Cushion Cut Engagement Rings – Why To Choose Them

Most people rarely choose cushion cut engagement rings.  However, this can be a good thing if your fiancee wants to stand out from the crowd.  This type of cut has a rectangular or square shape with rounded edges.  Although these rings can stand alone, they’re often combined with accent stones for more style.

Cushion cut rings were first developed way back in the early 1900s.  The rings were designed the way they were because the main source of lighting back then was candlelight.  The candlelight helped bring out the sparkle in the ring.

However, unless you’re a caveman, you probably won’t be using candlelight these days.  Modern rings are cut to take advantage of the type of lighting we have today.  Cushion cut engagement rings can still make a good choice if you’re interested in an antique style though.

The main disadvantage of buying cushion cut engagement rings is that they offer much less sparkle than other cuts.  They typically have approximately 60 facets, one of the main factors that determines sparkle.  To put this in perspective, most modern cuts offer at least 80 facets.

Even with this softer shine, cushion cut engagement rings will still make a good option.  While all of her girlfriends are wearing princess cut or brilliant round cuts, she’ll stand out with her classic cushion cut design.

When buying cushion cut engagement rings, it’s important that you look for stones with the best clarity.  They will have a minimal amount of inclusions or blemishes inside the stone.  However, you’ll find that these stones will be more expensive than their flawed counterparts.

If you know anything about buying rings, then you’ll know that there are plenty of other factors to be considered.  In addition to clarity and the aforementioned cut, you will also need to think about the color and carat size.  The number of carats will especially play a role in determining the overall price of the ring.

You or your fiancee will also need to think about the setting of the cushion cut engagement rings.  With their square or rectangular shape, these stones are quite large.  Therefore, you’ll need four prong settings to hold the stone on properly.  Since they’re so large, larger prongs will need to be used to ensure stability.

Cushion cut engagement rings have had their time as far as popularity is concerned.  There are better options to bring out the brilliance of a stone nowadays.  However, this type of ring will certainly stand out moreso than others.  Just make sure you cut all the lights out and propose by candlelight.