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"Cushion cut" isn't one cut — it's a family of related square-to-rectangular, rounded-corner shapes that differ in facet pattern and outline: cushion brilliant, cushion modified brilliant, antique cushion, and elongated cushion. Guru Diam stocks 382 cushion cut lab-grown diamonds across the family, CVD-grown, IGI-certified as standard with GIA available on request, from our New York Diamond District desk.
Buyers searching "cushion cut diamond" usually already know the pillow-shaped outline. What most sourcing pages skip is that a request for "a cushion" can mean four genuinely different stones depending on facet pattern, crown height, and length-to-width ratio — and specifying the wrong one is the most common cause of a client rejecting a stone they technically asked for. This guide breaks down the family so you can spec the right type the first time, then routes you to a full sourcing guide for each.
What "cushion cut" actually covers
At its broadest, cushion cut means a square-to-rectangular outline with rounded, "pillow" corners — that's the one thing every cushion has in common. Everything else varies. Facet pattern ranges from a standard brilliant arrangement to a modified brilliant with extra facet rows to genuine antique faceting with a high crown and open culet. Outline ranges from a near-square 1:1 ratio to a visibly elongated rectangle. Those variables combine into four distinct types buyers actually ask for by name, and they don't perform the same way under light or wear the same way in a setting.
The four cushion types
- Cushion brilliant. The standard modern cushion — a brilliant-style facet arrangement (typically around 58 facets) on the classic square-to-slightly-rectangular pillow outline. Broad, open facets produce large, bright flashes rather than tight scintillation. This is the everyday, highest-volume cushion in most inventories, including ours. Full detail: our cushion brilliant vs. cushion modified brilliant comparison.
- Cushion modified brilliant. The same pillow outline, but with extra facet rows added to the crown and pavilion — often called a "chunky brilliant" or "crushed ice" cushion in the trade. More facets means smaller, more numerous flashes: a sparklier, more broken-up light pattern than a standard cushion brilliant, at some cost to the size of individual flashes. See the full facet-by-facet breakdown in our cushion brilliant vs. modified brilliant guide.
- Antique cushion. A cushion cut with genuine antique faceting character — higher crown, larger open culet, fewer and larger hand-cut-style facets — producing a warmer, softer light pattern than either modern brilliant variant. The term gets used loosely in retail marketing to mean almost any cushion in a vintage-style setting, which causes real confusion with the historical Old Mine Cut. We untangle that specifically in Antique Cushion vs. Old Mine Cut.
- Elongated cushion. A cushion with a visibly rectangular outline — typically 1.15–1.50 length-to-width — rather than the square-to-1.05 ratio of a classic cushion. The elongation makes the stone read larger face-up per carat and creates a slimmer, finger-lengthening silhouette. Full detail in our elongated cushion cut guide.
Choosing the right type for an order
| Type | Facet style | Light behavior | L:W ratio | Best-suited for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cushion brilliant | Standard brilliant (~58 facets) | Large, bright flashes | ~1.00–1.05 | Everyday engagement rings, classic pillow look |
| Cushion modified brilliant | Extra facet rows (~61–70+) | Fine, dense scintillation | ~1.00–1.05 | Buyers who want maximum sparkle over broad flash |
| Antique cushion | High crown, open culet, chunky facets | Soft, warm, low-contrast glow | ~1.00–1.10 | Vintage-inspired settings, antique-cut buyers |
| Elongated cushion | Brilliant or modified brilliant | Bright flashes across a larger face-up area | ~1.15–1.50+ | Buyers who want a slimmer, elongated look |
The practical rule: if a client says "cushion" without qualifiers, they almost always mean cushion brilliant — it's the default in the category and the deepest stock across most inventories. Antique cushion, elongated cushion, and modified brilliant are all deliberate, specific requests, and worth confirming explicitly before you quote or cut, since the four types are not interchangeable in a finished setting.
Sourcing cushion cut diamonds wholesale
Guru Diam carries 382 cushion cut lab-grown diamonds on hand across the full family — cushion brilliant, cushion modified brilliant, antique cushion, and elongated cushion — CVD-grown, IGI-certified as standard, GIA available on request, from our New York Diamond District desk (36 West 47th Street, Suite 601A) and our Los Angeles office (607 South Hill Street). For the full spec table, size range, and pricing on our core cushion inventory, see our cushion cut wholesale sourcing guide. For fancy color cushions specifically, see our fancy color cushion guide.
Ready to buy? Open a verified wholesale account at /signup and book time with a gemologist at /book-appointment.
FAQ
What are the different types of cushion cut diamonds? Four main types: cushion brilliant (standard modern faceting), cushion modified brilliant (extra facet rows for denser sparkle), antique cushion (high-crown, open-culet historical faceting), and elongated cushion (rectangular outline rather than square). They share the rounded "pillow" outline but differ in facet pattern, light behavior, and length-to-width ratio.
What's the difference between a cushion cut and a cushion brilliant? "Cushion cut" is the umbrella term for the whole pillow-shaped family. "Cushion brilliant" is the specific, most common type within that family — a standard brilliant facet arrangement on the classic square-to-slightly-rectangular cushion outline.
Is antique cushion the same as Old Mine Cut? Not exactly — they overlap but aren't identical terms. See our full Antique Cushion vs. Old Mine Cut breakdown for the disambiguation; in short, "antique cushion" is used more loosely in modern marketing, while Old Mine Cut refers to a specific historical faceting standard.
Which cushion type is most popular for engagement rings? Cushion brilliant is the default and highest-volume choice for engagement ring center stones. Cushion modified brilliant is the most common upgrade request when a client wants more visible sparkle; elongated cushion is the most common request when a client wants a slimmer, larger-looking silhouette.
Are all cushion cut types available lab-grown and certified? Yes. Guru Diam's full cushion inventory — all four types — is CVD-grown and IGI-certified as standard, with GIA certification available on request.
