If you have been searching the internet for the best diamond ring for your big day, then you may have certainly come across the beautiful cushion cut engagement ring. The cushion cut is one of the most renowned fancy diamond cuts, with a rich history that dates back to 300 years. Cushion cut diamond rings have been popular since the early 1800s and topped the charts until the early 1900s. Even today, the fancy cut diamond shape is adored over many other shapes, such as the Asscher cut, heart, and pear diamonds.
The soft edges of the diamond give cushion cut engagement ring a romantic appeal. The shape of the diamond was designed to capture maximum light from candlelight and reflect a rainbow of colors. In fact, the cushion cut was originally created in order to shine with an inner glow. That is why the diamond shape is loved by women all across the world, especially among those who have a preference for vintage style diamond engagement rings. However, cushion cut diamonds can suit many more engagement ring styles as well. Below are some of the best settings for a cushion cut diamond engagement ring.
Which Are The Best Settings For Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
The most popular and safest setting for any diamond cut is the 4-prong setting. This applies to cushion cut diamond engagement rings too. The prongs in the ring will hold the center diamond securely and will not block the incoming light to interact with the gemstone either. This ensures that you can expect the maximum brilliance and shimmer from your cushion cut diamond when it is set in a 4-prong setting.
You can also choose a 6-prong setting if you wanted to offer more protection to your center diamond. The engagement ring setting will be especially helpful to hold a bigger diamond of around 2.0ct or more carat weight. However, as the number of prongs is more here, the ring setting may affect the fire and brilliance of the center stone to some extent. Regardless, a cushion cut diamond featuring a rectangular shape will look stunning in a 6-prong engagement ring setting.
If you wanted to give your cushion cut engagement ring a modern and contemporary appeal, then you can choose the bezel setting. In this setting, a metal ring will wrap the center diamond so that it is held securely at the place. However, this will significantly reduce the shimmer and fire of the cushion cut diamond as it blocks light from interacting with the center stone. Still, you can go for a bezel ring studded with accent stones to get a unique and dazzling appeal.
What Are The Prominent Features Of Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
Cushion cut diamonds usually come in a square or rectangular shape, featuring around 60 facets. Stones with a length-to-width ratio of 1.0 will give you a perfectly square shape, while those with ratios higher than 1.0 are more rectangular in shape. However, the traditional shape of a cushion cut diamond would feature a length-to-width ratio of 1.25. They were then known as the “old mine cut” diamonds. You can get cushion cut diamonds in 1.25 length-to-width ratio today as well, which will be ideal to create an antique style diamond engagement ring.
This is, in fact, one of the classic benefits of choosing a cushion cut engagement ring. They sport an elegant and refined style that reminds you of the royal days of the past. Besides, cushion cut diamonds are suitable for everyday wear as well. As they have rounded and soft edges, a cushion cut diamond is unlikely to get damaged that easily with day-to-day stress or occasional bumps. This can be further assured by choosing the right engagement ring setting. There is no risk of chipping or snagging onto the clothes either. However, the prongs in the engagement ring can catch onto your clothes or hair if you are not careful with them.
The main drawback of opting for a cushion cut diamond though is that they feature comparatively low brilliance and fire than other fancy cut diamonds. This is because the cushion cut was meant to offer the best glow in the candlelight. Yet again, a cushion cut diamond can disperse light magnificently and create a captivating rainbow of colors. What’s more, jewelers are trying to increase the brilliance and fire of cushion cut diamonds with the use of modern technologies as well. Therefore, you can rest assured that you have a beautiful and stunning piece when you go for a cushion cut engagement ring.
Another thing to note is that cushion cut diamonds will have large facets. This means that any inclusions or blemishes in the stone can be noticed easily. Moreover, even the slightest tints of color in cushion cut diamonds will be noticeable in bigger stones of over 1.0ct. Therefore, you will need to choose a diamond that has a good clarity grade of at least VS2 and a color grade of G and above. In any case, you can mask the inclusions and color tints in the cushion cut diamond by choosing the right engagement ring setting.