As girls, we dream about the diamonds we are going to have when we grow up. We wish for our grandmother to leave us her beautiful diamonds. Then we wish for the man of our dreams to surprise us with the perfect ring when we decide to live together happily ever after. And when the time comes we go out checking every type of diamond ring there is, hoping to find the one that fits us the best. Well, one of the best ones are cushion diamonds. Let’s learn a bit about them.
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The cushion cut diamond is also known as “pillow-cut.” You probably already guessed that the name was inspired from the cut looking like a pillow. The diamond is rectangular or square in shape with rounded edges.
Do you know why the cushion cut diamond is thought of as classy? Well, it is elegant, yet soft looking cut and has been around from the last 200 years. Also, if you are looking for an engagement ring this cut can be something to think about.
Moving on, the cushion cut diamond is one of the most scintillating cuts in the market today with an average of 58 to 64 facets. These help the diamond boast great fire. And when I say fire I mean the flashes of color when the diamond is under a light. Moreover, the numerous facets make the cut a unique choice.
SOME OF THE FAMOUS CUSHION CUT DIAMONDS
First of all, let’s talk about the famous “The Hope Diamond.” In 1958 Harry Winston donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. And if we go back a bit into the history, we will know that the blue 45.52 ct diamond originally comes from India. The Hope Diamond is so great that it is currently the most visited exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution. Can you believe that it has been owned by French royalty and the American socialites as well? Well, as great as this diamond sounds, it has a dark angle too: The Hope Diamond has the reputation of being cursed.
Next, there is “The Regent Diamond.” Some rumors say that the 410ct diamond belonged to a slave in the Guntur district of Andhara Pradesh, India in 1698. Well, at least it originally belonged to the slave. Moreover, the story also tells that an English sea captain stole it from him.
And lastly, one of the famous cushion cut diamonds is the “Yellow Tiffany Diamond.” The amazing diamond weighs 128.54 carats. And not surprisingly, it is one of the largest fancy-colored diamonds discovered to date. You can guess that not very many women got to wear the precious stone. Moreover, Audrey Hepburn was one of the lucky ones. She wore it in the promotion of the 1961 film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
BUYING A CUSHION CUT DIAMOND
By now you know that these diamonds are very gentle. I am even pressing my fingers gentler when writing about them. And understanding the 4C’s is essential when one thinks about purchasing or selling a cushion cut diamond. But luckily, there are some tips that can help you.
First, you need to take a careful look at the color grade. When you are dealing with a white diamond, this refers to the presence or lack of yellow/brown tones: ranging from a D to Z. Moreover, D is the colorless and Z is light yellow.
Now, if you are looking for a white diamond, the lack of color should be favored by you. Typically it is recommended opting for H-grade or better. And you know why? Cushion cuts show color more strongly than other cuts. So we can say, that cushion cut diamonds are popular cut for colored diamonds.
Next, you need to check out the clarity grade: the presence or lack of flaws in the stone. It is usually recommended a clarity grade of SI1 or better when buying these diamonds. And there is a good reason behind: cushion cuts have a large and open table. Those make any flaws in the diamond table particularly visible.
Moving on, carat weight is the next important factor when buying or selling a cushion cut diamond. Abbreviated to ct, carat weight is about how heavy the stone is. Therefore, it also affects how large the diamond looks. And we all want the largest ones, don’t we? So, one carat is approximately 0.02g. It does not take a mathematician to understand that the larger the carat weight, the more valuable the stone.
And the one last thing you need to be careful about is the cut grade. It is referred to the cut quality of the proportions of the stone. And you want a well-cut stone. The reason is that it will fetch higher prices when buying and when selling as well.
CUSHION BRILLIANT VS. CUSHION MODIFIED BRILLIANT
Originally, cushion cut diamonds were cut using step facets. Do you know where the modern round brilliant cut diamond came from? Marcel Tolkowsky first pioneered it by cutting facets perpendicular instead of horizontal.
Later on, he found that this produced more brilliance and fire from the stone. In order to keep the outline of the diamond the same and give it more sparkle, these angles were incorporated into the cushion cut. And so, the cushion brilliant diamond was born.
Let’s learn a bit about cushion brilliant diamonds. They have very similar faceting arrangement to round brilliant cut diamonds. The facets in the pavilion of the cushion brilliant diamond extend from the center out toward the outer edge. That way they resemble a star.
If you are not a fan of a “crushed ice” look, then cushion brilliants are for you: they contain larger facets. Moreover, they resemble the appearance of round cut diamonds with a pillow like or cushion shape. That is what makes them so famous and desirable.
Now, what are cushion modified brilliants different from cushion brilliant diamonds. First of all, they are a variation on the original cushion brilliant shape. Second, this type contains an extra row of facets right below the girdle, where the facets on the pavilion do not actually reach the girdle. And them resemble a flower shape.
Moving on, cushion modified brilliant diamonds usually have exceptional sparkle reminiscent of the “sparkling water” or “crushed ice” appearance of a well-cut radiant shape diamond. Interestingly, this type of diamonds are less expensive. And here is why: there is not a large demand for this particular cut. And that is not all: cutters save more weight when cutting them from a rough diamond crystal.
The bottom line is that cushion cut diamonds are one of the most commonly used stones in engagement rings today. Somehow the pillow-shape cut makes people think of love. Many celebrities choose this cut as their engagement ring: Molly Sims, Ivanka Trump, Jennifer Garner, Kim Kardashian, and Miley Cyrus. It started from the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and ended with “The Great Gatsby,” where Daisy Buchanan wore it as her engagement ring.