By Gary A.
Edited by Brian M.
Published Aug 13, 2024
Edited on Dec 9, 2024
Unlock the secrets of cushion cut engagement rings and discover why their timeless elegance and modern brilliance make them the ultimate choice for your perfect proposal.
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Diamonds may be the hardest natural substance on earth, but there’s one diamond shape out there that you would just love to sink your head into…Plush, pillowy, and oh so luxurious, the cushion cut is arguably the most seductive of the diamond shapes. And that’s just on paper!
In person, the cushion cut really comes into its own. Its rounded appearance makes it visually similar to the round brilliant, while its unique proportions maximise fire over brilliance, making it perfect for anyone who loves that firework-like display of sparkle.
What’s more, it’s also a versatile shape, being available in both square and elongated proportions. Finally, as if you needed another reason to pursue the cushion cut diamond, it’s significantly more affordable than the round brilliant. A win-win.
Before we dive deeper into the specifics, here are some practical tips to help guide your decision-making process:
Tip 1. Setting Depth and Security:
Tip 2. Band and Shank Design:
Tip 3. Halo Considerations:
Tip 4. Metal Choice and Appearance:
Tip 5. Matching with Wedding Band:
Tip 6. Overall Aesthetics and Style:
Tip 7. Maintenance and Durability:
Now that you’ve got these practical tips, use Jeweler AI below to find the perfect engagement ring that suits your style and budget:
The cushion cut is something of a middle ground between a number of different diamond shapes. Unlike something like the emerald cut, it doesn’t bring an entirely unique set of characteristics to the table; rather, it combines different elements from a range of popular shapes to create something that captures the best of both worlds.
The cushion cut is not the oldest diamond shape, but it is descended from a very old diamond shape known as the old mine cut. While the old mine cut is no longer widely available due to its inferior light performance, the cushion cut enables some of those very old, dearly beloved features to live on.
As a result, the cushion cut looks great in vintage settings, but it’s close enough to the very classic round brilliant in shape and appearance that it can adapt to almost any setting you put your mind to.
Cushion cut diamonds, with their soft, rounded edges, trace their origins back to the 19th century, when the old mine cut was the go-to style. This cut, with its larger facets and a charmingly imperfect symmetry, was designed to sparkle under candlelight, offering a warm, romantic glow. Over time, the cushion cut has evolved, refining its proportions to enhance brilliance and fire, yet it retains that nostalgic, vintage appeal that harks back to a time of elegance and grace. It’s this blend of history and modern refinement that makes the cushion cut so beloved today—a perfect balance between the romance of the past and the sophistication of the present.
The Christian cut is relatively deep compared to other diamond shapes. Unfortunately, this does mean that, face up, the stone doesn’t appear as large as other diamond shapes. For instance, if you were to put a one carat round brilliant diamond next to a 1 carat cushion cut diamond, the round brilliant diamond would appear larger, since more of the diamond’s weight is concentrated into the upper portion of the diamond. However, added depth offers a major benefit to fire; the cushion cut generates a lot more fire than it does brilliance, which really appeals to some shoppers who prefer those colored flashes to the crisp, white flashes of light associated with the brilliant shapes.
The cushion cut’s depth also makes it perfect for holding onto color. This can be tricky if you’re looking at white slash colorless diamonds since any hint of yellow will be more obvious in a cushion cut than it would otherwise be and, say, an Oval.
But, if you’re looking at fancy color diamonds, then a cushion is a great place to focus your search since any color will be all the more vibrant thanks to that deep cut.
So, what kind of an engagement ring setting suits a cushion cut diamond? The good news for shoppers is that the cushion cut really doesn’t preclude any engagement ring setting style. This is a versatile shape, very similar to the round brilliant, that can be modernised or left looking more vintage depending on the intended wearer’s tastes.
Here are three of our favourite setting styles to pair with the cushion cut diamond.
We’ve said it before and we will say it again and again and again: a solitaire will never disappoint, provided the diamond you choose is beautiful. A cushion cut is no exception to the rule; the solitaire allows the subtle, curved shape of the cushion cut’s outer edge to shine and elevates the diamond enough to let plenty of light in (and, accordingly, plenty of fire out).
as we mentioned above, the cushion cut is also perfect if you’re looking at designing a vintage inspired engagement ring. Its connection to the old mine cut means that it never looks out of place in a Georgian or Edwardian style of setting or the ultimate in Victorian Gothic design.
Think: filigree, milgrain, and plenty of accent stones in fancy colors like blue-green, and even read if you can get your hands on it.
Over the years, plenty of celebrities have paid the way for cushion cut engagement rings full stop among the most iconic is Victoria Beckham’s headline-grabbing fancy yellow color cushion cut diamond engagement ring, which was paired with a simple, platinum band. She’s not the first celebrity to step out with a yellow colored diamond, but her choice of a cushion cut showcases how powerful this shape can be at retaining color and offering the most vivid appearance possible.
While we’re on the subject of cushion cut yellow diamonds, the Tiffany Yellow Diamond – a remarkable 128.54 carat diamond from Kimberley – stands as one of the most iconic diamonds in history. The diamond has been worn on red carpets by celebrities like Beyoncé and Audrey Hepburn over the years, and once again stands as a testament to the power of the cushion cut to showcase fancy colors in all their splendour.
Don’t believe us, take a look at Jennifer Lopez’s engagement ring from Ben Affleck. Featuring a very rare (and highly collectable) fancy green cushion cut diamond, this one is truly one-of-a-kind – although that won’t stop some of us trying to recreate it.
But you don’t have to opt for a fancy color diamond just to make full use of a cushion cut. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ dazzling cushion-cut diamond engagement ring made headlines, inspiring many to consider the timeless charm of cushion-cut diamonds.
Zoe Kravitz and Kate Bosworth have both showcased bright and brilliant cushion cut engagement rings recently, too.
The cushion cut is as inviting, tempting, and seductive as the name makes it sound. If you feel like it’s the right diamond shape for you, then you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of scope in terms of ring design, thanks to its versatile and adaptable shape. Enjoy the fire that burns bright in this diamond’s crown, and consider complementing it with a few melee diamonds that balance all that fiery color with some bright white brilliance.
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