Q&A: Square, Asscher, or Cushion Cut Diamond?

I’m looking for a square cut diamond in an antique or antique reproduction setting. I generally prefer the radiant cut, but the attached ring is assher and I really like the setting.

http://antiqueengagementrings.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=2527

I really like this ring. It’s over 2 carats. My first concern is color – J – while you recommend H or better for emerald / assher cuts. Should I be concerned about the color of this particular stone? It looks fine to me in the photo.

I guess my other concern is will the whether I will be disappointed in the radiance / sparkle of this stone. I do prefer the more organized pattern of the assher cut over the somewhat disorganized pattern of a radiant cut, but what you gain in order / structure you lose in sparkle, so I guess it’s a bit of a tradeoff.

If you had any thoughts, I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks.

I’ll research the cushion cut. I can always buy just the setting for the ring I showed you, and could buy the diamond elsewhere. Could I then just have any local jeweler set the stone in the ring?

Thanks Ira. I’m looking to spend about $10k, and would not want anything less than 2 carats.

Probably both stone and setting. I just started looking, so my parameters are still somewhat fluid.

…….

I liked the cushion cut stones, so I may follow your recommendation there.

The other thing I should mention is that I may get the setting I showed you in yellow gold rather than platinum. So if I went for a cushion cut with that setting in yellow gold rather than platinum, should I get an I or a J color as you recommend in your color recommendation web page? Thanks.

This would be one option in an I color. What do you think?

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1316046.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Thanks for the good advice and for sending me those links.

With respect to the stone I emailed you about last time, I sent the link (https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1316046.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 ) to the jeweler who makes the ring and who would be setting the stone. She was concerned with the strong fluorescence, thinking that it might make the stone look milky or cloudy. What do you think about the fluorescence issue?

(She also lightheartedly chastised James Allen for calling the cut “ideal,” saying that the GIA only assigns “ideal” cuts to round diamonds. J )

I liked the first two stones that you sent me, and would probably lean toward the larger stone (https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1184114.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 ) but I am concerned about the K color. You think those K stones would look okay against a 14k yellow gold setting? I would just hate for them to look dull. This is one of those situations where I would love to go to a brick and mortar store and ask to look at K stones against a 14k gold setting, just to see for myself. The Ks sure are a lot cheaper, though!

Here are a couple of others in the J color that I came across that I liked:

Pricey, but very symmetrical looking and beautiful: https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VVS1-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1268807.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Much less expensive, but not such a great photo: https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1319292.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

From the photos, the second stone doesn’t seem to have the sparkle of the first stone. I can’t tell if that’s because it’s a poor photo, or something inherent in the stones. But that’s a $3,500 difference for two stones that on paper appear to be very similar. I can’t quite understand why the first stone is so much more expensive.

Thanks for all your help, Ira.

…….

This one might also be worth inspecting. https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1246881.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 No photo up yet. They want me to send them an email to get the photo. Would it be better if you made the inquiry, so you can get the commission?

This is fun. I feel like I’m becoming the amateur diamond expert here!

So here’s what I did. I contacted James Allen via chat and asked if their gemologist could look at the 2.30 (https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1316046.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 ) to check for milkiness or cloudiness associated with the fluorescence. At that point, the rep told me I could also have the gemologist to compare it to two other stones, so I took her up on the offer.

So I linked the rep to the 2.41 color K that you recommended (https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1184114.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 ) and asked that the gemologist review the color, so see how it would look against a 14K yellow gold setting. So on that one, the gemologist will address my concern over color.

Finally, I gave her the 2.11 special cut (https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VVS1-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1268807.asp ). I have to admit, I find this stone captivating. Even the rep said it was gorgeous, and she looks at stones all day. I wonder how much of a difference it will make to the naked eye, but under the virtual loupe it’s really magnificent.

I also told the chat rep that I was working with you. So when it’s time to finalize, please let me know what to do to make sure that you get your commission.

Cost aside, I’d probably go for the 2.11, but the fact that it costs $5K more than the 2.41 is tough to swallow. Do you have a strong preference for any of the above three?

I think I’m going to go with the more expensive stone. The jeweler which will set the stone really loved it. What’s the coupon code? I don’t know anything about that. Thanks.