

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/Cushion/GIA-Certified-1-42-Carat-J-Color-VS2-Clarity-Diamond-AF79JB (this would be my choice).
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/Cushion/GIA-Certified-1-5-Carat-K-Color-SI1-Clarity-Diamond-LSAQTT
As you can see, you are also overpaying by shopping where you are.


Do not compare carat weight when you are comparing cushions. Compare dimensions. Okay?

A well performing stone will look BIGGER than a stone with compromised light performance.
 
Gypsy|1461299742|4022332 said:
Why are you looking at K colored stones though?
Click to expand...
She wants a rose gold setting, a "non-clear" color which I feel would transfer into the stone, so in my *opinion* I don't think that having a colorless stone adds as much value. Does this make sense?

Thanks for all the input - I'll evaluate your choices carefully & compare. The options you've posted - are those prices generally "firm?" Or do those online retailers have room for negotiation?

What the local retailer has offered me is Stone A with a 14K Rose Gold Halo/Pave setting for $6.5K out-the-door. Does this sound reasonable?

I would not be opposed to purchasing a stone from someone online as long as the proper assurances were in place.
 
farrahlyn|1461343298|4022470 said:
have you looked at the JA settings? this one is gorgeous, gets lots of love here: :love:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...-edge-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-item-49364
Click to expand...
Looking at them now, this is what I ended up with:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-rose-gold-pave-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-cushion-item-41440

Its a surprise, and a friend of hers has been working behind-the-scenes with me to find the ring she wants. Girlfriend showed her this and I'm trying to replicate it as closely as possible, except with a proper diamond:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/181262147/catalina-75mm-14kt-rose-gold-cushion-fb?ref=shop_home_active_2

Only qualm of hers was that the stone was "too big," so ~1.5 ct should hit the spot.
 
miatard said:
farrahlyn|1461343298|4022470 said:
have you looked at the JA settings? this one is gorgeous, gets lots of love here: :love:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...-edge-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-item-49364
Click to expand...
Looking at them now, this is what I ended up with:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-rose-gold-pave-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-cushion-item-41440

Its a surprise, and a friend of hers has been working behind-the-scenes with me to find the ring she wants. Girlfriend showed her this and I'm trying to replicate it as closely as possible, except with a proper diamond:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/181262147/catalina-75mm-14kt-rose-gold-cushion-fb?ref=shop_home_active_2

Only qualm of hers was that the stone was "too big," so ~1.5 ct should hit the spot.
Click to expand...

Let me just say kudos to you for LISTENING to what she likes, way to go! :appl: the setting you chose is spot on and gypsy picked out an absolutely gorgeous diamond, glad you took her advice! I have a definite thing for J and K colored stones and this one is sooooo lovely! :lickout: Please post pics when you receive the ring!!!
 
farrahlyn|1461349108|4022496 said:
miatard said:
farrahlyn|1461343298|4022470 said:
have you looked at the JA settings? this one is gorgeous, gets lots of love here: :love:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...-edge-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-item-49364
Click to expand...
Looking at them now, this is what I ended up with:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-rose-gold-pave-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-cushion-item-41440

Its a surprise, and a friend of hers has been working behind-the-scenes with me to find the ring she wants. Girlfriend showed her this and I'm trying to replicate it as closely as possible, except with a proper diamond:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/181262147/catalina-75mm-14kt-rose-gold-cushion-fb?ref=shop_home_active_2

Only qualm of hers was that the stone was "too big," so ~1.5 ct should hit the spot.
Click to expand...

Let me just say kudos to you for LISTENING to what she likes, way to go! :appl: the setting you chose is spot on and gypsy picked out an absolutely gorgeous diamond, glad you took her advice! I have a definite thing for J and K colored stones and this one is sooooo lovely! :lickout: Please post pics when you receive the ring!!!
Click to expand...
Thank you! I wouldn't know of any other way to do it - I'm totally clueless when it comes to this stuff and her taste is IMPOSSIBLE to pin down. So... with encouragement and input from you strangers, I pulled the trigger on the ring.

Thanks again to Gypsy for finding that stone - it sounds odd but I'd trust your guys' recommendations far above the salespeople at the local jewelers. My trust in them eroded completely once they beat their own "best price" by $600... I just get a really car salesman-y vibe from all of them, unfortunately. Same EXACT elementary tricks & tactics.
 
I'm glad you went with a gypsy-recommended stone. Especially when your other "next pick"' was stone A with the "visible white turd". Yikes!!

Please post four thousand photos of the ring when you get it. Congrats!!
 
Oh, you chose a beautiful stone and setting!! YAY for gypsy! So glad you tossed the turds and went for that one. Your lady is going to love it.

I am totally with you regarding the brick and mortar salesmen. They make me itch. When it came to the diamond buying part of my new ring, a few places, including this one, helped me make a great choice, online. I did walk into a couple of B&M and told them I wasn't going to compromise on 'cut', show me the excellent stuff....and they couldn't do it. I was poo-pooed.

I sure hope you come back and show us pictures when you get it.
 
Hello again everyone!

Apologies for the delayed response - been crazy busy lately. The engagement went flawlessly! Proposed at the end of May in Savannah at Forsyth Park. Everything was absolutely beautiful & executed perfectly.

Below is a photo of her ring that you all helped me create. I was hoping it would be kind of like the stock photo on the JA website, but when I opened the box, I was stunned that it was even better. Extremely pleasantly surprised by the quality, fit, finish, etc. We both couldn't be happier with it.

I took a bunch of photos to give you all a good idea - but at the end of the day, ironically, the best photo in my opinion is the one she simply took with her iPhone. Go figure. Thanks again for all of the help and insight. It surely wouldn't have gone this smoothly without the input of individuals on here. I'll always remember this!

img_1035_0.jpg
 
Yayyyyy. Congratulations to you. The ring is stunning! More pics please :dance:
 
Congratulations! The ring turned out beautiful and has SUCH great presence on her finger! :love:
 
Wow! That turned out really nice...I'm always hesitant to recommend JA halos because their images make the pave look
like they are too far apart and too much metal but yours doesnt look that way at all! Much nicer than the JA photos!
 
YAY!

Does she love it?
 
tracylt|1468331851|4054711 said:
Yayyyyy. Congratulations to you. The ring is stunning! More pics please :dance:
Click to expand...
Believe me, I tried... With a very expensive camera, for way too long. Something about photographing jewelry makes it very tricky with the lighting.

farrahlyn|1468336650|4054734 said:
Congratulations! The ring turned out beautiful and has SUCH great presence on her finger! :love:
Click to expand...
Agreed! Couldn't be happier. She's been getting tons of compliments.

tyty333|1468343790|4054778 said:
Wow! That turned out really nice...I'm always hesitant to recommend JA halos because their images make the pave look
like they are too far apart and too much metal but yours doesnt look that way at all! Much nicer than the JA photos!
Click to expand...
Those were my exact concerns looking at their stock photos. Some of them were very far apart... So when I opened up the box on this one I was literally "wowed." Haven't had that kind of reaction about any other object before.

Gypsy|1468370392|4054939 said:
YAY!

Does she love it?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Thanks again for the help!! Was dangerously close to settling for something in an entirely different league.
 
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