The Cushion Cut

The Cushion Cut is a generic name for the Old Mine Cut designed in the early 20th century. A cushion cut is a square or rectangular cut diamond with rounded corners, resembling a pillow shape, hence the name!

Cushion Cut Diamond Shapes

Cushion cut diamonds are very popular nowadays, but until recently, it was relatively difficult to find decent high quality Cushion Cut Diamonds for sale outside of auctions or estate sales. However, cushion cut diamonds are now enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks in no small part to popular designs such as the Tiffany Legacy Engagement Ring, Tiffany Novo Ring and Harry Winston Micropave Rings.

The cushion cut has a beautiful, subtle sparkle and refined look, like a combination of an Old Mine Cut (which has a deep pavillion and big bold facets) and a modern oval brilliant cut. The Cushion Cut shape is often referred to as the candlelight diamond (a clear reference to when the cut was first designed, before the age of electricity!).

Whilst not as lively as a modern round brilliant (which is designed to be symmetrical and reflect as much light as possible), the cushion cut has a refined and romantic appeal, with it's subtle dance of colours and big bold flashes, and with larger bolder facets the cushion cut is more dispersive, and gives off a wonderful display as white light is seperated into the spectral colours, so you will most definately stand out from the crowd!

Cushion Cut Prices

A cushion cut diamond will be less expensive than an equivalent Round or other fancy shaped diamond, so you can often achieve a heavier diamond, a larger diamond, and even a better grade diamond. Cushion cut diamonds are for the true connoisseur, the discerning buyer looking for something special, an old world classic with enduring beauty.

Daniel Prince are based in the centre of the London Diamond district in Hatton Garden, and we have access to some of the finest cushion cut diamonds direct from Antwerp or from our network of specialist dealers.

Choosing a Cushion Cut Diamond

Cushion cut diamonds vary widely and the final choice is very much down to personal taste. The highest quality stones tend to have high crowns and small tables, like an old mine cut diamond. But these are very short in supply and the vast majority still end up in New York where popularity is huge.

Cushion Cuts come in different shapes too, such as square, rectangle, and with varying size tables and crown heights, and like a step cut diamond or emerald cut diamond, there are large open facets so we recommend that you opt for the highest clarity and colour that your budget can accommodate. For a cushion cut that most closely resembles the original cushion cut design you should choose one with a length/width ratio of around 1.25 - 1.30.

As a minimum we would recommend I - Si1 and above. Bear in mind also that if you are going to have an antique or vintage style setting then a lower colour diamond may actually complement the design of the mount. Contact us via phone or email to discuss your requirements and we can advise you on the most suitable carat/grade and shape to suit. As with all diamonds though, we always recommend quality not quantity!