{"id":26734,"date":"2019-01-22T10:15:16","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T15:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/?p=26734"},"modified":"2019-01-22T10:15:16","modified_gmt":"2019-01-22T15:15:16","slug":"great-cushion-cut-diamond-buying-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/great-cushion-cut-diamond-buying-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"GREAT CUSHION CUT DIAMOND BUYING TIPS"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Great<\/div>\n

Cushion cuts are becoming quite popular nowadays<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nThe funny thing is, it’s not a new cut<\/strong>. Just newer to engagement rings…<\/p>\n

Sort of.<\/h2>\n

\nYou see, one of the most famous diamonds<\/strong> in the world is cushion cut; the blue Hope diamond<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nSo cushion cuts have been around forever. It’s a beautiful cut that resembles a pillow<\/strong>; square or rectangle in shape, with curved, or rounded corners<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\nWhat’s making them even more popular now, is the price<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nFor the same carat weight and quality, you can save tons of money<\/strong>. They’re so much more cheaper than the standard brilliant cut diamond<\/strong> (which is the most popular cut sold).<\/p>\n

Compare the prices below:<\/h2>\n

\n\"Compare<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
CARAT, CLARITY, COLOR, CUT, POL, SYM, FLUOR<\/strong><\/td>\nPRICE<\/strong><\/td>\nVIEW<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.00, SI1, E, BRILLIANT, EX, EX, NONE<\/strong><\/td>\n$6,150<\/strong><\/td>\nVIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.00, SI1, E, CUSHION, EX, EX, NONE<\/strong><\/td>\n$3,000<\/strong><\/td>\nVIEW<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Didn’t expect that price difference?<\/h2>\n

\nCombine that with some stunning mountings<\/strong>, like the pave mounting<\/a> or halo mounting<\/a>, and you have yourself one incredible engagement ring<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But you have to be careful…<\/h2>\n

\nBecause not all cushion cut diamonds look good. Just like any other cut of diamond, the 4c’s plays a huge part in appearance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nSo to keep you from buying a bad cushion<\/strong> cut diamond, that lacks light, life and sparkle, I’ve put together a list of 5 important tips<\/strong> that will help you select the most brilliant cushion possible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nHere we go…<\/p>\n

1) Clarity:<\/h2>\n

\nJust like any diamond, the better looking stones lack eye-visible inclusions<\/strong>. Meaning, you can’t see the flaws with the bare eye. You won’t see large black spots<\/strong>, clouds, lines<\/strong>, cracks… It’s all invisible <\/strong>to the eye, unless you use a high powered 10x jeweler’s loupe<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nAnd to do that, you’ll need a clarity of at least SI1<\/strong>. SI1 is the best, most affordable clarity<\/strong> there is where you can’t see flaws in the stone. They’re all microscopic.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\nCompare an SI1 diamond to an I1 (included<\/strong>) diamond below:<\/p>\n

\n\"Compare<\/p>\n

\nNot only is SI1 a great clarity to buy<\/strong>, but it’s much more affordable than a higher clarity stone. And, if you put an SI1 diamond up against a higher clarity; VS, VVS, Flawless<\/strong>, they will all look the same (unless you microscoped them). That’s why SI1 is the best selling diamond clarity in the world<\/strong>. SI1 looks like Flawless.<\/p>\n

2) Color:<\/h2>\n

\nWhiter diamonds tend to face up bigger and brighter<\/strong> than yellow diamonds. They lighten up the entire body and make it stand out and “pop<\/strong>” in the mounting (especially pure white diamonds like these<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\nWhite diamonds are those from H color or higher<\/strong>. G-H is a “fine white<\/strong>” diamond color, and D-E-F is “pure white<\/strong>“. Any diamond H or higher has no trace of yellow<\/strong> in the stone.<\/p>\n

\nCompare an E color (my favorite diamond color<\/strong>), to K below:<\/p>\n

\n\"Compare<\/p>\n

\nThat’s quite a visual difference, wouldn’t you say? Shop for SI1, E cushion cut diamonds here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

3) Cut:<\/h2>\n

\nCut is a little bit tricky<\/strong>, and here’s why: cushion cuts, and all other fancy cut diamonds (every shape other than round) do not come with a cut grade<\/strong>. Only round brilliant cut diamonds do (and those are excellent<\/strong>, very good, good<\/strong>, fair and poor<\/strong>). This is because fancy cuts are not symmetrical in shape (like a perfectly round sphere<\/strong>). Fancy cuts are longer, thinner, wider, deeper… <\/p>\n

\nCushions cuts have many styles of faceting<\/strong>, too. Take a peek at some of the cutting styles below. You’ll see that the top view is the same, but the way they cut the pavilion, the base of the diamond, varies.<\/p>\n

\n\"Different<\/p>\n

\nSo they are all cut different and unique, making one cut grade impossible<\/strong>. There is no exact science.<\/p>\n

Fancies get no grade.<\/h2>\n

\nSome cushion cuts have a starburst pattern<\/strong>, and others look more like crushed ice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Compare the two main styles below:<\/h2>\n

\n\"Compare<\/p>\n

\nWhen it comes to appearance, it really comes down to preference<\/strong>. Every diamond is different, and it needs to look pleasing to you. <\/p>\n

\nI prefer the starburst <\/strong>(antique styling) better, but you have to watch out for depth<\/strong> (which is listed on the diamond report<\/strong>). Often these can get too deep or lumpy. Generally if you obtain a cushion cut that’s 58%-70%<\/strong> in total depth, you’ll be fine<\/strong> (check the diamond profile<\/strong> for these numbers). Any deeper than that and your diamond may look dark or shadowed in the center.<\/p>\n

Just like these deep cushion cut diamonds here:<\/h2>\n

\n\"Lumpy<\/p>\n

\nOther indicators<\/strong> to how good a cushion cut is polish and symmetry<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nPolish<\/strong> is listed on the diamond report, and is graded in 5 categories<\/strong> (excellent, very good, good, fair and poor). I would advise purchasing “excellent<\/strong>“, that way your facets will all be perfectly smooth and clean, and not have grain lines<\/strong>, cut marks, grooves <\/strong>or waves.<\/p>\n

\nSymmetry is highly important too<\/strong>. It’s graded the same way as polish. I would suggest “excellent<\/strong>” in that field as well. Symmetry is how perfectly even your facets are shaped, situated, and line up. Compare the two diamonds below<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

One is “excellent” cut, the other “good”.<\/h2>\n

\n\"Compare<\/p>\n

\nLastly, when it comes to cut, there is only one place that I know of, that actually defines a cut grade<\/strong> for cushions.<\/p>\n

That’s James Allen!<\/h2>\n

\nJames Allen<\/strong> actually categorizes cut grades for cushion cuts<\/strong> and princess cuts<\/a>. They also give these diamonds one of the best cut grades possible<\/strong>; True Hearts<\/a>. True Hearts are those lovely hearts and arrows patterns<\/strong> that’s obtained in the world’s best cut diamonds. And now, you can get that cream-of-the-crop<\/strong> faceting in cushions.<\/p>\n

\nIf you truly want the most sparkle<\/strong>, the most pizzazz<\/strong> of any cushion on the market, go with True Hearts<\/a>. They will outshine any other diamond by a mile.<\/p>\n

4) Fluorescence:<\/h2>\n

\nFluorescence is a topic few talk about, but it can have a huge impact<\/strong> on the way a diamond appears.<\/p>\n

\nFluorescence is a natural phenomenon<\/strong> that can make a diamond look foggy or hazy<\/strong> in natural sunlight, regardless of the color or clarity (especially if it’s graded “strong fluorescence<\/strong>“).<\/p>\n

\nSo I would recommend buying a cushion cut that’s void of any fluorescence<\/strong>. Just to be safe.<\/p>\n

Look for “none” on the diamond report:<\/h2>\n

\n\"Check<\/p>\n

5) Visual Appearance:<\/h2>\n

\nI’ve already talked about a dark center<\/strong>, a crushed ice pattern, and a diamond that’s too lumpy<\/strong>… These things are really important when it comes to looks. But it’s things that no diamond report can show you<\/strong>. It’s something you have to see for yourself, with your own two eyes.<\/p>\n

\nYou need to see the real diamond<\/strong> (not a sample stock photo), close up, and see how it interacts with light<\/strong>. Magnify it. Look at the facets and turn the stone around<\/strong>… For the entire purpose to a diamond is the life, the sparkle, and the brilliance it brings. That’s why we love them<\/strong>. And if a diamond lacks these wonderful attributes, then it won’t make a very pretty engagement ring.<\/p>\n

It has to shine!<\/h2>\n

\nThat’s why I recommend shopping at James Allen<\/strong>. They show you the real diamonds, close up (magnified 40x<\/strong>), and allows you to spin the stone around 360\u00b0<\/strong>. That way you can view the stone from all angles, sides, inside and out. It’s the only way to shop<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

\n\"Where<\/p>\n

Set your cushion cut in a mounting (like a solitaire mounting<\/a>, pave mounting<\/a>, or a halo mounting<\/a>), and you’ll be good to go propose<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\nPlus, the prices on their diamonds is outstanding<\/strong>. Some of the lowest prices in the country<\/strong>. Just compare them will any mall jewelry stores<\/strong> and you’ll see a striking difference.<\/p>\n

\nSo check out these cushion cuts here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\nCheers! :)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cushion cuts are becoming quite popular nowadays. The funny thing is, it’s not a new cut. Just newer to engagement rings… Sort of. You see, one of the most famous diamonds in the world is [Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,9,7,6,5,29,3,10,16,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-carat-weight","category-certification","category-clarity","category-color","category-cut","category-diamond-guide","category-diamonds","category-engagement","category-guides","category-loose-diamonds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26734"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}