Cushion Cut Lab Grown Diamond Solitaire Ring on a Plain Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A cushion cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws on a thin plain band. A cushion is a square with heavily rounded corners and curved sides, and on a plain shank with nothing else on it the shape is the whole design.

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 solitaire on an open basket
• Band: Thin plain round band, no accent stones
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

The softest of the square shapes

A cushion has no straight edges and no sharp corners. It reads as a rounded square, which is why the shape has been called a pillow cut, and it is the only square outline that does not look hard on a small hand. It is also the most forgiving square shape to wear, because there is no corner to chip.

Large facets, broad fire

Cushion cuts have fewer and larger facets than a modern round brilliant, and a deeper pavilion. That gives them broad flashes of colour rather than fine glitter, which is the same effect you see in the old mine cuts of the eighteen hundreds. It suits candlelight and low light better than a round does, and on a colourless E stone the fire reads white rather than tinted.

Four claws on the curve

There is no flat edge for a claw to grip on a cushion, so each claw is shaped to the curve of the corner it sits on rather than bent over a straight line. They are filed low so the outline of the stone stays unbroken from above, and the basket is left open so light reaches the pavilion from below.

A band kept thin

The shank is a plain round wire with nothing set into it. A cushion is a wide shape and thin metal lets it overhang the band slightly at the sides, which makes the stone read larger. It also sits flat against a wedding band with no gap.

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 white metal, 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.

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. Cushions vary a great deal in how square or how elongated they are cut, so each head is built around the individual stone rather than pulled from a stock size. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush, brushing up into the open basket from underneath. A deep pavilion collects more underneath than a shallow stone, so clean it from the back. Take the ring off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? E colour and VVS2 clarity, on every metal and every carat weight.

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. Many people prefer it for exactly that reason.

Square or elongated? We cut ours close to square, with a length to width ratio around 1.05 to 1.15, which is what most people mean when they ask for a cushion. Tell us if you want a more elongated stone and we will source one.

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. The band is thin and plain and the basket is narrow, so a straight band sits against it without a gap.

Can it be resized? Yes. The shank is plain all the way around, so one or two sizes either way is straightforward.

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