All About Cushion Cuts

An elegant blend of old mine cuts and modern round brilliants, cushion cuts offer a distinctive style that is easily recognizable by it’s gently rounded edges.

Cushion cuts are one of the most varied diamond shapes available in both square and elongated styles, brilliant or modified brilliant, crushed ice or patterned. This guide covers what to look for and how we approach selecting them.

What Makes Cushion Cuts Special

Sometimes called a “pillow cut”, or a “candlelight" cut” for the distinct rounded edges, cushion cut diamonds lend a timeless feel to any engagement ring style.

The cushion cut has roots in the old mine cut, a style developed in the 1800s to maximize brilliance in candlelight. Today, the most common cushion cut diamonds are known as "modified cushion cuts" referring to the additional faceting that has been made possible by modern cutting techniques, while still maintaining the graceful pillow shape that makes cushion cuts so noticeable.

One of the first decisions with a cushion cut is proportion. Square cushions have a length-to-width ratio close to 1.0. Elongated cushions typically run between 1.15 and 1.30, giving them a more rectangular outline that can look larger on the hand.

The second thing to consider with cushion cuts is facet pattern. Cushion brilliants have a traditional, patterned look. Cushion modified brilliants tend toward a crushed-ice appearance with smaller, more scattered reflections. Neither is objectively better. It's a matter of personal taste, and our team can show you both.

Color and Clarity: What We Look For

Two of the main things we screen for in cushion cuts are color and inclusions, both of which can be more visible in this shape than in others. Cushion cuts can show color more easily than rounds, particularly in the body of the stone, so color grade and nuance matter. We also screen for fish eyes, a dark circular reflection in the center of the table that appears in some cushion cuts and is visible across all lighting conditions.

Like natural diamonds, lab diamonds can vary widely in quality and appearance, even those with similar 4Cs grades. Our team screens every stone for light performance, unnatural color tints, and crystal quality to make sure they look beautiful in real life, not just on the grading report.

Every diamond is inspected in-house before it's ever offered to our clients, with only the ones that meet our standards making it through.

Settings for Cushion Cuts

The cushion cut's rounded corners make it one of the more forgiving shapes to set. Unlike princess cuts, the corners don't need special protection, which opens up a wider range of setting options.

Solitaires are a timeless option that let’s the beauty of the diamond shine. Three-stone settings with tapered baguettes or trapezoids work naturally with a cushion's proportions, and diamond band options are another favorite of Ada clients.

We offer a wide range of setting styles for cushion cuts, or you can work with an Ada Concierge to design something entirely your own.