Cushion Cut Lab Grown Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring with Pave Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A cushion cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws on a band set with small round diamonds. The pave continues around a good part of the shank rather than stopping at the shoulders, so the ring reads as a line of light with a larger stone sitting in it.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Cushion cut laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Four claw cushion on a pave set band
• Accent stones: Round laboratory grown diamonds, E colour, VVS2
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

What a cushion cut is

A square outline with rounded corners and gently curved sides, like a pillow, faceted as a brilliant. Its facets are larger and more open than a modern round brilliant's, which gives a cushion a slower, softer glow rather than rapid white flashes. It is the oldest brilliant style still in regular use, and the rounded corners are its practical advantage: a corner that is already curved cannot chip the way a sharp one can.

The pave band

Round diamonds are set in shared claws with very little metal showing between them, running down both shoulders and continuing round the shank further than a conventional pave would. The band narrows slightly as it travels, which lengthens the finger and makes the cushion look larger by contrast.

Why four claws suit a cushion

A cushion has four rounded corners and that is exactly where a claw can grip without covering any of the face of the stone. Four is enough: more would start eating into the curved sides, which is where the cushion shows its shape.

What laboratory grown means here

A laboratory grown diamond is a diamond. It is crystallised carbon with the same cubic structure, the same 10 on the Mohs scale, the same refractive index of 2.42 and the same dispersion as a mined stone. Ours are grown by chemical vapour deposition and high pressure high temperature methods, then cut and polished by hand. This is not moissanite, not cubic zirconia and not a simulant. A gemmologist testing it will read diamond, because it is diamond.

Metals

Choose 925 sterling silver, or 10K, 14K or 18K gold in yellow, rose or white. White gold is photographed here, which makes the pave disappear as metal and read purely as light. In yellow or rose gold the individual stones separate more and the band looks busier. White gold is rhodium plated and will want replating every one to two years.

Every centre stone arrives IGI certified

The centre diamond is graded by IGI, the International Gemological Institute, and the certificate comes with the ring at no extra charge. It states the carat weight, the E colour grade, the VVS2 clarity grade, the measurements and the girdle inscription, and confirms in writing that the stone is laboratory grown. The pave diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

Made to order in our own workshop

Mapple Gems is a family run workshop in Surat, India, where most of the world's diamonds are cut and polished. Every pave stone is set by hand under a microscope, and the claws are shaped to the corners of your individual cushion. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work the brush along the pave on both sides of the band and underneath the centre stone. Pave holds more dirt than a plain shank, so clean it more often than you would a simple solitaire.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? Every centre stone is E colour and VVS2 clarity, on every metal and every carat weight. The pave stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the pave? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre cushion. The pave is in addition.

Is the certificate really free? Yes. The IGI report for the centre stone is included in the price on every variant.

Will a wedding band sit flush against it? Yes. The head sits low and the shank is straight, so a plain or pave band meets it cleanly.

Can it be resized? Within about one size. The pave covers a good part of the shank, so there is limited plain metal to work with. If you are between sizes, tell us and we will build to the larger.

• All payments are processed securely through PayPal, one of the world's most trusted payment gateways
• Pay with your PayPal balance, or with any major credit or debit card through PayPal's secure checkout
• No PayPal account required — guest checkout available
• PayPal Purchase Protection applies to eligible orders