Pillow Talk: The Beauty of Elongated Cushion Cut Diamonds

 

Diamonds come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, so choosing the one that best suits your personality and style is a big decision—one we're perfectly suited to helping you make. And one of our favorites? The elongated cushion cut. Out of all the other shapes, this one stands out as a brilliantly timeless choice. The elongated cushion-cut diamond is kind of the best of everything. It's both old-school and undeniably modern, incredibly sparkly and full of rainbow fire, soft and feminine but also bold and breathtaking. So let's dive in and explore the origins, characteristics, and considerations for purchasing one of these captivating diamonds. Here's everything you need to know about elongated cushion-cut diamond engagement rings.

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The History of Cushion Cut Diamonds

The cushion cut diamond traces its origins back to the 19th century and has been long-renowned for its romantic appeal and antique styling. But if you go back another century earlier, you find the old mine cut diamond, the cushion cut's predecessor, which has a similar rounded square outline and large facets. As the cushion cut evolved over the years, jewelers experimented with different proportions and facet arrangements, which is how we ended up with an elongated version on our hands. Today, each cushion cut diamond has a unique personality. Yet, they all have an elegant, statement-making charm.

The Club Ring Solitaire Engagement Ring With an Elongated Cushion Cut Diamond, a timeless shape with a modern setting.

What is an Elongated Cushion Cut?

So, what exactly is this stunning diamond shape all about? Let's start with a standard cushion cut, which is a soft square diamond with rounded corners and curved sides. Now, stretch this square out into a rectangular outline and you get an elongated cushion cut—with the same rounded corners and curved sides.

Cushion cuts, no matter their outline, tend to have large facets that reflect a lot of that rainbow fire characteristic of older diamond cuts. Elongating the shape also gives your engagement ring a flattering elegance that can elongate the look of your fingers.

Thin + Simple Solitaire Engagement Ring With Elongated Cushion Cut Diamond, a flattering and elegant look.

Understanding Length-to-Width Ratios

The length-to-width ratio of a diamond refers to the relationship between the length and width measurements of the diamond's face-up view. It's an important factor to consider when evaluating the shape and appearance of a diamond, as it directly influences the diamond's overall look and proportions.

Here's a breakdown of how it works: The length-to-width ratio is calculated by dividing the length of the diamond by its width. For example, if a diamond measures 7mm in length and 5mm in width, the length-to-width ratio would be 7/5, or 1.4.

For elongated cushion cut diamonds (or any other elongated shape), a higher ratio indicates a more elongated or stretched-out shape, while a lower ratio results in a more rounded or squat shape. Anything under 1.2 will look visually pretty square, or nearly round. Yet, everyone has their own aesthetic preferences. Some people prefer diamonds with higher ratios for their elongated and slender appearance, while others prefer lower ratios for a more compact and balanced look.

1. 1.21 to 1.30: Falling within a slightly higher range, ratios in this bracket create cushion cuts with a noticeable elongation. These diamonds have a more rectangular shape while still retaining the soft, rounded corners characteristic of cushion cuts.

2. 1.31 to 1.40: This range is popular for those seeking a more pronounced elongation in their cushion cut diamonds. Diamonds within this ratio range appear noticeably elongated and slenderizing on the finger, creating a sophisticated and elegant look.

3. 1.41 to 1.50: At the upper end of the spectrum, ratios in this range produce cushion cuts with a dramatic elongation. These diamonds have a distinctly rectangular shape and offer maximum finger coverage, making them a bold and impactful choice.

When shopping for a diamond, it's essential to consider the length-to-width ratio in conjunction with other factors such as cut quality, color, clarity, and carat weight to ensure you select a diamond that aligns with your preferences and budget. Ultimately, the ideal length-to-width ratio is subjective and varies from person to person, so it's essential to choose a diamond shape and ratio that resonates with your personal style and aesthetic preferences.

Don't be afraid to mix and match cushion cut diamond sizes when it comes to three stone rings.

What About Crushed Ice Cushion Cuts?

You might also have heard about crushed ice cushion cut diamonds, which isn't so much a matter of elongation and shape. It's more a matter of the shape and size of the diamond's individual faceting pattern. A standard cushion cut diamond typically features a smaller number of larger facets arranged in a symmetrical pattern. This cut style is characterized by broader flashes of light and distinct facets that create a classic, elegant appearance. The standard cushion cut is often preferred by those seeking a traditional and timeless look for their engagement ring.

On the other hand, a crushed ice cushion cut diamond typically features smaller, more numerous facets arranged in a random or "crushed ice" pattern. This gives the diamond a sparkling, mosaic-like appearance reminiscent of crushed ice, hence the name. It creates a very lively play of light, with the smaller facets dispersing light in multiple directions for a scintillating effect. Unlike the standard cushion cut, the crushed ice cushion cut may exhibit a more chaotic and irregular sparkle pattern, creating a unique, dynamic, and extremely sparkly look.

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The 4Cs of Elongated Cushion Cut Diamonds

When choosing your elongated cushion cut diamond, it's essential to consider not just shape but all of the 4Cs together—cut, color, clarity, and carat weight—to ensure you get the most value and beauty for your budget. The cut is particularly crucial, as it has the most direct impact on your diamond's sparkle and beauty. Look for a well-proportioned cut that maximizes light performance and minimizes any potential bowtie effect, ensuring even brilliance across the stone. Most cushion cut diamonds do a good job of disguising clarity inclusions, especially crushed ice cushion cuts. But the larger the diamond, the larger the facets, creating bigger windows into any visible inclusions. When it comes to color, cushion cuts can also hold a bit more body color given they are usually cut deeper than other shapes, and this can also lead to them appearing slightly small for their carat weight. An elongated cushion cut can help give your center stone more visual size.

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Comparing the Elongated Cushion Cut to Other Diamond Shapes

Distinct from other elongated diamond cuts such as the elongated radiant, emerald cut, and oval cut, the elongated cushion cut offers a blend of soft curves and radiant sparkle. While the elongated radiant features trimmed corners and a more angular appearance with straight sides, the emerald cut boasts step-cut facets and a rectangular silhouette. In contrast, the oval cut showcases a slender, elongated shape with rounded edges. Each cut possesses its unique charm, catering to diverse style preferences. You should choose what resonates best with your personal style.

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Choosing an Elongated Cushion Cut Engagement Ring

One of the best parts of an elongated cushion cut diamond is its versatility in engagement ring settings. This unique shape works well with many styles, from simple solitaires to ornate vintage-inspired looks. Here are a few of our favorites:

A Stunning Solitaire

If you like to keep things classic or just like the idea of something simple, a solitaire engagement ring setting might be right for you. This is where you feature a single center stone, but you can still play with setting styles like a classic 4-prong ring, a split-shank solitaire, a modern bezel setting, double prongs, or even a chunky gold ring that really fills out the look. There are plenty of ways to make solitaire rings your own!

An East-West Engagement Ring

While elongated diamonds are traditionally set north-south, or parallel to your finger, jewelers have really gone all-in on an east-west setting, which turns the diamond on its side so that it sits facing across the finger. This modern engagement ring setting gives you a totally different twist and can create a bit of an optical illusion making your diamond or Moissanite look larger. This works with any elongated diamond shape, including emerald, oval, marquise, radiant, and even a pear! But we love an elongated cushion cut set this way in engagement rings—particularly with a half-bezel style that hugs your diamond between two thin metal walls for a super modern appeal.

Three of a Kind

If one center stone simply isn't enough elongated cushion cut diamond for you—then try three! This shape makes a stunning choice in a three stone engagement ring, whether you go traditional with small baguette side stones or something more major with three cushions! Our signature Triad Three-Stone Ring features a center stone that is just slightly larger than two elongated cushion cut side stones for a very bold, very brilliant look. Not for the faint of heart!

A Vintage Vision

If you like an old-school look with vintage flair, we've got that too, and it works very well with an elongated cushion cut diamond shape. Particularly with a classic faceting style. We love them crafted with double-prongs to accentuate your ring's vintage styling. Or go for a floral influence with marquise shape side diamonds.

Halo Heaven

If you want something more sparkly, you can choose a beautiful halo engagement ring setting, which encircles your elongated cushion cut diamond center stone with a ring of tiny brilliant diamonds. This style also lends your engagement ring a bit more visual size. And if that's still not enough, try a double halo! This one comes with a triple pave-set split shank to really take your look over the top!

Over the Rainbow

If you're up for exploring a bit of color in your engagement ring, you can find plenty of elongated cushion cut stones in colored diamonds or gemstones. We love a canary yellow diamond set in yellow gold, a pink sapphire set in rose gold, or a blue sapphire set in platinum. The options really are endless, and our team is here to help you create the engagement ring of your dreams. You can also choose to go with a white diamond center stone and colored side stones if you want just a hint of the rainbow.

Hit the Checkout

Creating custom engagement rings is what we do, and we're here to help you find just the right style and shape diamond to suit your unique love story. You can explore our collection to get a little inspiration, or reach out to get your custom ring started today. No matter what diamond shape you select for your final piece, all the details are up to you!

Find a ring that speaks to you with a custom design like the, Three Stone Engagement Ring with Shield Side Stones and an Elongated Cushion cut Diamond.