The Round Cut vs Cushion Cut Diamond

When picking out the ideal gemstone for your engagement ring, there are two styles that you will see prevalent in the jewelry market — cushion cut and round cut diamonds. Both of these cuts are popular choices and have certain features and benefits that make them perfect to engrave on any piece of jewelry.

In this guide, we will do a head-to-head comparison between a cushion cut and a round cut diamond to help you discover which of these shapes is better than the other and suits you best.

What Is a Round Cut Diamond?

Round cut diamonds, as can be inferred from their name, feature a perfectly circular silhouette that people have always associated with diamonds. This is an incredibly sought-after style of diamond for engagement rings due to its versatile nature that makes the stone look flattering on all finger types. 

Another prominent aspect of this diamond cut is its unmatched brilliance, thanks to the 57 angular facets perfectly placed to reflect and refract light inside before emitting it in the best way possible. Classic, simple, and pretty, the round-cut diamond has been used as an expression of love in engagement rings and continues to be used for the same purpose in the future.

What Is a Cushion Cut Diamond?

Originating from the historic Old Mine cut, cushion cut diamonds are a contemporary take on the classical diamond shape. They have been around for more than 200 years now and are used to add a vintage appeal to a variety of jewelry items and halo settings. 

This diamond style is best distinguished by its pillow-like structure consisting of a square shape and rounded corners. The number of facets differs for every cushion cut diamond, but they are guaranteed to produce added fire, thanks to their modern facet placements. 

To put it simply, cushion cut, an emulation of the old mine cut, does everything its predecessor did but better.

Round Cut vs Cushion Cut Diamonds - What’s the Difference?

Selecting between a round and cushion-cut diamond can be a tricky decision to make. To solve this problem, we have outlined the prominent aspects and differences between each style based on factors like shape, sparkle, and price to put an end to the debate of cushion vs round cut diamonds and decide which one is the clear winner.

Sparkle

The sparkle of any particular diamond depends on its ability to catch the light, reflect it, and then emit it in all directions. This emitted sparkle, known as scintillation, consists of a white light called brilliance and a rainbow light called fire. Because of the difference in the way they are cut, round and cushion-cut diamonds each have a different amount and type of scintillation. 

Generally, round diamonds have a higher scintillation effect than any other type and are referred to as the best diamond shape as far as brilliance is considered. Whereas, although cushion-cut diamonds have less brilliance than round cuts, they tend to produce more fire because of their larger facets.

Size

Another detrimental factor when selecting any diamond shape is how huge it looks on your finger. Diamond shapes of the same carat weight can differ greatly in terms of size because of the difference in their table surface area.

Usually, cushion-cut diamonds, because of their fuller bottom half, tend to appear smaller as compared to a round-cut diamond with the same carat weight. Meanwhile, round brilliant cuts look true to their carat weight, and their added brilliance only further highlights their size.

Color

The color of the diamond helps decide how well the stone will look under various settings. Cushion-cut diamonds are known to produce more pronounced, noticeably yellowish shades and are ideal for adding a pop of color to your diamond rings. 

In contrast, round diamonds offer a slightly warm or white color. Aim for a color grading of G or higher for round cut and H or higher for cushion cut to achieve a colorless look that goes best with a white gold or platinum setting.

Price

Their unmatched demand and significant loss of rough crystal to obtain a perfectly circular design during the shaping process drive up the price of round-cut diamonds and make them the most expensive style out there. 

On the other hand, cushion-cut stones of the same carat size and quality tend to cost almost 25 to 50% less than their round-cut counterparts and are the best budget-friendly alternative due to their low demand. 

Who’s the Winner?

Having done a side-by-side review of both types, let's answer the much-anticipated question: which one is better?

While the cushion cut enjoys the benefit of a lower price tag, added fire, and vintage elegance, round cut diamonds come at the top when it comes to picking the right stone for an engagement ring and solitaire settings. Their extra sparkle, larger size, and classic design easily sway the customers and make them worthy of the hefty price tag.

However, if you are working with halo settings or on a tight budget, then there's no better choice for you than the cushion cut diamond. Each of these types has its own set of unique features that make them fit for specific settings. 

Ready to pick out the best diamond cut for your significant other? Browse through our exquisite jewelry collection to get started.