Which one would you pick?

[brandonman22]

I''m not saying I''m going to purchase either one of these diamonds on BlueNile.com but if any of you were to come upon these and you had to pick one. Which one would you go with, the bigger carat with with the lower quality, or the higher quality and the smaller carat size?

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&track=btntext_viewselect&elem=img&pid=LD01241142&filter_id=0

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD01249554

 

[gwendolyn]

By 'higher quality,' I thought you meant cut, but both of those are 'very good.' I personally would drop in clarity (especially the VVS one), in size and maybe in colour too to get a higher cut grade.

 

[Lorelei]

I wouldn't recommend buying a cushion without the help of an expert vendor, and detailed photographs of the diamond. I do not think that BN provide this service at this time. You have no way of knowing how a cushion can look and perform without at least photos or an ASET image if available.

Personally I would stick with a vendor who has in house diamonds that they can look at and recommend, such as Mark at engagementringsdirect, or Jon at Good Old Gold, or Whiteflash. Also unless you particularly want VVS clarity, I would consider VS and possibly an SI1 or even SI2 clarity, if the vendor verified it was eyeclean ( and matched your definition of eyeclean). Also you cannot judge a cushion or any diamond for that matter, by labels such as very good cut, premium etc, as they in no way guarantee you a well cut diamond.

 

[brandonman22]

Thanks for the great advice, I''ll definitely take that into account when looking at cushion cuts.

What do you think of the following diamond?

 

[Lorelei]

It is so difficult to judge a cushion by the numbers, that is why an expert vendor is so valuable to help you find a good one. The beauty of these diamond shapes can't be predicted by the proportions like a round can to a certain extent. I take it you want a D or E colour? That is fine if that is what you want, I just wanted to say to broaden your options, you could consider perhaps F and even G and still have a very white diamond, but it is a personal preference.

Also do you know the type of cushion you want? Some have the chunky facets look which is very popular, some prefer the crushed ice effect, again the vendor is the best person to advise on the personality of a cushion. See this thread which may be useful to you.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/a-cushion-by-any-other-name.36001/

 

[brandonman22]

Date: 2/26/2008 12:57:20 PM
Author: Lorelei
It is so difficult to judge a cushion by the numbers, that is why an expert vendor is so valuable to help you find a good one. The beauty of these diamond shapes can''t be predicted by the proportions like a round can to a certain extent. I take it you want a D or E colour? That is fine if that is what you want, I just wanted to say to broaden your options, you could consider perhaps F and even G and still have a very white diamond, but it is a personal preference.

Also do you know the type of cushion you want? Some have the chunky facets look which is very popular, some prefer the crushed ice effect, again the vendor is the best person to advise on the personality of a cushion. See this thread which may be useful to you.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/a-cushion-by-any-other-name.36001/

I mainly want it to look just like the main diamond in the Tiffany Novo ring below.

 

[icekid]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:16:23 PM
Author: brandonman22

I mainly want it to look just like the main diamond in the Tiffany Novo ring below.

In that case I think you need a square hearts & arrows diamond. As far as I know, Good Old Gold is the only pricescope vendor that carries them. Check out this link: http://goodoldgold.com/ShapeTutorials/SqareHATutorial/

 

[brandonman22]

Here''s a photo of the 1.20 carat diamond I mentioned above.

 

[brandonman22]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:20:22 PM
Author: icekid

Date: 2/26/2008 1:16:23 PM
Author: brandonman22

I mainly want it to look just like the main diamond in the Tiffany Novo ring below.

In that case I think you need a square hearts & arrows diamond. As far as I know, Good Old Gold is the only pricescope vendor that carries them. Check out this link: http://goodoldgold.com/ShapeTutorials/SqareHATutorial/

Sorry but the Tiffany Novo ring was made specifically for a cushion cut diamond, so I wish to stay with a cushion cut.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:22:23 PM
Author: brandonman22

Date: 2/26/2008 1:20:22 PM

Author: icekid

Date: 2/26/2008 1:16:23 PM

Author: brandonman22


I mainly want it to look just like the main diamond in the Tiffany Novo ring below.

In that case I think you need a square hearts & arrows diamond. As far as I know, Good Old Gold is the only pricescope vendor that carries them. Check out this link: http://goodoldgold.com/ShapeTutorials/SqareHATutorial/

Sorry but the Tiffany Novo ring was made specifically for a cushion cut diamond, so I wish to stay with a cushion cut.

Actually...that isn't quite true. The Novo is a patented specific cut, and isn't really a cushion. It's cushion SHAPED, but the facets will look very different. See the arrows in the Novo shot? A cushion won't get you that, but a square H&A will. The consensus around here is that the square H&A is the closest you're going to come to the Novo for now.

But you can't get the Novo stone anywhere but Tiffanys. Also, the Novo stones are square and the one you posted is quite rectangular...so be aware of that too.

 

[icekid]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:21:19 PM
Author: brandonman22
Here''s a photo of the 1.20 carat diamond I mentioned above.

Looks pretty from the one photo. But it''s not similar to the Tiff Novo, IMO. This one has a slightly large culet, which is a different look. And is far from square, while the Novo is more square shaped. I stand by the Square H&A as much closer to the Novo stone. But if you just want a generic cushion, that one looks pretty.

 

[brandonman22]

Well dang! Where can I find square H&M''s? Are they in the BlueNile.com, WhiteFlash.com, and JamesAllen.com databases? How is a square H&M different from just a square cut?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:31:15 PM
Author: brandonman22

Well dang! Where can I find square H&M''s? Are they in the BlueNile.com, WhiteFlash.com, and JamesAllen.com databases? How is a square H&M different from just a square cut?

It''s a square HEARTS and ARROWS (thus H&A not H&M) diamond and they are available from Good Old Gold.

It''s certainly a specialty cut and not many retailers have them, but they are the absolute closest to the Novo, IMO.

 

[icekid]

Again, this http://goodoldgold.com/ShapeTutorials/SqareHATutorial/ would be a good place to start. And as far as I know, good old gold is the only pricescope vendor who carries these stones.

They are quite different from "just a square cut" which I assume means princess. Princess is a square. Square H&A has similar facet pattern to round H&A, except that it is more square. The corners are rounded, somewhat similar to a cushion.

 

[brandonman22]

Do you think a cushion cut would look good in the Novo ring then?

 

[mrssalvo]

if you want the stone to look like the tiffany novo, then the square H&A stone that Goodoldgold carries is it. the actual novo is patented by Tiffany''s so you aren''t going to get that exact stone anywhere but there, as already mentioned. As far as i know, Goodoldgold is the only pricescope vendor who has the square H&A''s.

 

[brandonman22]

But can you tell me if a cushion would work within the Novo ring and look just as good? I''m just exploring my options here. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:43:36 PM
Author: brandonman22

But can you tell me if a cushion would work within the Novo ring and look just as good? I'm just exploring my options here. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

yes, i think so. neatfreak had a cushion in the ritani endless love setting that the folks at tiffany's mistook for the real thing. I actually like the ritani setting better. But, a regular cushion will not show the arrows that the novo does.

 

[icekid]

Really, the Novo setting is not anything that out of the ordinary (around here, at least!). There are many companies that have very similar settings, and had them before the Novo came out. A regular cushion would also look beautiful in that type of setting.

 

[LegacyGirl]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:43:36 PM
Author: brandonman22

But can you tell me if a cushion would work within the Novo ring and look just as good? I''m just exploring my options here. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

It would look quite nice in the setting but would not look as much like the Novo as the square H&A does.

 

[brandonman22]

Well it doesn''t have to look exactly like the Novo but I want it to still take her breathe away. What about the diamond below?

1.25 Carat F-VS1 Premium

 

[LegacyGirl]

Looks too much like ice to me. Why don''t you contact Mark at ERD and tell him what you are looking for. He found a great diamond for me and many others around here.

 

[brandonman22]

I apologize for my stupidity with asking so many questions but isn''t the ice look a good thing?

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 2/26/2008 1:57:54 PM
Author: brandonman22
I apologize for my stupidity with asking so many questions but isn't the ice look a good thing?

it's a matter of preference..here's a picture pauly posted that is a good example of the different looks:

antique like chunky facets on the left...crushed ice on the right. there are also cushions that fall inbetween.

 

[mrssalvo]

check out this thread if you get a chance..

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rectangular-cushion-vs-square.79371/

 

[brandonman22]

Date: 2/26/2008 12:26:03 PM
Author: Lorelei
I wouldn''t recommend buying a cushion without the help of an expert vendor, and detailed photographs of the diamond. I do not think that BN provide this service at this time. You have no way of knowing how a cushion can look and perform without at least photos or an ASET image if available.

Personally I would stick with a vendor who has in house diamonds that they can look at and recommend, such as Mark at engagementringsdirect, or Jon at Good Old Gold, or Whiteflash. Also unless you particularly want VVS clarity, I would consider VS and possibly an SI1 or even SI2 clarity, if the vendor verified it was eyeclean ( and matched your definition of eyeclean). Also you cannot judge a cushion or any diamond for that matter, by labels such as very good cut, premium etc, as they in no way guarantee you a well cut diamond.

Thanks for pointing all of this out. I totally agree after studying the differences between the crushed ice and the antique looks of cushions, not to mention the bowtie effect. Thanks again!

 

[brandonman22]

Date: 2/26/2008 2:02:23 PM
Author: mrssalvo
check out this thread if you get a chance..

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rectangular-cushion-vs-square.79371/

Thanks for pointing me to that thread, it totally opened my eyes to the differences. I''m starting to get more of a hang of this.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 2/26/2008 6:02:30 PM
Author: brandonman22

Date: 2/26/2008 2:02:23 PM

Author: mrssalvo

check out this thread if you get a chance..


https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rectangular-cushion-vs-square.79371/

Thanks for pointing me to that thread, it totally opened my eyes to the differences. I''m starting to get more of a hang of this.

believe me, i''ve been on this forum for years and just bought a cushion and cushions still make me go

the biggest key is just figuring out what look or kind of cushion you like and then find a trusted vendor to find it for you. you''re doing great and asking questions which is always a good thing and the way to educate yourself..

 

[LegacyGirl]

Date: 2/26/2008 6:07:14 PM
Author: mrssalvo

Date: 2/26/2008 6:02:30 PM
Author: brandonman22

Date: 2/26/2008 2:02:23 PM

Author: mrssalvo

check out this thread if you get a chance..


https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rectangular-cushion-vs-square.79371/

Thanks for pointing me to that thread, it totally opened my eyes to the differences. I''m starting to get more of a hang of this.

believe me, i''ve been on this forum for years and just bought a cushion and cushions still make me go

the biggest key is just figuring out what look or kind of cushion you like and then find a trusted vendor to find it for you. you''re doing great and asking questions which is always a good thing and the way to educate yourself..

I agree!

There are so many different shapes and looks to them... you really have to know what you want and just take the time to find it.

 

[brandonman22]

Is there really any vendors out there that I should be cautious of?