Diamond Cuts - Cushion Cut Diamond Shape

Before 2006-2007, it was difficult to find Cushion 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 or James Allen.

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 the pillow-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.

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 (like the first one in the above image, a rectangular shape), 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: H
• Clarity: SI1

Cushion Cut Diamond Engagement 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 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.

Hand-Selected Cushion Cut Diamonds

To 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. Except for the "Bargain Basement" selections, these diamonds are within our minimum requirements as listed above and are suitable for solitaire settings or settings with accent stones.