Went Ring Shopping Today! Feeling Confused Though...

[cushionlover0509]

Hey everyone,
So I have always wanted a cushion cut halo for my engagement ring. My boyfriend and I are going to NYC in December and are planning to go look at diamonds/settings there and potentially buy one.

We wanted to look locally first just to try stuff on and make sure I know what I want. Well... turns out there's not too many cushions around here and the ones I have seen look awful to me. Small and the crushed ice look - not my style.

With the setting that I want (HW inspired), we were hoping to get around a 6mm cushion cut for the center diamond in order to stay within our budget. Today I tried on a 6mm cushion and it looked tiny to me. Not sure if it was because it was poorly cut that it looked even smaller? If that makes sense. I don't know.

Now I'm not sure if I should get a round or a cushion. I know I've said I've always wanted a cushion, but size is also important to me. My boyfriend and the sales assistant liked the idea of a round in a cushion halo but I'm not so sure - I feel like I'd always think it was "wrong" somehow - like a cicle in a square peg or something. I don't know.

Anyone have any advice/thoughts? I know only I can make the decision... I'm wondering if I will like an actual excellent cut, chunky faceted cushion (regardless of the smaller spread) better in person. Or if I should have the vendor pull some round diamonds for me to look at while we're there as well.

Oh, also I only took one picture because we were being kind of rushed. Figured I would include it. I tried on a Verragio halo (round center, cushion halo). She said the center was a CZ but was equivalent size to a carat (I think).

 

[mandasand]

I think you should wait until you go to NYC in December to make any of these kinds of decisions. You're going to GOG I hope. Wait to try on stuff there.

 

[yssie]

Hey everyone,
So I have always wanted a cushion cut halo for my engagement ring. My boyfriend and I are going to NYC in December and are planning to go look at diamonds/settings there and potentially buy one.

We wanted to look locally first just to try stuff on and make sure I know what I want. Well... turns out there's not too many cushions around here and the ones I have seen look awful to me. Small and the crushed ice look - not my style.

That's good info to have, but I'd still recommend taking a look at one or two *nice* examples while you're in NYC just to make sure. Crushed ice has a bad rep on here because the bad examples are really awful, and the nice ones are few and far between, but goodness the nice ones when you find them are spectacular! Very different from "chunky" of course, but beautiful in their own way.

With the setting that I want (HW inspired), we were hoping to get around a 6mm cushion cut for the center diamond in order to stay within our budget. Today I tried on a 6mm cushion and it looked tiny to me. Not sure if it was because it was poorly cut that it looked even smaller? If that makes sense. I don't know.

Yes, a poorly cut stone that has little light return around the edges can look smaller, especially from far away. The halo will clearly define the outline though, and a well-cut cushion will be bright all over, and halos add a *lot* of size and hand-presence, so if you want a cushion I definitely wouldn't recommend steering yourself away just yet!

Now I'm not sure if I should get a round or a cushion. I know I've said I've always wanted a cushion, but size is also important to me. My boyfriend and the sales assistant liked the idea of a round in a cushion halo but I'm not so sure - I feel like I'd always think it was "wrong" somehow - like a cicle in a square peg or something. I don't know.

I've always preferred halos conform to the shape of the centerstone too, but a LOT of PSers have rounds in cushion halos and love them! It's all up to what you personally prefer, no wrong answers. But absolutely have them show you a variety of shapes so your eyes can choose IRL.

Anyone have any advice/thoughts? I know only I can make the decision... I'm wondering if I will like an actual excellent cut, chunky faceted cushion (regardless of the smaller spread) better in person. Or if I should have the vendor pull some round diamonds for me to look at while we're there as well.

Oh, also I only took one picture because we were being kind of rushed. Figured I would include it. I tried on a Verragio halo (round center, cushion halo). She said the center was a CZ but was equivalent size to a carat (I think).

Have you decided when and where you will go? Several PS vendors are in or near the city, definitely call in and make some appointments - IDJ, DBL, GOG, ERD, LM...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The sad fact is, cushions face up smaller than rounds of the same weight. I think they are fabulous, though, especially with a halo. It's a touch decision because if you set one in a halo, then you really can't upgrade the stone later without ditching the setting and getting a new one.

 

[cushionlover0509]

Thanks for your replies so far!

Mandasand: Yeah, I probably won't be able to decide until I go there. However, I am probably going to have diamonds selected for me to take a look at when I come in, so I just want to be prepared!

Yssie: I will definitely take a look at cushions when we got to NYC. I'm hoping that I will like the chunkier faceted cushions as that's what I've bookmarked on here and saved pictures of. If they look great in person (as they do online to my eye) it would just be the size holding me back unfortunately. I just don't know if I want to do the RB with cushion halo. It seems like it would be the best of both worlds but IDK. I did like the one I tried on (in the picture I attached) so there's that.
We do know that we are going in the first week of December. I was planning on going to GOG but pretty sure that we want to buy from ERD. I contacted Leon Mege, but the quote was out of our budget. Didn't really consider going anywhere else because I read these three were the best for cushions. I am going to ask them to have some cushions and RB's to show me I think.

Diamondseeker: I so wish this wasn't true :[ Figures I would pick the type of diamond that faces up small and the setting that is really expensive. Boy oh boy.

 

[Christina...]

Have you considered going with an antique stone? The antique/vintage look is really popular right now, and these old cuts have gorgeous chunky faceting. I don't know how you feel about color, but many of these stones have lower color grades that many find preferable in these cuts and may allow you to get a larger center stone for your budget. These are just a couple of examples, I'm not an old cut expert so if your interested, I'd start a new thread stating that you're looking for one and then all the experts can chime in and help. Old World Diamonds is in NY I believe so you could add them to your list of vendors to visit as well.





http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/Jewelry/Loose-Diamonds/127ct-Loose-Old-European-Cut/20928504_SMrXcF#!i=1662461606&k=Lj7HRCc


http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/Jewelry/Loose-Diamonds/159ct-Antique-Cushion-Cut/25127643_KbkpTb#!i=2060286060&k=JZZhFRm

 

[yssie]

Thanks for your replies so far!

Mandasand: Yeah, I probably won't be able to decide until I go there. However, I am probably going to have diamonds selected for me to take a look at when I come in, so I just want to be prepared!

Yssie: I will definitely take a look at cushions when we got to NYC. I'm hoping that I will like the chunkier faceted cushions as that's what I've bookmarked on here and saved pictures of. If they look great in person (as they do online to my eye) it would just be the size holding me back unfortunately. I just don't know if I want to do the RB with cushion halo. It seems like it would be the best of both worlds but IDK. I did like the one I tried on (in the picture I attached) so there's that.
We do know that we are going in the first week of December. I was planning on going to GOG but pretty sure that we want to buy from ERD. I contacted Leon Mege, but the quote was out of our budget. Didn't really consider going anywhere else because I read these three were the best for cushions. I am going to ask them to have some cushions and RB's to show me I think.

Diamondseeker: I so wish this wasn't true :[ Figures I would pick the type of diamond that faces up small and the setting that is really expensive. Boy oh boy.

I'll be interested to hear what you think when you see some good examples of all these shapes in-person. I will say that some shapes photograph better than others to my eye, and the shapes I prefer in macro photos aren't necessarily the shapes I prefer IRL, so try to keep an open mind and let your eyes do the judging

If you want to see some nice "crushed ice" examples while you're there as well contact David at DBL, he's in the diamond district. I've worked with him and he has a great eye for beautiful stones that others might pass over based on stereotypes. GOG and ERD sound like very good places to visit, based on what you've said so far!