Cushion Cut Lab Grown Diamond Three Stone Engagement Ring with Cushion Side Stones in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

A cushion cut laboratory grown diamond with a smaller cushion on each side, all three set square to the finger in individual claw heads on a plain polished band. Three soft cornered squares in a row make a deliberately old fashioned outline, closer to a ring inherited than one bought new.

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: Three stone, cushion centre with two cushion side stones, each separately clawed
• Accent stones: Cushion cut 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

The cushion cut

A cushion is a square or slightly rectangular outline with rounded corners, faceted as a brilliant underneath. It was the standard diamond shape for most of the nineteenth century, when rings were made to be seen by candlelight, and it still gives a softer, warmer kind of sparkle than the precise flash of a modern round. Three of them in a row exaggerates that character rather than modernising it.

Past, present, future

That is the meaning usually attached to three stones, one for each. It is why a ring like this turns up as often at an anniversary or a ring upgrade as at a proposal, and why the side stones here are substantial rather than shrunk down into accents.

Why match the shapes

Many three stone rings use a contrasting cut at the sides, a trillion or a tapered baguette, to frame the centre. Using three cushions instead means all three stones sparkle the same way at the same moment, and the rounded corners of each one sit comfortably against the next, so the row reads as a single soft band of light across the finger.

The band stays plain

Three cushions already fill the width of the finger. A polished shank with no pave keeps the design in the stones, makes the ring easy to clean, and leaves plenty of plain metal for resizing.

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. Yellow gold is photographed here, and warm metal suits the antique character of a cushion better than almost any other combination. 10K is the hardest alloy, 14K the everyday balance, 18K the deepest colour. 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. Both cushion side stones are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade, which matters a great deal when three stones of one shape sit side by side in the same light.

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 three cushions are chosen together so they share one outline and one colour, and the heads are aligned so all three tables sit level. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work into the two gaps between the stones and underneath through the galleries. Take it off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

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. Both side stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the carat weight include the side stones? No. The 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat options refer to the centre cushion. The two side stones are in addition and are scaled to suit the centre you choose.

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 shank is straight and the three heads sit above the band line, so a plain or pave wedding ring sits close on either side.

Can it be resized? Easily. There are no stones on the shank, so one or two sizes either way is straightforward.

Can the side stones be smaller? Yes. Tell us when you order, though the ring is designed around side stones that hold their own beside the centre.

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