The Cut Guide  ·  Reference Fancy Shape  ·  Brilliant Family

Shape  ·  Face-Up View

Light Performance  ·  Live

Cut Reference  ·  No. 003

Cushion
Cut

Cushion Brilliant  ·  58–64 Facets

Two centuries of reinvention. The old mine cut grew up — and split into two completely different diamonds hiding under the same name.

The cushion is a square or rectangular shape with rounded corners and a brilliant facet arrangement descended from the old mine cut — the dominant diamond form of the 18th and 19th centuries. What most buyers don't know is that the term "cushion cut" now covers two optically distinct stones: cushion brilliant, which produces large, chunky light flashes, and cushion modified brilliant, which produces a fine crushed-ice sparkle pattern. They look completely different in person. The GIA report will tell you which one you have; most retailers won't volunteer this information.

Origin

The old mine cut — characterized by a high crown, small table, large culet, and rounded square girdle — was the dominant diamond form from roughly 1700 to 1900. As round brilliant cutting equipment became standard in the early 20th century, cutters began applying brilliant facet arrangements to the cushion outline. The modified brilliant variation, with its additional faceting row, emerged later as cutters optimized for yield and a different sparkle aesthetic. Both now trade under a single name with no visual warning at point of sale.

On The Hand
Neutral
The square or slightly rectangular outline with soft corners sits proportionally on most hand types. Neither elongating nor widening — a safe choice. Slightly elongated ratios (1.10–1.20) add mild finger-length illusion without reading as a rectangular shape.
#2
Popularity 2025
2
Distinct Types
−15%
vs. Round
1700s
Old Mine Origin
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Cushion Cut thecutguide.com
Specifications
Table Percentage
56 – 63%
Stay below 65%. Larger tables flatten the stone's appearance and reduce the soft, pillowy quality the shape is known for.
Depth Percentage
58 – 68%
The wider acceptable range reflects the shape's flexibility. Above 68% begins to shrink face-up size noticeably.
Length-to-Width Ratio
1.00 – 1.20
1.00–1.05 for square. 1.10–1.20 for soft rectangle. Personal preference — neither is wrong.
GIA Cut Grade
—
Fancy Shape
Check the GIA report subtype: cushion brilliant (chunky flash) or cushion modified brilliant (crushed ice). This is the most consequential decision on this shape.
Polish / Symmetry
Exc / Exc
Both Excellent. Very Good acceptable on a tight budget — Good or below, walk away.
Light Performance
Brilliance84
Fire88
Scintillation82
Size per Carat80
Clarity Concealment84

Scores reflect cushion brilliant. Modified brilliant trades ~4 points of brilliance for a finer, more uniform sparkle pattern.

Budget
vs. Round Brilliant
−10 to −20%
Consistent discount driven by lower rough yield premium and strong round demand. Identical weight and grade, lower cost.
Lab-Grown Cushion
−40 to −55%
G, VS2, Exc/VG polish-symmetry is the target spec. Confirm cushion type on the lab report — crushed-ice vs. chunky applies to lab stones equally.
What Retailers Won't Tell You
⚠ Two Cuts, One Name
Cushion brilliant and cushion modified brilliant look completely different in person. Most showrooms will not explain this distinction. The GIA report subtype field identifies which you have — always check it before purchasing. If the retailer can't tell you the subtype, that's a red flag.
⚠ Depth Hides Weight
Cushions can carry significant depth — a 1.50ct stone with 68% depth may face up smaller than a 1.20ct stone with 62% depth. Millimeter face-up dimensions matter more than carat weight on this shape. Always request the length × width measurements from the lab report, not just the stated weight.
The Cut Guide  ·  Assessment  ·  Cushion Cut
"The most romantically forgiving shape in the collection — soft corners, strong fire, and a vintage pedigree that reads as neither trend nor cliché. But buyers must do one thing no retailer will prompt them to do: identify the subtype. Cushion brilliant and cushion modified brilliant are not interchangeable. Know which one you want before you walk in."
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