Tips on buying cushion cut engagement rings
Cushion cut engagement rings are becoming very fashionable again. People are drawn to the romantic era of the late 1800’s when the USA was enjoying a period of unprecedented wealth. A woman was encouraged to show off her diamonds. Cuts suitable for larger stones, like the Cushion cut, were invented.
It is possible to buy some cushion cut antique diamond rings if you like antique jewelry. Personally I love it as the quality and settings tend to be of excellent quality. But some people do not like the fact that an unknown woman or in fact generations of women have worn it previously. People are often superstitious especially when it involves an engagement or wedding ring as they believe that if these other women weren’t happy in their unions, this unhappiness may follow with the ring. I don’t follow this line of reasoning as to me it is all about the stone but I can completely understand those that do.
The good news is that you can find modern cushion cut engagement rings although you do have to take care where you purchase. This is not a cheap stone that you will be buying. As a minimum unless you can afford a quality one carat diamond of at least a grade I but preferably an E or an F, you should chose a different style of cut. Some cuts like the cushion cut will expose the flaws present in all stones more readily than others.
A good jeweler will also advise you on the color of the setting for your new ring. Diamonds are usually always set in platinum and then set into the yellow or white gold band. But some grades of stone look better sitting in the yellow gold as it minimizes any flaws present. Don’t forget that any diamond you buy will have an inherent flaw in clarity or color such as a yellow streak. It is only D diamonds which are colorless and FL is the grade given to flawless stones and this combination is not found in many jewelers. You might see one or two if you visit the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, UK or perhaps at a Princes palace in Saudi Arabia!
No matter what price cushion cut engagement rings are, you need to look after them carefully. Although a diamond is the strongest stone known to man, it can crack especially if it receives a hard knock. Do not wear your engagement ring doing the household chores or the gardening as you could scratch the surface of the stone. This is a precious object designed to show your commitment to each other and should be treated with care. Constant immersing in water can cause the setting to become lose. If it does, it could fall down the plug hole.
You should clean your diamond ring carefully every so often as every day materials do dull the appearance of the stone. Always use the proper cleaning fluid as supplied by your jeweler. Have your jeweler check your ring at least annually to make sure that the prongs of the setting are secure. Cushion Cut engagement rings need to be securely set or the diamond may fall off and that would be a tragedy.