Cushion

Cushion cut stones are definitely #trending these days. While not as classic as a round solitaire, the cushion cut has been around for hundreds of years and is timeless in its own right.

One thing that makes cushion stones so approachable is that they actually come in more shapes (and obviously sizes) than just one. There’s square-shaped cushion cuts, some that are more elongated, ones that sparkle in a “chunky” way, and others that sparkle in a more random pattern.

(See Cushion Diamonds on JamesAllen.com)

Before you get too caught up in the different types, it’s worth figuring out whether you like chunky bits of light, or lots of tiny bits of light that reflect in a more random fashion.

Here are some of the different types of cushions so you can learn what’s best for you:

Modified Brilliant Cushions:

Most cushion cuts are classified as “modified brilliant cushions”, which are similar to a radiant cut in that they reflect light in a more random way. In other words, when looking a modified brilliant cushion cut diamond, it’s harder to see a specific pattern, like you can in the round round diamond hearts and arrow patterns. Instead of patterns, the sparklyness will appear more idiosyncratic, sending little bits of white light in different directions depending on how the light hits it. This is what’s known as the “crushed ice look,” which many people love as it tends to resemble beautifully shattered glass.

That being said, there are still lots of modified brilliant diamonds that have larger facets that display more of a traditional pattern.

Brilliant Cushions:

Brilliant cushions are a little different, mostly because they have larger facets, which reflect larger chunks of light than a modified cushion stone. This is where you are more often likely to see patterns and symmetry within cushion stones. If you’re considering either one of these cuts, we highly recommend seeing what the stone looks like instead of just looking at a certificate since cushion brilliants and cushion modified brilliants can look extremely similar.

If you ultimately want a cushion that’s in between a crushed ice modified brilliant cushion, and a super chunky antique cushion (more on that below), a brilliant cushion stone might be your best bet.

Antique (Old Mine) Cushions:

Another type of cushion is the antique (or Old Mine) cushion cut. These are noticeably different, since they have less facets, causing the stone to reflect big, chunky bits of white light. Yes, having less facets typically makes the ring less sparkly, but well-cut antique cushions get this cool, chunky see-through glass look that has large flashes of light in beautiful symmetry. Because this cut is more see-through, you may want to pay closer attention to color and clarity since the surface reflects larger ranges of light and may make yellowness or imperfections more visible.

So, do you want a crushed-ice look, a chunky-sparkly look, or something in between? While knowing the different types of cushion cuts are important, it’s always helpful to at least see photos of the actual stone beforehand since diamond reports can only tell you so much.

See How Cushion Ring Styles Look In Real Life:

(See Cushion Solitaire Rings on JamesAllen.com)

(See Cushion Halo Rings on JamesAllen.com)

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