When getting engaged or married the ring makes all the difference. A Cushion wedding ring is a statement of the love shared between two people.
Cushion engagement rings are beautiful and traditional rings. Many people opt for cushion-cut diamond engagement rings because of their timeless beauty.
When your friends see your cushion-cut engagement rings on hand they will be envious that they didn’t make the same choice.
What are cushion cut rings?
Cushion-cut diamonds engagement rings claim their name from the type of shape they have. The corners of the cushion cut diamonds are rounded.
These are likened to a cushion.
Similar to the old mine-cut diamonds, that were cut by hand. But the Cushion-cut diamonds offer a modern faceting cut. This means that they are cut flat.
Since the cushion cut diamond rings have progressed from the older diamond shape, they are considered to be vintage style.
There is also the question of a cushion-cut halo ring. These cushion cut rings can have a rounded diamond in the center. But the outer shape will be cushion cut.
Why get a cushion cut engagement or wedding ring?
Cushion-cut diamond engagement rings are one of the most spectacular on the market. These carry an air of sophistication. There is much that goes into buying the right ring for your engagement.
It is important to understand how the rings are made. To know how the diamonds are cut. To know what their clarity and colour mean. And also important is knowing what size carat you want.
Whether you are buying a cushion cut ring for an engagement or wedding they will make you feel like a princess. These are special rings in that none of the rings are cut the same. Some diamonds are rounder. While others will look more square. Others are sometimes oval in shape.
You will be able to feel unique with your cushion cut ring because they come in all shapes. They can be cut into squares or elongated. These cushion cut rings can be rounded and soft or sharp with more definition.
This means that you can match your ring with your style of choice. It is only fair to feel special when you put your cushion cut engagement or wedding ring on.
Pros and Cons
How can I know if the ring is of good quality?
- Ask for an authenticity certificate, these are extremely important
- Check that the ring cut is clean
- Make sure the diamond has clarity
- Cushion-cut diamonds do have a unique quality because of how they are cut, this is what makes them so sought after
- They generally give off a soft glow
- If you prefer a shinier look then you should consider looking for more facets
- Symmetry is essential, it is a good idea to make sure that the four corners are as similar as they can be
What settings compliment a cushion cut diamond?
- Vintage settings are best as the cushion cut is considered to be an older style
- Cushion cuts go well in settings like east-west, two-stone, or double-band
- Because of its softer look, the cushion cut pairs well with platinum or white gold
- That being said these diamonds fit well with rose gold or mixed-metal
- Rose gold cushion cut engagement rings are a stunning combination of metal and diamond
How to take care of your cushion cut diamond ring
It is essential to take care of this stunning piece of jewelry. It will quickly become your most prized possession.
Remove your ring and put it in a safe place before doing any physical activity. Make sure you do not wear your engagement or wedding ring when you interact with water, sweat, or dirt.
Make sure to remove your ring if there is any chance of damage or scratching.
Taking care of your ring in this way will help to protect the setting. It will also keep your ring clean.
Creating a care routine for your cushion cut engagement or wedding ring is the best practice for the longevity of your ring.
We recommend that you clean your ring once every week with a jewelry cleaner.
You can use a Foam Jewelry cleaner. Alternatively, you can use a toothbrush and dishwashing soap.
Make sure to clean under your diamond for any dirt that has gotten stuck.
Choosing the size of your cushion cut diamond
It is often said that the different shapes can appear as different sizes even though the carat weight is the same.
This is because of the surface area on the top of the diamond. This is caused by how they are shaped.
A rounded diamond often looks smaller than a fancy-shaped diamond. This leaves people asking if a cushion-cut diamond is able to look larger than a round-cut diamond.
Generally, cushion cut diamonds have a slight appearance of being bigger than round cut diamonds.
This is because the cushion cut offers more facets, this allows them to appear larger.
That being said, a round diamond cut has more brilliance or shine. This tricks our eyes into thinking that the round-cut diamond is larger.
If you want to maximize the appearance size of your cushion cut diamond ring then you can focus on having a diamond cut grade.
When you choose a diamond cut grade of Very Good or Excellent it will ensure that your diamond has emphasized sparkle and shine. The sparkle and shine will help to create an issuing of a larger diamond.
You can also opt for a halo setting for your cushion cut halo rings. This is when smaller diamonds are set around the outside of your main diamond. The halo setting is great as the smaller diamonds can be the same shape or different shapes from the main diamond.
The smaller stones in your cushion-cut halo engagement rings help your center diamond look larger than it is.
Selecting your cushion-cut diamond
There are three main factors to think about when choosing your cushion-cut engagement ring.
These factors are described as the Four C’s. They include the diamond cut, colour, clarity, and carat.
The quality of a diamond is measured against how well the diamond was cut. The colour is an indication of how white the diamond is.
The clarity grade is an indication of how flawless the diamond is. The diamond carat is an indication of how much the diamond weighs.
When you consider those four factors you will be able to gain a clear picture of the diamond's quality.
When you buy a cushion cut diamond you will need to consider a few more factors. These include the ratio, depth percentage, table percentage, and faceting.
Cushion cut diamond length to width ratio
- Cushion cut diamonds that are exactly square have a ratio of 1.00 (up to 1.05 looks square to our eyes)
- Anything with a ratio of more than 1.10 looks rectangular to our eyes
- The ratio preference will differ from person to person, it is essential to know that cushion cut diamonds have different ratios
Depth percentage and table percentage
- Table percentage refers to the flat side of the top of the diamond
- The depth percentage is the overall proportions of a diamond. The depth divided by the width
- When a cushion cut diamond has too much depth or table percentage it will not sparkle properly
- To mitigate this you can choose a cushion cut diamond with a depth percentage under 70%
- As well as a table percentage under 70%
The facet pattern problem
- This is an issue of personal preference
- A round cut diamond has a standard facet number of 58 facets
- Cushion diamonds have more variety
- Cushion cut diamonds with a 58 facet standard will look big and clunky
- For the “ crushed ice” look it is better to have more facets, but they should be set as double rows of facets
- This type of cut is known as the “modified cushion cut”
- You need to decide what look you enjoy the most
Another thing
Cushion-cut diamonds show off colour extremely well. This is fantastic if you prefer a coloured cushion cut diamond. Or even if you would like a coloured cushion cut gemstone.
This can be an issue if you want a white cushion-cut diamond. Sometimes cushion cut diamonds have the tendency to appear more yellow. To avoid this you can choose a colour grade of H or higher.
If your diamond engagement ring is going to be set in white gold or platinum then you might want to go for an even higher cushion cut grade of G or higher.
A metal that will showcase your white diamond amazingly is a rose gold cushion cut engagement ring.
Pricing of your cushion-cut diamond ring
Interestingly enough cushion-cut diamonds is generally 25% less pricy than round-cut diamonds.
More material is lost when jewellers cut a round diamond. This means that the cost of each carat left behind is worth more.
More material is lost when jewellers cut a round diamond. This means that the cost of each carat left behind is worth more.
There are however many factors that play a role in the pricing of your cushion cut diamond ring.
For one the colour of the diamond will affect the price according to the grade that you choose. Of course, the setting material will also play a factor in determining the price.
You can cut costs by choosing a lower grade of colour or clarity. That being said you will do yourself and your ring a disservice. It is better to pay for quality and rather buy a smaller ring.
What have we learned about cushion-cut diamond rings?
When choosing a cushion-cut diamond ring it all boils down to personal taste. You need to ask yourself what will suit your personal style.
There are factors mentioned above that will help guide you to make the best choice you can for your needs when choosing your cushion wedding rings.
The bottom line is that you will be able to pick the cushion-cut engagement rings that make you feel like a princess every time you put them on your finger.
