A cushion cut diamond is the perfect answer for those torn between round brilliant and princess or square cut diamonds. Cushion cut diamonds were once the standard cut for diamonds, before round brilliant cuts took over. With their soft, rounded corners, cushion cut diamonds bridge the gap between round brilliant cuts and princess cuts. At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we have a beautiful array of GIA certified cushion cut diamonds for your engagement ring or jewelry piece.
PROS & CONS of Cushion Cut Diamonds
Jewelers and recipients alike, enjoy this design for its classic and timeless aesthetic. Furthermore, gemologists have determined these cuts to have the most dispersion of light, or fire. Additionally, the jewelry market typically prices round brilliant cut diamonds higher than cushion cut for two reasons.
Demand
Less waste
However due to the deeper cut needed for this design, you
will need to overcompensate with a larger stone than anticipated.
Chunky vs Crushed Ice: Jewelers refer to these two terms when talking about the back facets and light reflections. If the light reflections appear in broad flashes, it refers to “chunky” aesthetic, if it appears as broken glass
“Chunky”
“Crushed Ice”
Length-to-Width Ration: Cushion cuts can come in “square” ratios as well as varying rectangle ratios. We should mention that you ought to avoid a length to width ration between 1.06 to 1.10.
Standard vs Modified Brilliant Cushion Cuts: Beginning in the 1920’s, diamond cutters added an extra row of facets beneath the girdle. However there is minimal affect on the beauty or structural integrity of the diamond.
Depth and Table: look for a cushion cuts with a depth and table under 70%. As well as symmetry and polish that is very good or excellent.
CARAT WEIGHT:
As we previously mentioned, cushion cuts tend to appear smaller than their round counterparts due to the depth of the cuts. That being said, if size is an issue, you may have to go larger than anticipated.
COLOR:
Cushion cuts show more color than round brilliant but this effect is negated by their brilliance and dispersion. However, we suggest looking for cushion cuts with color grades of I or higher.
CLARITY:
Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers tell shoppers to choose
clarity grades of SI1 or higher as the integrity of the stone is not
compromised as well as the aesthetic.
Email, text or call Schwanke-Kasten
Jewelers today to learn more about cushion cut diamonds and how to set up a
free consultation with one of our highly trained sales associates.
Engagement ring settings refers to how the diamond (or
center stone) is attached to the ring and sure-enough, there are many ways to
do so. At Schwanke-Kasten
Jewelers, we carry an wide array of engagement rings with various settings.
ENGAGEMENT RING SETTINGS
PRONG SETTING:
The most common settings you’ll find in the market are four and six prong settings on solitaire diamonds. Jewelers prefer this setting because it elevates the diamond, showcasing the stones fire and brilliance while offering a clean, timeless look that is easy to maintain. The pieces of metal that hold the center stone in place (the prongs) often have a rounded, points, flat or v-shape. These metal prongs extend up and gently fold over the diamond to secure it in place. Whats the benefits over one or the other? Simply put, a four prong setting will show off more of the diamond while six prongs will make the diamond more secure. Additionally, six prong settings make the diamond appear more round (versus square with a four prong). Prong settings in general use less metal than other settings, so either way they will be more visible.
Vada Engagement Ring from Naledi – 6 Prong Setting, Round Brilliant Diamond with 18k White Gold Prongs and 18k Rose Gold Mounting
However, because the diamond is elevated, should you have an active lifestyle or wear lots of loose fitting clothing, you will run a heightened risk of the setting getting snagged on clothing. So we recommend having annual “check-ups” with this type of setting.
TIFFANY SETTING
A special six prong setting scientifically developed by the
famed light blue box jeweler Tiffany & Co., in 1886. This setting maximizes
the light returned on the diamond by using a knife edge of its shaft and design
of its prongs. The benefits and cons are similar to your standard prong
setting.
CATHEDRAL SETTING
Jewelers consider the cathedral setting as one of the more elegant and classic engagement ring settings. While the center stone may be set using prongs, tensions or bezel settings, what defines this setting is really the arches mounted above the rest of the shank. These arches add additional height making the stone appear larger and more accentuated. That height, however, comes at the added risk of being snagged on clothing, furniture and other objects.
BEZEL SETTING
Due to its modern look and suitability for active lifestyles, the bezel setting is quickly becoming a popular style. Instead of elevating the diamond with prongs, jewelers use a metal rim custom-fitted to encircle, either fully or partially, the center stone in place. The absence of prongs will no longer snag on clothing as well as protects the diamond very well. However, with extra protection comes more center stone being hidden and less light being allowed in.
Claire Ring Design by Naledi – 18k White Gold, Bezel Setting with Round Brilliant Cut Diamond
CHANNEL SETTING
Often times jewelers set smaller diamonds on the shank or band of the ring to enhance the ring’s overall sparkle while minimizing snagging opportunities and maximizing stone security. Using grooves in a metal channel (or row), the stones are set, flush against each other. The downside, is that it is difficult to clean within the grooves as well as resize.
PAVE SETTING
While very similar to the channel setting, jewelers will drill holes into the ring, place the stones into the ring then form tiny beads (prongs) around each stone to secure them. Pave settings provide additional brilliance and sparkle to highlight the center stone, more so than channel setting, but is much more difficult to resize that a channel set ring.
Martin Flyer Cutdown Halo Engagement Ring – 14k white gold, 4 prong center stone setting, micropave set diamonds in halo and shanks.
If diamonds are smaller than .01 carat, it is called micro-pave,
which you see often with our Martin
Flyer collection.
HALO SETTINGS
At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we carry many engagement rings using halo settings as they provide a beautiful way to make a smaller carat center stone bigger or a lesser quality center stone more vibrant. This setting refers to smaller stones encircling the center stone, like a…wait for it, halo (or doughnut). The downside of halo settings is that it may become hard to resize but it adds additional security to the center stone as well as can provide contrast if you decide to use different gemstones or metals.
SPLIT SHANK
For a more modern look (or classic, depends on how you go),
the split shank is a beautiful way to go. The shank, or the part that encircles
your finger, splits into two (or more) to hold the center stone. This type of
setting provides a unique, attention grabbing appearance that offers additional
area for side stones as well as gravitates the eye towards the center stone.
There are many other types of engagement ring settings such
as: cluster, flushed, bar, antique, tension, bezel, three stone and more. At Schwanke-Kasten
Jewelers, we have an in-house goldsmith that will let you craft the perfect,
custom engagement ring. Otherwise, you can find an outstanding, engagement ring
from one of our highly-trustworthy designers such as: Rahaminov, Martin Flyer,
Memoire and Naledi.
Enter into the exciting and highly exclusive world of fancy colored diamonds, where the traditional notions of diamonds being colorless shatters that concept. The first color diamond Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers will explore with you, is the yellow diamond; also known as the canary diamond.
Yellow Diamonds – A Canary Delight!
In the Superman comics, the hero crushes a lump of coal (carbon-based material) so hard that it produces enough heat and pressure to form a diamond for Lois Lane. While coal, under immense heat and pressure does not create diamonds, although they possess similar atomic makeups. However, when nitrogen enters the rigid structure of the composition of diamonds, they absorb blue light and give off a yellow shade in the visible light spectrum. The amount of nitrogen present in a yellow diamond will affect how light or dark the color is. Moreover, this logic of wanting more nitrogen, an impurity, naturally present in a yellow diamond is the opposite of a flawless white diamond. Additionally, gemologist give recognition to fancy color yellow diamonds a secondary hue such as orange or brown.
Yellow Diamond Engagement Ring from Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers
The GIA grades yellow diamonds slightly different than
traditional white diamonds. Diamonds Pro sums
it up nicely, “if the white diamond color scale [D – Z], were to continue past
Z – all the way to a rich, yellow color – you’d have a Fancy Vivid Yellow
Diamond”. Essentially this means that the best quality yellow diamond will be
fully saturated with yellow and have no traces of whiteness.
Gemologists estimate that one out of about every 10,000 carats of diamonds are a natural colored diamond. Furthermore, 60% of those natural colored diamonds are yellow. So, while they are common among natural colored diamonds, they are still exceptionally rare among the grand scheme of things.
Solitaire engagement rings pack a lot of significance and beauty, within its unassuming and simple designs. Structurally, a solitaire engagement ring only has two parts, the center stone and the setting, both can be customized to your specifications (i.e. marquise cut diamond set in platinum to a princess cut set in 14k yellow gold) however the ring still remains understated. At Schwanke-Kasten, we are by no means saying that is a bad thing either!
A solitaire diamond ring places the focus on the center stone, like your love for your one “true rock”. Additionally, the ring, being a shape with no beginning and end and a diamond, a pure carbon structure material, symbolizes pure and endless love for your partner. Furthermore, this style of ring is a perfect option for any budget!
Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers custom diamond solitaire engagement ring
At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we love this timeless design for its ability to showcase the true shine of the diamond ring.
Buying Guide – Solitaire Engagement Rings
Here is a list of things to consider when looking at diamond solitaire engagement rings:
The Diamond (or center stone)
Shape (Cut) – Oval, round, princess, pear, emerald, etc.
Color – The more colorless the better, when shopping for traditional white diamonds
Clarity – the higher grade, the more pure (or transparent) the stone is
Carat – The size of the diamond
The Band
Metal – 14k, 18k or platinum? Yellow, Rose or White?
Width – How wide should the ring be
The Setting – bezel set, channel set or prong set? Furthermore, be sure to consider whether your future partner wants more sparkle or a more discrete or low diamond height.
Rahaminov Diamond Engagement Ring – Tapered with Diamonds
We recommend stopping by our store in either Whitefish Bay or in Milwaukee to get an idea of styles and prices and then work with one of our specialists to find an engagement ring that is truly reflective of the special bond between you and your partner!
Holiday proposals mark a special time when family and good friends gather together. If you are out-of-town with your significant other, and are coming home for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years, all are great occasions to “pop” the question. Whether you have everyone around the table for dinner or dancing the night away at a New Year’s Eve party, a quick “clink-clink” with a spoon on a glass gets people’s attention.
Not sure where to start in selecting an engagement ring … go to your love’s Pinterest page to see all the romantic pics of items they’ve been collecting. Next checkout our online engagement collection or stop by one of our stores. If you are looking for something completely unique, bring your ideas to our Whitefish Bay location and our onsite gemologists will help make your dream a reality. Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers carries a wide array of renowned ring designers, styles and materials.
Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, a locally owned store since 1899, has a full-service sales staff to assist you. Whether you are in the Milwaukee area or coming to town for the holidays just give us a call. We carry an expanded selection of ready-to-go ring designs; however, if you are looking to have a mounting created, the process takes about 3 weeks or so.
Make the holidays of 2018 something you both will remember forever with a holiday proposla!
At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we understand that the amount of engagement ring styles, materials and dozens of other factors can be overwhelming. Therefore, we thought we’d breakdown some of our favorite styles starting with the gorgeous three-stone engagement rings.
Three-Stone Engagement Rings Symbolism
The tri-stone engagement ring has been popularized by its symbolism; either signifying a relationships past, present and future, friendship, love and fidelity or even religious implications. Furthermore, this symbolism gives the engagement ring that extra edge of significance and personalization. A three-stone ring gives you still gives you a substantial amount of flexibility in terms of style.
While many three stone rings use princess cut diamonds, we carry a beautiful oval-cut three stone ring by Rahaminov that features halos around each stone and a 1.01 carat, d-color and SI1-clarity center stone diamond set in 18k white gold.
Naledi Engagement Rings
In addition, diamonds on the shanks of the ring can give the engagement ring a little extra sparkle. Our Naledi Design’s Trista Engagement Ring perfectly showcases this feature by utilizing 0.26 total carat weight of diamonds to accompany the three stones.
However, if simplicity is your speed, the Martin Flyer Flyerfit™ Three Stone Ring might be a perfect ring for you. With 1.01 total cart weight of diamonds, this particular Martin Flyer engagement ring is ready to wear!
However, we recommend stopping by either Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to consult with our professionally trained sales team as well as to browse our full inventory of world renowned engagement ring designers. Additionally, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers has an in-store GIA certified gemologist and goldsmith should you wish to fully customize an engagement ring or repurpose a family heirloom.
Like Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Rahaminov Diamonds is a family-owned and operated business that has, for over 70 years. In fact, they have supplied the fine jewelry world rare and marvelous diamonds in the form of diamond engagement rings and incredible jewelry.
Award Winner – Rahaminov
Having won numerous awards, including the prestigious 2016 Grand Prize JCK Jewelers’ Choice Award, Rahaminov routinely creates rare and breathtaking diamond jewelry. This is because they expertly crafted engagement rings which highlight and enhance the diamond’s unique shape.
It is through their exquisite designs, unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail, Rahaminov Diamonds became an internationally recognized diamond house. On another note, they are based out of Los Angeles. Moreover, by showcasing their impressive inventory of rare and important diamonds, Rahaminov routinely brings their jewelry to life.
Ingrained in their mantra is the belief that the diamond is as rare as the woman who wears it. Women design Rahaminov jewelry for women. The diamond inspires the design.
By stopping by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers in Whitefish Bay, you can view our beautiful collection of one-of-a-kind Rahaminov jewelry pieces. Furthermore, Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ is a preferred retailer in Wisconsin. More importantly, we look forward to many years to come! That being said, if you are not sure where to start, check out Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ article on diamond education.
We created an easy-to-use web page to help you understand how to select the perfect diamond engagement ring.
Start at the diamond education page, “All About Diamonds”, where briefly highlight several questions you should ask yourself before shopping. Then dive into the 4 C’s of diamond quality. The actual diamond is the bulk of your cost; therefore, it’s very important to fully understand what you are looking for when selecting a diamond.
Once you have an idea of what kind of diamond you want, we recommend checking out our “Engagement Ring Mounting Ideas” page to see the different ways your beautiful diamond can be mounted into a ring setting. While the rings showcased here represent some of our more popular styles, we encourage you to stop in at our Whitefish Bay location to see our complete engagement collection. With an on-site GIA certified gemologist and a goldsmith we can easily make your dream ring a reality.
Once you’ve selected the engagement ring, you now need to get the ring on the finger. Fortunately for you, Milwaukee engagement locations are abundant. At Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, we came up with some of our favorite scenic locations.
Milwaukee Engagement Locations
Lakefront
First and foremost, what is Milwaukee without the lakefront? With picturesque backdrops of both the city and Lake Michigan, you get a two for one backdrop. The Milwaukee Art Museum (built by Santiago Calatrava), Veterans Park, Lake Park and other sprawling beaches and park will give you ample opportunities and options to, “Pop the Question”.
Cream City Brick
For those who are architecture buffs: Milwaukee provides no shortage of beautiful and historic architecture given its robust industrial past and current revitalization. If there is one thing that Milwaukee is known for, architecturally, it is the Cream City Brick. The yellowish color brick adorned with many iconic Milwaukee buildings are known for their strength, which could be likened to your bond to each other.
The Big Four Breweries, despite their connotation of being cheap beer, also boast incredible examples of this brick and help define the city. Make sure to check out the old Schlitz and Pabst breweries. However, there are other great examples too. For the religious, you have Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and All Saints Episcopal Cathedral. There are also several iconic lighthouses in the area.
The Milwaukee River
The Milwaukee River is often forgotten due to the presence of Lake Michigan. Be one of the rare people to take advantage of this Milwaukee engagement location. Take Kadish Park in Brewer’s Hill, for example, which overlooks the East Side of Milwaukee. Travel further downstream and you’re in the heart of Milwaukee’s “Venice” aka the River Walk. Consider skipping the Bronze Fonz and focusing on the background of buildings and bascule bridges as the sun sets to the west. Go further and you’ll be in the Historic Third Ward. This is where the Milwaukee River meets Lake Michigan in a late Victorian surrounding.
If you’re not the city type, beyond Milwaukee hosts wonderful kitschy villages and towns that surround vast country landscapes and prolific lakes. In fact, Wisconsin has over 15,000 lakes.
Or choose a location that shares significance to both of you!
Stop by either Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers location in Whitefish Bay or Milwaukee to pick out your gorgeous engagement ring or wedding band. Let us help you make this process as seamless and as stress-free as possible!
Buying an engagement ring can seem like a scary experience. It doesn’t have to be! Before you go buying an engagement ring, the experts at Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers recommend considering the following:
Buying an Engagement Ring – Budget
Budget: The golden rule has always been two month’s salary. However, we believe that you should set aside a budget that won’t leave you dead broke. We recommend setting an honest budget with the forethought that engagement rings are expensive.
Learn the 4C’s:
Carat Weight – This is the size of the diamond (or another precious gemstone). If your finance wants a big stone but your budget is limited, ask for a stone with a large table. While this will affect the brilliance and fire of the stone, it will make it appear larger. If you want a beautiful stone and size isn’t the issue but the budget is. Select stone just under the nearest whole carat (i.e. 1.85 carats vs. 2 carats). There tends to be a jump in price once a diamond’s size hits the nearest whole integer.
Color – Ranging from D – Z, D being colorless and Z being a light-yellow hue. The more colorless the diamond, the more expensive. From the visible eye, it is tough to tell the difference between colorless and near-colorless.
Cut – If she is more reserved or traditional, you may want to opt for a round, brilliant cut diamond. However, for a unique look, there are a whole array of fancy cuts like Ascher, emerald, marquise, pear- and even heart-shape are used for creating engagement rings. Do keep in mind, fancy cut diamonds typically are limited in the types of mountings.
Clarity – To the naked eye, the clarity of the diamond is often impossible to judge – sometimes even to a trained professional! We recommend, while important, that this be the last of the 4C’s to consider.
Mounting
Mounting: There are numerous types of diamond mountings that can showcase the center stone, however it is important to consider the following:
Will you be purchasing a matching wedding band in the future? Some mountings and diamonds are made in a way that a matching wedding band is not feasible. There are practical solutions to this, however.
Consider her line of work, sometimes a high mounting isn’t possible. This is especially important if she works in the medical field or works with her hands frequently.
If she has skin allergies, a certain skin tone or wears a particular color of jewelry, you may need to consider a specific type of precious metal.
Ring Size
Ring Size: If you can, swipe a ring that she often wears on her ring finger, then we can help you select a size for the ring. Jewelers can size up or down most engagement ring mountings one size. Another option is to simply present a ring, and then come and choose a slightly larger ring size as it is easier to solder a ring down.
Ask your married friends, her friends, AND your parents for help and input. There is nothing wrong with being nervous or unsure as it can seem like an overwhelming experience.
We recommend checking out our diamond vocabulary list, to familiarize yourself with various diamond terms. Visit one of our Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers stores to work with our highly trained staff, including GIA certified gemologists, to discover buying an engagement ring with easy!
