Certified Cushion Diamonds — Antwerp
The vintage-inspired shape — romantic soft corners and exceptional fire in every certified stone.
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FACETS
#4
Most Popular
1800s
Heritage
Our Current Stock
Cushion Shaped Diamonds
Hand-picked certified cushion shaped diamonds from our current stock — at prices up to 75% below retail.
Expert Advice
Why Choose Certified Cushion Cut Diamonds?
The cushion cut diamond is a romantic, vintage-inspired shape with roots tracing back over 200 years to the old mine cut. Today's modified cushion brilliant — now available in both square and elongated proportions — combines classic pillow-shaped softness with modern faceting for exceptional fire and brilliance, in a shape that has surged back to become the world's fourth most popular diamond cut.
Fire
Unrivalled Fire & Colour Play
The cushion cut's larger, open facets disperse white light into broad, colourful flashes of fire more dramatically than most brilliant cuts. If you love seeing rainbow sparkle rather than white brilliance, the cushion outperforms every other popular shape in this respect.
Aesthetic
Romantic, Vintage Character
The soft, pillow-shaped outline evokes the elegance of antique jewellery. Cushion cuts pair beautifully with halo settings, milgrain details and pavé bands — creating a timeless, romantic look that never goes out of style and photographs exceptionally well.
FValue
Excellent Value Per Carat
Cushion cut diamonds typically cost 25–35% less than a comparable round brilliant. The combination of lower demand and efficient rough utilisation means you can afford a larger, higher-quality stone within the same budget — without compromising on fire or character.
Flexibility
Square or Rectangular — Your Choice
Unlike most shapes, the cushion comes in both square (1.00–1.05 ratio) and elongated rectangular (1.10–1.25 ratio) proportions. This gives you creative flexibility to choose the outline that best suits your hand shape, ring style and personal preference.
Colour
Ideal for Fancy Colours
The cushion cut's facet structure intensifies colour saturation — making it the most popular shape for fancy yellow, pink and champagne diamonds. If colour is your priority, the cushion showcases it better than any other shape available.
Durability
No Vulnerable Points
Unlike princess cuts with sharp 90° corners or pear and marquise shapes with pointed tips, the cushion's fully rounded corners and edges have no vulnerable points that require special protection. You can set a cushion cut in virtually any ring style without worrying about chipping — making it one of the most practical choices for everyday wear.
Expert Advice
Your Guide to Cushion Cut Diamonds
Setting recommendations for certified cushion cut diamonds
The cushion cut's rounded corners and lack of sharp points make it one of the most setting-friendly diamond shapes available. A classic 4-prong solitaire shows off the stone's outline beautifully and allows maximum light entry. A halo setting — where a ring of smaller diamonds surrounds the cushion — dramatically amplifies its face-up size and enhances the romantic, vintage aesthetic that the shape is known for.
Pavé and milgrain-edge settings work exceptionally well with cushion cuts, reinforcing the antique character of the shape. Three-stone settings with tapered baguette or trillion side stones are also a popular choice. Because there are no vulnerable points to protect, you have complete freedom to choose the setting style that appeals to you aesthetically, without any practical constraints.
What to expect to pay for certified cushion cut diamonds
Cushion cuts offer some of the best value among popular diamond shapes. As a general guide at G colour and VS2 clarity: approximately €650–€1,000 for a 0.50ct stone, €1,300–€2,100 for a 1.00ct, €2,300–€3,900 for a 1.50ct, and €5,000–€8,500 for a 2.00ct.
Cushion modified brilliants (the "crushed ice" variety) typically cost slightly less than cushion brilliants of the same grade — giving you additional flexibility if budget is a priority. At Diamantwerp, our prices are typically 75% below what you would pay at a traditional jeweller for the same certified stone.
Cushion Cut Diamonds in Antwerp
Antwerp is the world's diamond capital — over 80% of the world's rough diamonds pass through the city's diamond district each year. Buying certified natural diamonds in Antwerp means purchasing direct from the source, with none of the retail markups added by high-street jewellers or international online platforms.
At Diamantwerp, our office on Pelikaanstraat 62 sits at the heart of the Antwerp diamond district, allowing us to source cushion cut diamonds directly from cutters and sight-holders and pass the savings to you.
Cushion Cut Diamonds and certification
Unlike round brilliants — which can achieve a Triple Excellent cut grade from GIA — cushion cut diamonds receive no standardised GIA cut grade. GIA grades cushion cuts on polish and symmetry only, so evaluating cut quality falls entirely to the buyer.
When assessing a certified cushion cut, check the table (ideally 58–68%) and depth percentages (58–68%), the length-to-width ratio, and whether the stone is a cushion brilliant or cushion modified brilliant — as these two varieties have distinctly different visual characters. Every cushion cut diamond at Diamantwerp comes with a verified certificate from GIA, HRD or IGI — and our team walks you through the proportions before you commit.
Four things to understand before you purchase a certified cushion cut diamond — from the two distinct facet styles and how to choose between them, to realistic pricing, to what makes Antwerp the smartest place to buy, and why certification matters.
Explore More
Other Diamond Shapes
Not sure if this shape suits you? Discover our complete range of different diamond shapes.
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Round
Timeless ClassicThe classic choice with maximum brilliance. 58 facets engineered for unmatched sparkle and fire.
View Round Diamonds -
Oval
TrendingElongated brilliance that flatters the finger. Appears larger than a round of equal carat weight.
View Oval Diamonds -
Princess
Modern ClassicA square silhouette with brilliant-style faceting. Sharp corners and contemporary sparkle.
View Princess Diamonds -
Pear
DistinctiveA teardrop silhouette combining the round's brilliance with the marquise's elongation.
View Pear Diamonds -
Marquise
Regal HeritageA regal boat-shape favoured since 1745. Elongates the finger and maximises visual size per carat.
View Marquise Diamonds -
Emerald
Art DecoStep-cut facets create a hall-of-mirrors effect. Prized for its understated, architectural elegance.
View Emerald Diamonds -
Asscher
Vintage GlamourA square step-cut with deeper facets than an emerald. Signature "hall of windows" effect with Gatsby-era charm.
View Asscher Diamonds -
Radiant
Bold BrillianceA rectangular silhouette with brilliant-cut sparkle. Created in 1977 for modern fire in a classic shape.
View Radiant Diamonds -
Heart
Pure SymbolA symbol of love crafted for precision. Requires a master cutter to achieve perfect lobes and pointed tip.
View Heart Diamonds
Diamond education
How to Choose Your Perfect Diamond
Selecting a certified loose diamond is a personal journey. Every stone is unique, and the right choice depends on a balance of the four fundamental quality factors — known as the 4 C's of diamond
Use our search tool above to filter by cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Compare certificates, review 360° imagery, and find the stone that matches your taste and budget. Not sure where to start? Our experts are here to help.
Client Experiences
What Our Clients Say
Real experiences from clients who purchased certified loose diamonds through Diamantwerp.
Diamantwerp
Out of 5 stars
Overall rating out of 11 Google reviews
Despite some issues with delivery on your side, the product I ordered exceeded my expectations. The quality is at a high level, so overall I am satisfied with the purchase.
Great experience from start to finish. Communication was clear and professional, and the diamond matched the description perfectly. Very satisfied with the quality and overall service. Highly recommended!
Perfecte service, betrouwbaar en Top kwaliteit 👍
Zeer tevreden, hetgeen gevraagd is werd ook uitgevoerd….. top!!!!
Wij hebben onze trouwringen hier besteld en zijn ontzettend tevreden. Vanaf het eerste moment werden we heel vriendelijk en professioneel geholpen. Er werd echt de tijd genomen om naar onze wensen te luisteren en mee te denken over het ontwerp. De service was perfect: duidelijke uitleg, eerlijk advies en een fijne, persoonlijke benadering. We voelden ons echt welkom en begrepen. Het eindresultaat is prachtig geworden. We zijn er enorm blij mee en dragen ze met trots. Absoluut een aanrader voor iedereen die op zoek is naar kwaliteit, vakmanschap en uitstekende service!
Verschillende groottes van parels tentoongesteld, waardoor ik kon kiezen welke perfect bij mij passen. Goede service en top kwaliteit!
Zeer tevreden van mijn trouwring. Exact het design waar ik naar verlangde, kwaliteitsvolle uitvoering en een fijne service.
We kopen hier ondertussen al meerdere jaren onze edelstenen in alle vertrouwen en transparantie. Telkens de overeengekomen kwaliteit aan de best mogelijke prijs, een tevreden klant hier.
Heel professionele en betrouwbare service. Duidelijke uitleg, zonder druk om te beslissen. Alles verliep vlot en correct - zeker een aanrader!
Common Questions
Certified Cushion Cut Diamonds FAQ
Everything you need to know about buying a heart shaped diamond.
What is the difference between a cushion brilliant and a cushion modified brilliant?
A cushion brilliant has a facet pattern similar to a round brilliant — producing broad, bold flashes of light. A cushion modified brilliant has an extra row of facets below the girdle, creating a "crushed ice" or "sparkling water" look with smaller, more scattered sparkles. Neither is objectively better — it's a matter of personal taste. Cushion modified brilliants are also slightly more forgiving on clarity and typically cost a little less. We stock both varieties.
What length-to-width ratio should I choose?
For a square cushion, look for a ratio between 1.00 and 1.05. For an elongated rectangular cushion, 1.10 to 1.25 is the most popular range. Both look beautiful — square cushions are classic, while elongated cushions offer a modern twist and can make the finger appear longer, similar to an oval diamond. Always verify the ratio on the GIA, HRD or IGI certificate.
Does the cushion cut hide colour well?
The cushion's larger facets tend to show colour more readily than a round brilliant's tight facet pattern. For a white appearance in platinum or white gold, we recommend G–H colour or higher. However, if you're choosing a yellow gold setting, you can comfortably go to I–J colour and save significantly. Read our full diamond colour guide.
What clarity grade should I choose for a cushion cut diamond?
The cushion's brilliant faceting is reasonably forgiving on clarity — its broad facets scatter light effectively, making most small inclusions difficult to spot with the naked eye. VS2 or SI1 is the sweet spot for most buyers: both face up eye-clean in the vast majority of cases at a meaningfully lower price than VVS grades. One additional note: cushion modified brilliants (the "crushed ice" variety) are actually more forgiving on clarity than cushion brilliants, because the fragmented sparkle pattern makes inclusions even harder to detect.
How can your prices be so much lower?
We buy directly from cutters and sight-holders in the Antwerp diamond district — cutting out multiple intermediaries. Our low-overhead business model means we pass the savings directly to you. The same certified loose diamonds from Antwerp, at a fraction of the price. Browse diamonds by budget: under €2,000, under €5,000 or under €10,000.
Is a cushion cut diamond suitable for an engagement ring?
The cushion is one of the most romantic and versatile engagement ring shapes available. Its soft, pillow-like silhouette suits vintage-inspired, halo and classic solitaire settings equally well, and its rounded corners make it significantly more durable than sharp-cornered shapes like the princess — with no vulnerable points that need extra protection.
There are two cushion types worth knowing before you choose a setting: cushion brilliant (bolder flashes, more fire) and cushion modified brilliant (crushed-ice sparkle, typically lower price). Both work beautifully as solitaires and in halo settings. For maximum romantic impact, a cushion in a halo with a pavé band is one of the most popular and enduring engagement ring combinations in the world. We recommend a minimum of 0.50ct, with 1.00ct or above being the most popular choice for solitaire settings.
