Tips on Buying Cushion Cut Diamond Stud Earrings

Know Your Shape

Before we get into our specific tips on what to look for in cushion cut diamonds, we’ll briefly cover what a cushion cut diamond is. After all, before buying any diamond shape, you should always understand what you’re buying.

The cushion cut is a modern variation of the old mine cut, which used to be the most popular shape for diamonds. That’s why cushion cut diamonds are often associated with a vintage style, as this shape was very popular in the Georgian and Victorian eras.

The cushion cut diamond is named for its shape: when viewed from above, it looks like a square with rounded corners (like a cushion). Cushion cut diamonds feature larger facets than brilliant cut diamonds, such as round and princess cut diamonds, which does make them a bit less brilliant than these shapes. However, it also makes them fierier and allows you to see more clearly into the diamond, and many people adore the icy, fiery look of a cushion cut diamond.

Tips on What to Look for When Buying Cushion Cut Diamonds

As with any diamond shape, what you’ll find most beautiful in a cushion cut diamond is really a matter of personal taste. There’s no one “best” kind of cushion cut diamond, only the one that you’ll like the best. However, we can give you some guidelines on what most people prefer (and what we prefer) in a cushion cut diamond to help you choose the right one for you.

Ratio Considerations

One thing to consider when buying a cushion cut diamond is its length to width ratio. While cushion cut diamonds are generally thought of as square, they can actually be either perfectly square or slightly rectangular. If you want a more classic, square cushion cut diamond, look for a ratio between 1.00 and 1.09. If you like the look of a more rectangular cushion cut diamond, you may want a ratio between 1.15 and 1.5.

What you like best is, again, a matter of personal taste. But if you’d like to know the most popular length to width ratio, know that most people tend to prefer cushion cut diamonds that are very slightly rectangular, with a ratio between 1.15 and 1.2.

Alongside the length to width ratio, you should also consider depth. While the length to width ratio is more a matter of personal taste, we do have a specific recommendation for depth. Generally, we recommend going with a cushion-cut diamond that has a depth percentage and table percentage that’s under 70%.

Quality Considerations

The four Cs of diamonds (color, cut, clarity, and carat) are as important to consider for cushion cut diamonds as they are for other diamond shapes. For color, we would generally recommend going with an H color cushion cut diamond or higher. For clarity, we would recommend going with a slightly higher clarity than with other diamonds shapes (ideally SI1 or higher), as you can easily see inside a cushion cut diamond, which can expose flaws. For cut, we would recommend that you select a cushion cut diamond with a Very Good cut or higher and would also recommend prioritizing polish and symmetry (choosing Excellent for both of these).

For carat, which is the weight measurement that can reflect the size of a diamond, there’s no one weight we’d recommend. When you consider carat, just think about what color, cut, and clarity gradings you would be happy with, then choose the largest carat diamonds that reflect these qualities while also staying within your budget.

Which Precious Metal Is the Best for Cushion Cut Diamond Studs?

Now that you know everything you need to know about selecting the right cushion cut diamonds for your studs, let’s talk about your choosing your precious metal!

Really, every precious metal looks gorgeous alongside cushion cut diamonds. When you choose your precious metal for your studs, know that there isn’t a bad option. You can choose the precious metal that best compliments your skin tone (white gold or platinum for cool undertones, yellow gold for warm undertones, or rose gold for neutral undertones) or simply choose your favorite.

You can also use your choice of precious metal to switch up the style of your cushion cut diamond studs. White gold and platinum add a slightly more modern look, while yellow gold is quite classic and rose gold is very romantic. Rose gold is also a particularly good choice if you want to enhance the vintage style of your cushion cut studs, as both rose gold and cushion cut diamonds have a vintage look.

Whether you want to choose your precious metal based on style, how well it complements your skin tone, or just based on which one you love the most, there’s no wrong choice of precious metal for your cushion cut diamond studs!