Cushion Modified - GIA definition changed?

[chains007]

Hi Everyone

I'm new to this forum but I've been reading up for the past month or so. I'm in the market for a cushion diamond - and I'm drawn to the traditional "cushion brilliant"...vs. the modified because i don't like the crushed ice look.

Since the standard "brilliant" is much harder to find vs modified, i've been calling around to many places in search of one...including several dealers mentioned on this forum. I was told by someone that GIA changed their definition recently so in some more recent reports, even though it says "Cushion Modified" - it's actually a "Cushion Brilliant". After looking at the report and plot, I noticed the extra facets on the pavilion, which based on my previous knowledge, led me to believe this was still a "modified" diamond.

However, it was explained to me that as long as the 4 pavilion mains (the diamonds in question are 4 main) are not interrupted from culet to girdle, it's not typically going to have the crushed ice look - and that this is actually a cushion brilliant. Here's the plot of the diamond:




I know there are cushion modifieds out there that don't have the crushed ice look (i've seen the GOG video)...and I know I can't rely on a plot....but is it true that this diamond would have been considered a "cushion brilliant" in the past by GIA? I'm seeing a lot of similar diamonds on the market with this sort of cut.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[stone-cold11]

This.

https://www.pricescope.com/journal/new_gia_and_agsl_naming_conventions_cushion_cut_diamonds

 

[chains007]

thanks...this helps. So I completely understand the new methodology. However, I'm still not clear whether or not the example I showed would have been called a "cushion brilliant" prior to these standards. I'm really just trying to determine if the optics on this would be more similar to a traditional cushion vs. the crushed ice look. Is there a certain plot that almost always will give the crushed ice look? There are so many out there, I would like an easy way to eliminate some from my consideration set (if that's possible at all).

thanks

 

[DianaDiana]

I am not very experienced in looking at diamonds, but I too have been trying to visualize a correlation between the plots and how the actual diamond looks.

I wonder if the crushed ice look is more a matter of the number of facets rather than whether or not the four pavilion mains go uninterrupted?

 

[Rhino]

Hi chains,

That would have been considered cushion modified and most likely still is.

Facet structure on cushions generally fall in one of 2 categories. Modern or Vintage.

Light performance in cushions vary depending on the geometry or proportions of the individual diamond coupled with its facet structure. If the crown of the diamond is effectively grabbing light from the brightest resources in the environment and the pavilion is effectively reflecting them back to the observer, you have there, in a nutshell, the chemistry for the rarest and most beautiful optics. There are tools that effectively and objectively show this data too.

Cushions that have what I would consider superior optics will vary in the way they reflect light back to the eye. That would range from a concentration of many small reflections to fewer and broader reflections and some in between the 2. What one prefers is dependant upon the taste of the individual.

In the world of cushions, as you are learning most cushions are cut to modern facet structure and most of the modern facet structures would fall under a more specific cateogry of cushion modified. Fewer are cushion brilliant and even less (actually much less) would fall in the vintage category.

Crushed ice (which both modern and vintage facet structures take on) can also fall into one of two categories of what I would consider "bright crushed ice" and "watery crushed ice" .

The key (if you're going to get your lady involved) is ultimately learning which appearance she enjoys most and work towards that goal.

Kind regards,