Cushion Cut Diamond Shape


cushion cut diamondUntil recently, it was difficult to findCushion Cut Diamonds for sale outside of estate sales and auctions. However, cushion cuts are enjoying a small surge in popularity and are again being offered by select diamond sellers, such as Blue Nile and Mondera.

The cushion cut is an antique cut that most often resembles a cross between the Old Mine Cut (a deep cut with large facets that was common in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries) and a modern oval cut. This shape is also sometimes referred to as thepillow-cut or the candlelight diamond (a reference to cuts designed prior to electric lights, when diamonds sparkled in the light provided by candles).

This cut is not as fiery or brilliant as many of the newer cuts, but it has a marvelously romantic and classic look and definitely stands out from the crowd of round brilliants.

Choosing a Cushion Cut Diamond

Standards for cushion cut diamonds vary widely and more than with most contemporary cuts, much is left to personal taste. So you will easily find cushion cuts that are nearly square, long rectangles, and with varying size tables and depth percentages.

Mondera does categorize their cushion cuts as falling into three cut "grades" -- Good, Very Good, andIdeal. For those who are not on a tight budget, we recommend staying in the Very Good and Idealranges.

Because of the large open facets of the cushion cut, opt for the highest clarity and color your budget affords. If you're looking for a stone that most closely matches the original cushion cut, opt for a length/width ratio of 1.25 - 1.30.

Our minimum recommendations for buying cushion cut diamonds are as follows (please remember these recommendations are opinion only, and your tastes may vary):

  • Cut: Good
  • Color: G
  • Clarity: VS2
Now if you're on a tight budget, you can still find a nice stone going with these minimums:
  • Cut: Good
  • Color: I
  • Clarity: SI2
Could you purchase cheaper cushion cut diamonds by going below these minimums? Absolutely. But we don't recommend it -- at some point, one mustconsider the beauty of the stone, not simply the cost.

Cushion Cut Diamond Ring

While not the traditional selection, cushion cut diamonds are a romantic stand out from the common round brilliant generally selected for engagement rings (either as a solitaire or with accent stones).

cushion cut diamond engagement ringsCushion cut diamonds do require a minimum four-pronged settings (as pictured) and larger stones will require additional prongs to keep the stone secure in its setting.

cushion cut diamond ringsTo give you some ideas of what's available for a cushion cut diamond ring, we've preselected a range of certified cushion cut diamonds for you to examine (all from Mondera or Blue Nile, two of the premiere online diamond stores). These diamonds are within our minimum requirements as listed above and are suitable for solitaire settings or settings with accent stones.

PLEASE NOTE: It is often difficult to find cushion cut diamonds in the smaller sizes. If you're looking for a diamond under one carat, you'll have a much greater range of choices if you select an Asscher Cut Diamond.


*PLEASE NOTE: All "Bargain Basement" diamonds fall below our minimum specification standards in one category or more.

Where to buy Cushion Cut Diamonds

Cushion cut diamonds are not readily available from many jewelers -- don't be surprised if you can't find them in local jewelry stores. For online purchase, we recommend:
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