why are cushion setting so expensive

[nycgal]

My boyfriend has been looking into the ring I want (Cushion cut w/micropave halo), and is finding that cushion settings are extraordinarily expensive. Is this the case others have encountered when shopping for their cushion cuts? Please advise!!!

 

[chrono]

Well, a macropave halo setting is going to be expensive no matter what shaped diamond you plan to put into that setting.

if you are looking for something more budget conscious, perhaps something with just diamonds on the shank will be less costly.

 

[musey]

Like Chrono said, anything with micropave will be expensive. To my knowledge, the pricing of settings has everything to do with the metal and stones (if applicable) used as well as the workmanship, and nothing to do with shape!

 

[nycgal]

Thanks for the input! His inquiry into settings for a cushion cut have not included the micropave. From what my BF said, he was told that cushion and asscher cut stones were expensive to set, as compared to other diamond cuts (all other things being equal i.e. size of stone, metal, etc). We haven''t yet looked into the micropave halo setting as yet, so the increased price quote couldn''t have been swayed by that. Is he getting misinformation re: cushion settings? We are new to diamond shopping, so any help from fellow Pricescope-ers would be very much appreciated!!!

 

[chrono]

Well, that''s news to me then.

No, in all seriousness, cushion and square stones are not anymore expensive to set, nor are those setting more expensive than rounds. The selection might be less vast, but other than that, there really isn''t much difference.

 

[mrssalvo]

if you go to just about any vendors website, they will have setting prices and will tell you which shapes the setting will accomdate. Most of the time the price of the setting will not change no matter what shape stone you are having set.

 

[neatfreak]

Well wherever your BF is going he is getting a load of BS. Cushions are no more expensive to set than any other stone and they generally fit into a number of ready made settings. Like others have said, micropave adds a LOT to the price, but cushion/asscher or otherwise, the shape doesn''t matter at all.

I highly suggest that he changes where he is shopping...

 

[decodelighted]

Maybe what the jeweler is referring to is the fact that there aren''t as many stock ring heads suitable for cushions & asschers ... so heads take extra time to be re-worked for those stones, or need to be hand-fabricated (taking more time, materials & $$$)

I would think that heads for EC stones could be made to work for cushions ... and four prong RB heads could be made to work for asschers -- but ... *shrug*. Anything "new" (ha -- old) seems to command a premium. And people seek "premiums" whereever they can!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

For rounds and square-shaped diamonds like a princess or radiant the halos are either round or square, so maybe that''s easier? For asschers and cushions you need a rounded square shape, so maybe that''s more difficult for them to make? I''m not sure...