Cushion Cut Engagement Rings: Vintage Charm Meets Modern Luxury
The cushion cut is one of the oldest diamond shapes in existence — and one of the most enduringly popular. With its soft, pillow-like corners and large, chunky facets, the cushion cut produces a different kind of sparkle to modern brilliant cuts: deeper, more dramatic flashes of colour rather than the bright white brilliance of a round. If you're drawn to vintage jewellery or the idea of a ring with a little more personality, the cushion cut is worth a close look.
A Brief History
Cushion cuts evolved from the "old mine cut" of the 18th and 19th centuries. Old mine cuts were hand-cut using candlelight as a guide, which is why they were designed to produce dramatic colour flashes rather than white light — they were optimised for a different light environment than the electric lighting of today.
Modern cushion cuts retain the rounded square or rectangular shape and the larger facets of their predecessors, but have been re-engineered to perform beautifully in contemporary settings.
Cushion Brilliant vs Cushion Modified
When shopping for cushion cuts, you'll encounter two main styles: cushion brilliant and cushion modified brilliant. The key difference is in the facet pattern beneath the girdle. Cushion modified brilliants often have an extra row of facets that creates a "crushed ice" effect — many small, sparkling points of light rather than larger, distinct flashes. Cushion brilliants have larger facets and produce the more classic, chunky sparkle.
Which you prefer is entirely personal — some people love the crushed ice effect, others find it less satisfying than the bold flashes of a cushion brilliant. Seeing both in person (or in high-quality video) makes a real difference.
Choosing a Cushion Cut
For a square cushion, look for a length-to-width ratio close to 1.00:1. For a more rectangular cushion, 1.10:1 to 1.20:1 is common. Cushion cuts generally look beautiful in both minimal solitaire settings and more elaborate halo or pavé designs — the halo in particular was practically made for the cushion shape.
At Una Diamond, we can design a custom ring around the cushion cut of your choice. Learn more about the design process, or browse our existing collection of engagement rings.
Explore Una Diamond's Vintage-Inspired Styles
While Una Diamond doesn't currently offer cushion cut, these vintage-adjacent styles may appeal to you:
- The Valencia — art deco emerald cut with tapered baguettes
- Browse vintage-inspired rings →
- Or explore our most popular shapes: oval cut, solitaire, emerald cut