Help needed with purchase of 2 carat cushion

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aga5

aga5

O.G.
Jan 29, 2011
441
225
#1
I am looking to purchase 2 carat cushion, $25k budget. I am Also traveling to Europe next month, visiting Antwer is not out of the question. Suggestions on purchasing here vs there. What should be reasonable spec Expectations given the budget. Any help ladies appreciated.

I have looked and Good to Gold's August vintage cushion, which I really like.
 
#2
First and foremost.... a 2ct in a cushion is going to vary wildly in dimensions vs 2 cts in a round. They are just not the same animal. So prepare yourself for that.

I guess the bigger question is what kind of "look" are you going for? Antique all around? If you like the look of the AVC/Antique style, do you like the idea of a warmer stone? That's the question I am asking, really. Color-related. Like an L/M color? Or would you like it whiter? That is something to think about. I tend to like the AVCs around a J-K. White but with a little more warmth. They're designed to look "older" but they're cut well. If you go lower in color, you can get a larger stone, and or cleaner stone. I personally am a clarity freak, so that's something that would be on my radar. The higher the color, the smaller or lower clarity you'll need to go. But a 2ct in that cut on your budget (assuming 25K is JUST stone budget) is doable. If that includes the setting, you might need to balance your specs and maybe go just under 2ct.

I would recommend if you're residing in the states that you buy within the states otherwise you're going to be dealing with duties and import taxes you don't want to be taking from your budget.
 
#3
Ok great, based on some of your older posts I have already been reviewing the Good to Gold inventory but there seems to be a hole in their inventory at my price point. Lot of stones under $20k and over $35k. For me clarity is important, my husband is a color freak. We are planning on visiting some shops here in the area just to see in person some of the options.

Any other worthwhile suggestion for sites or Jewelers would be appreciated. I am in the Chocagoland area.
 
#4
GOG is often getting new stuff in so I'd call to see what they have coming in, and see what works in high clarity in your budget.

Another in NYC known for cushions is Brilliantly Engaged. Mark Turnkowski knows cushions.

For Chicago area: I don't know if Dimend Scassi has anything antique style that they specialize in, but they are a great Chicago jeweler. They work with Crafted By Infinity diamonds but those are ideal rounds. I assume they'd be able to get nice cushions. I've seen great settings by them that have nice cushions just from photos.

One more is Victor Canera who cuts his own old style cushions as well, he's in LA. There is animosity between he and GOG on that front just FYI.
 
#9
We are headed to a couple Jewelers today and tomorrow afternoon we have an appointment at Dimend Scacci, thank you for the recommendations. Are Jewelers willing to negotiate on prices? I know when I was purchasing a rolex for my husband and I, I was able to negotiate about 15-20% off the retail, should I expect the same with diamonds?
 
#10
Not usually. There is typically very little markup outside of brands. With the competition between online and retail, diamonds are just not marked up a lot like they used to be. Settings may give you more wiggle on branded ones, but not always.
 
#12
So while I have been looking, me jeweler also if been, he called for my husband and I to stop into show what he found. ImageUploadedByPurseForum1428787461.009280.jpg we decided to go with it and purchase it. It's a 2.01 cushion, F color, S1 clarity, the ring TCW is 3.67
 
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