The Ultimate Guide to the Cushion Diamond

Once Upon a Time

First things first, cushion cut diamonds are old. Like, really old. And we don’t mean it in that “diamonds were created millions of years ago deep inside the Earth” way. Though, that’s also totally true. See, modern cushion cut diamonds are the direct descendants of the old mine cut diamond, from like the 1800s. We did say old, didn’t we? Sure, modern cushions are now cut by fancy machines and lasers and things, so they’re super sparkly and refined. But the same general shape is still there. What makes a cushion unique? It’s soft and pillowy, all rounded corners and curved sides and a bit of elongation (or a lot if you like) — it’s a total contrast from the sharp edges of a radiant or the perfect circle of a round or the step cut Asscher…you get the picture. The softness of a cushion is ultra romantic and, quite frankly, super versatile when it comes to designs. You can set it in almost any style you’d set a round, for instance.

But One of These Things

Yeah, it’s not a round. So different, in fact, that it doesn’t even have a cut grade. Actually, no fancy shapes (which is any shape but a round) do. So, while the cut of a cushion is still totally important to how it sparkles, the grade you might see listed is pretty subjective. Can you use it as a starting point to help narrow your search? Sure thing. Just make sure to dig a little deeper to verify it’s actually well cut, you know, with your eyes.

Thank You, Next

Beyond simply proportions, one of the major considerations for cushion cuts is their unique faceting patterns, which can vary from one stone to the next. Without getting too nerdy on you, the smaller the pavilion facets, the more bright white sparkle you’ll get, while larger facets tend to get you more rainbow flash.

There’s also what’s called a “crushed ice” cushion cut. Which is basically a modified facet pattern that breaks up some of those pavilion facets and results in, well, a crushed ice look. Imagine just that — a super glittery look that kind of bounces light everywhere. It won’t have the distinctive scintillation pattern of a standard cushion, but it’s beautiful in its own way. 

Seeing Things

When selecting a clarity grade for cushion cuts, you’ll want to go back to that cut pattern thing. Whereas crushed ice cushions hide inclusions super super well behind all that sparkle, a cushion with a chunkier pattern — and thus, more wide open facets — won’t do the same. If you’re going with a chunkier style stone, try to avoid inclusions under the table, especially, and maybe pay out for a slightly higher grade. But if you have a stone with smaller, more broken up facets, you can easily find something eye clean in the SI range, no problem.

Cushion Diamond Weight Woes

While cushion cuts will always be more affordable than round diamonds, they are still pretty popular, so you’re not going to save as much cash as you would with other fancy shapes. They also won’t look much bigger, especially if you’re going with a more 1:1 ratio stone — which will face up pretty close in size with a comparable weight round. Go elongated and you’ll get a bit more finger coverage, though. If you’re into that kind of thing. If you want to look at real cost saving options, lab created cushion cut diamonds can be about 40-50% less than a comparable mined diamond and, yes, they’re still diamonds. Chemically, physically, optically the exact same. Not enough? Try moissanite! It’s a totally different stone that is nearly as durable, has the same look, and in fact has even more sparkle. What’s not to love?

It’s Exclusive

Once you’ve found the stone of your dreams, unless you’re going super simple with a four-prong setting and that’s all folks, your cushion cut engagement ring should be totally custom. Why? Because with so much variation from one cushion to the next, a setting can end up with weird gaps or prongs that don’t sit right on the corners. This is especially true if you’re going with a fuller-coverage design like a bezel or halo, which, obvi, you want to fit perfectly. Our team of jewelry craftsfolk makes super sure to fit your setting to your cushion cut diamond’s unique specifications, or any shape you choose for that matter.