Finally....a chunky cushion!!!

[facetedjewel]

I''m still pretty new to PS, but I''ve been reading it for close to a year now. The ongoing saga with my engagement ring/wedding ring is hopefully nearing an end. I chose a beautiful Parade Design rose and white gold setting with micro pave'' white diamonds with pink diamonds set in the rose gold accents. Very antique looking with millgrain throughout. Originally it was set with Asscher, but once we added the matching wedding band (it was bought well after the wedding b/c of timing), the Asscher just looked like a square peg in a round hole so I''ve been searching for a suitable replacement, other than a round. I fell in love with chunky cushions thanks to PS. My jeweler, who was not confident at all that he could find one, seems to have found a great candidate. We''ve looked at a few, but they all were the crushed ice look until I got him to look at the facet plots first. Thanks fellow PSers!! What do you think?

GIA
1.38
F
VSI
Depth 58.5%
Table 61%
7.09 X 6.87
Girdle medium to thick, faceted
Fluor None
Polish Good
Sym Good
8 main pav

I haven''t seen it yet in person, but my husband saw it and says it''s just stunning. I was worried about the bowtie, but he didn''t notice it at all in person so it may just be the photo. I''ll know Saturday.

I was worried about the depth being smaller than the table. Is it a touch on the shallow side or does everyone think it''s OK. It''s so close to square, I gather that round parameters are good standards to measure against. If that''s true, I think the depth should be fine. I don''t have any crown info. Typical GIA.

I''ll also post a photo of my current diamond and setting.

 

[facetedjewel]

This is the setting I''m trying to find a new center stone for. I just think a chunky cushion would be perfect in this. It was hard to let go of the Asscher b/c I am so drawn to them, but I just didn''t select the right setting for one. I think they are better showcased in bezels.

NOTE: the new cushion will be larger than the current Asscher

My Asscher is a D, SI1, .80, 5.32 X 5.22

 

[neatfreak]

It certainly is a bit shallower than a lot of nice stones, but that one looks beautiful and really you need to judge cushions by their look not their numbers...I would make sure to ask the vendor if the table detracts from the look of the stone, but it doesn't look like it does. And I agree an asscher just isn't right in that setting!

 

[kcoursolle]

The image sure is lovely!! I would go check it out in person and try to get it out into a variety of lighting. If you could get a crown height measurement that might be helpful with this particular depth/table combo.

 

[Ellen]

Sure is beautiful in the pic!

 

[CharmyPoo]

Looks pretty to me! It sure faces up huge!

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

The cushion looks gorgeous and that setting is so unique! I can see why you would like a cushion in there. I think that Parade Designs rings are beautiful. I have tried some on and they are awesome.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Ohhh that setting is amazing...sooo romantic and antique-looking. The Asscher is pretty, but that cushion will make it perfection

 

[pixley]

I think it''s a beautiful cushion and will look gorgeous in that setting. Very pretty!

 

[jerichosmom]

I love the facets! I''ve been shopping for a cushion also and it''s so hard to find somthing that has that type of faceting....

I think the cushion will look great in the setting.

 

[facetedjewel]

Thanks to everyone who commented. I could not have gotten this far with the cushion search if it weren''t for the cushion "experts" on PS and the persistence and patience of my jeweler. I read through countless old posts on how to narrow down a search for this elusive chunky look that is only found in a few cushions cut today. Posts from Cehra and Boston Jeff were especially helpful, as it was when I got my jeweler to look at the facet plots to weed out candidates that we finally found this one. Cehra''s 15 cushion facet chart was really helpful. I would love to lobby with them that the labs need to have different names for each facet plot rather than the generic "cushion brilliant" or "cushion modified brilliant". Those cover way too many cuts!

I also really appreciate the feedback on the cushion versus the Asscher in this particular setting. I''m glad so many of you agree! I just racked my brain trying to figure out a different cut - anything other than a round. When it was just the engagement ring itself, the Asscher did look nice, but adding that band (we only had 1 photo when we ordered it and it didn''t show the rounded white gold "bridge") just made the Asscher out of place in a bad way! I have a fantastic 1ct round already, but really wanted something different. I just love fancies. I just thought the cushion shape would be ideal and specifically a chunky one for that older look that would match my setting.

I''ll know Saturday when I go see the new stone in person if it''s going to be the one. Fingers crossed! It''s been an exciting journey, but a long one. If it''s the one, I''ll post pictures of the final product when it is finished!

Thanks to all!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/31/2008 9:39:09 AM
Author: facetedjewel

I''ll know Saturday when I go see the new stone in person if it''s going to be the one. Fingers crossed! It''s been an exciting journey, but a long one. If it''s the one, I''ll post pictures of the final product when it is finished!

Thanks to all!

Good luck, we''ll be watching!

 

[TNM5]

Having also had a problem finding a chunky cushion, I know what you are going through. But when you find the right one from the few you see, boy is it worth it! I had to go through this with my fiances ring. As far as the depth being smaller than the table, I think it wont be a problem as long as you are around 60% on the depth, which you are. You are not going to lose the image of depth from what I can see, and you benefit from the stone facing up bigger than a stone that size might normally. You''ll know when you see it in person. Good luck!

 

[Rhino]

Just finding that facet construction is difficult enough. Being particular about proportion combo''s with that facet construction ... I wish I had that luxury in selection. Good luck on it.

 

[facetedjewel]

Wow, so they really are as rare as they have been presented to me? Hearing that from you, Rhino, just makes it really sink in. I guess I didn''t really believe it until now. I just figured it was a matter of having the right connections. It seems so many PSers prefer them, but I''ve been told by my jeweler that the modifieds are what the general population wants. It''s so hard for me to believe, but I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What one person adores, another would abhor! To my eye, there is no comparison! Chunkies RULE! I can say this, though, the labs seriously need to change the names so each facet structure has it''s own name. I suppose they don''t do that with branded RB stones either though, so I can see the dilemma. Weeding through the intricacies of cushions and the various looks they present was just an incredible process. It seems like there could be something done to simplify and break them out for the consumer as well as the dealer.

 

[MMT]

I think it would look gorgeous!!

 

[facetedjewel]

Well, I just thought I''d follow up to my in person visit. It''s indeed a very chunky stone and the facet pattern is such that you can peer into the stone, which is why I like the chunky versions the best. It''s one of the reasons I was drawn to Asscher''s. The color was just gorgeous (F) and upon looking under the microscope, the clarity is even better than I imagined it would be(VS1). Just one tiny bit of a feather around 7 o''clock, which does not meet the surface so it''s not a risk and no possible way of seeing it with just my eyes. The clarity really rocks considering how large the facets are. There is no hiding anything in this one! Those facets are just amazing!

As far the cut goes, I had a harder time judging that. It definitely sparkles, but since depth was my biggest concern going in, I had a hard time judging. I don''t think it took away from the beauty of the stone at all, but I think I just had it in my mind that I''d find one with a huge billowy crown (along with all the other things on my laundry list of wishes!) and this one doesn''t have that. I wouldn''t consider it a flat crown, but it''s not the huge ones you sometimes see on PS. While it still has fire, it''s just not as much as I was really dreaming of. I didn''t think the table was too big at all. However, when I weighed all the pros against the 1 con (shorter crown), I decided I didn''t want to risk passing up that beautiful facet pattern, color and clarity. I just really love 8 pavillion mains over 4 and the 8''s are so hard to come by. Especially since I''m using my jewelers upgrade policy so I don''t have the luxury of calling up Mark or Rhino and my jeweler took months to locate this stone after we saw several that had the modified pattern. He was really close to giving up. So, I bought it. It''s definitely prettier in person than in the photo above. Those dark areas that I was concerned about, don''t show in person at all. I did not get any new photos though so you''ll have to wait on that! Although, I might go up this weekend and take some while they are holding it.

Do you guys think I did the right thing? I just hated to walk away from it, but I hope I didn''t settle. I suppose there is always a worse one and better one no matter what the subject!

I did get some other fantastic news, though. Some of this is a repeat from a prior thread, but in a nutshell, we did all we could initially to make the Asscher work. They added some rose gold between the pears and the head for the Asscher to make it look more like it fit, but in the process (the first attempt was the wrong shade of rose gold!) the craftsman polished the ring too vigorously and took off a good portion of the millgrain work. Since it was all originally machined by Parade before the stones were set and my jeweler only has hand tools, there was really no way to repair it so they are replacing my engagement ring!!! They are ordering a brand new one and providing Parade with the dimensions of my new cushion so this time no adjustments will be necessary. I was so thrilled because the chances of matching the fine detail of the millgrain was pretty slim and an attempt at repairing it would probably only lead to more messes. So, I was really proud that they are correcting their mistake and giving me a new ring for my new beautiful cushion. The bad news.... 6 weeks before it is expected. In the meantime, I get to wear my Asscher and current setting until the new one comes in. I love it when people do the right thing, don''t you? I didn''t even have to throw a fit.