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

A cushion cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws, with round accents running down each shoulder that get smaller the further they travel from the centre. The largest sits right against the head and the smallest disappears into the plain back of the shank, so the band tapers in brightness as well as in width.

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 centre on a graduated accent band
• Accent stones: Round brilliant laboratory grown diamonds in graduated sizes, E colour, VVS2
• Band: Graduated accents on the shoulders, plain at the back
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

Graduated rather than uniform

Most accent bands use stones of one size in a straight row. Grading them down from the head does two things. It draws the eye inward toward the centre stone rather than along the finger, and it lets the band narrow naturally instead of stopping at an abrupt edge. It is the way nineteenth century jewellers set shoulder stones, and it still looks better than a row of identical ones.

Set individually, with metal between

Each accent has its own claws with a gap of polished metal on either side. That gap is deliberate. It keeps each stone readable at its own size, which is the whole point of a graduation, and it makes the band far easier to keep clean than a solid pave rail.

Why a cushion looks warm

Cushion cuts have larger facets and a deeper pavilion than a modern round, so they throw broad flashes of fire rather than fine glitter. It is the closest modern cut to the old mine cuts of the eighteen hundreds, and it suits low light better than a round does. On a colourless E stone that fire stays white rather than tinting.

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. This ring was photographed in yellow gold, and every metal is made to order and priced above. 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. Every accent is matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters on a graduated band because the largest accents sit close enough to the centre to be compared with it directly.

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. The accent sizes are stepped down in small increments and marked out before any seat is cut, so the graduation matches on both shoulders. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, working along the band from both sides. The gaps between the accents make this easier to clean than a solid pave band, but the claws still hold hand cream. Take the ring off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity are the diamonds? The centre cushion and every band accent are E colour and VVS2 clarity, on all metals and all carat weights.

Does the carat weight include the accents? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre cushion. The graduated accents are in addition and are scaled to whichever centre you choose.

Is a cushion cut as bright as a round? Not in the same way. Fewer, larger facets give broad flashes of fire rather than fine sparkle.

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? Yes, close to it. The accents sit level with the shank, so a straight band meets the ring cleanly.

Can it be resized? Yes, at the back where the band is plain. One or two sizes either way is straightforward.

• 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