Solitaire rings · By shape
Cushion cut solitaire rings
A square or slightly rectangular stone with rounded corners and large facets, descended from the old mine cut that was the standard before the round brilliant existed. A cushion glows where a round sparkles: the light comes back in broader, softer flashes. It is the shape to choose if you want something that looks as if it could have been your grandmother's, cut to modern standards.
Quoted on the stone · No list price · Last updated 2026-10-05
The two kinds of cushion
Chunky, sometimes called antique or cushion brilliant: fewer, larger facets, a visible pattern of light and dark you can see from across the table, a quieter, older look. Crushed ice: many small facets that break the light into a glittering field with no pattern. Both are called cushion on a certificate and they look very different on a hand. This is the first thing to decide and the one most people are not told about.
Then the outline. A square cushion, ratio 1.0 to 1.05, is the classic. An elongated cushion, 1.15 and above, lengthens the finger like an oval while keeping the soft corners, and is the version that has grown most in the last few years.
- Chunky
- Large facets, visible pattern, vintage. Shows colour a little more. Pairs well with yellow gold and with the antique old mine cut we also make on commission.
- Crushed ice
- Fine facets, all-over glitter, modern. Hides inclusions well. Reads brightest in white metal.
- Setting
- Four claws at the corners is standard and protects the rounded corners naturally. A bezel on a cushion is unusually elegant and suits the vintage look.
How carat reads in a cushion
A cushion carries more weight in its depth than an oval or a pear, so it reads a little smaller for the same carat: a 1 carat cushion is around 5.5 millimetres square, against 6.5 for a round. An elongated cushion recovers some of that. Choose the look first and the number second, and let the saving from lab-grown go into the carat if size matters.
Cushions show colour a touch more than rounds because the broad facets hold it. G or above reads white in platinum; in yellow gold, H and I read warm and suit the shape.
How a ring is made here
The process is the same for every ring. We talk, by video or in person in Bengaluru. We source the stone for you and send its certificate. A designer draws the ring and you approve the renders before any metal is poured. The makers we work with cut and set it in 18k gold or 950 platinum. You see photographs of the finished ring before it ships, insured and tracked, with an insurance valuation in the box.
Every stone comes with its certificate: GIA for lab-grown diamonds, IGI for natural diamonds and GRA for moissanite. The report number is yours to look up on the lab's own site before the ring is made.
Questions people ask
Chunky or crushed ice: which is better?
Neither. Chunky is the older, patterned look and suits a vintage ring. Crushed ice is all-over glitter and suits a modern one. We send video of both so you see the difference before choosing.
Does a cushion look smaller than a round?
Slightly, for the same carat, because more of the weight sits in the depth. An elongated cushion reads closer to an oval. A fine band and a lower setting make any cushion read larger.
What is the difference between a cushion and an old mine cut?
The old mine is the cushion's ancestor: a small table, a high crown, a visible culet, cut by hand for candlelight. A modern cushion keeps the outline but is cut for electric light. We make both; the old mine is cut on commission and has its own section in the engagement ring guide.
Which metal suits a cushion?
Yellow gold with a chunky cushion is the classic vintage pairing. Platinum or white gold with crushed ice is the modern one. Rose gold flatters both and warms a lower colour.
Is a cushion hard-wearing?
Yes. The rounded corners have no point to chip, which makes it one of the most practical fancy shapes for daily wear. Four claws at the corners hold it securely in 18k gold or platinum.
Start with the cushion
Tell us chunky or crushed ice, square or elongated, and the carat, and we will send real cushions to compare on video with certificates and a quote. Renders of the ring follow before anything is made.