Diamonds & Stones
The Cushion Cut Diamond: A Complete Guide
Soft corners, warm brilliance, and a genuinely underrated shape — here's everything worth knowing before choosing a cushion cut center stone.
What defines a cushion cut
A cushion cut combines a square or rectangular outline with rounded corners — the name comes from its resemblance to a soft pillow shape. It's one of the oldest diamond cuts still in wide use, dating back over 200 years, but modern faceting techniques have made it noticeably more brilliant than its antique predecessors.
Modified vs. classic cushion cuts
A 'classic' cushion cut has larger, more open facets, producing bigger flashes of light and a softer glow — closer to its historical roots. A 'modified' cushion cut adds extra facets for significantly more sparkle and fire, closer to a round brilliant's performance. Neither is objectively better — it's a matter of which look you're drawn to, and worth seeing both in person or in CAD before deciding.
Price compared to a round brilliant
Cushion cuts typically cost 20-30% less per carat than a round brilliant of comparable quality, largely because less rough diamond is wasted during cutting. This makes it a genuinely strong option for maximizing carat weight or overall quality within a fixed budget.
What to prioritize when choosing your stone
Because cushion cuts have larger facets than a round brilliant, inclusions can be slightly more visible — prioritizing clarity a step above what you'd choose for a round is generally worth it. Color is more forgiving; a cushion's warm facet pattern tends to mask faint yellow tints better than other shapes.
Best settings for a cushion cut
A halo setting is especially popular with cushion cuts — the square-ish halo echoes the stone's outline and adds meaningful visual size. A clean solitaire setting also works beautifully, letting the cut's natural soft brilliance carry the design without competition.
Who this cut suits
If you want something with more visual warmth and softness than a round brilliant, but still a widely recognizable, classic silhouette, a cushion cut is worth serious consideration — it's a cut that reads as both timeless and slightly less expected than the most common shapes.