Ehud Laniado discusses cushion-shaped diamonds including their origins, history and place in pop culture. The Cushion-shaped diamond is a member of the square diamond shapes, one of three groups of diamond shapes. The other two are Rounds and semi rounds. Laniado compares the Round, Oval, Pear, Heart, Marquise and Cushion-Shaped Diamonds in terms of their sizes and shapes. He next examines the different ways they can be polished as well as their proportions.

1. By Ehud Arye Laniado
www.ehudlaniado.com
Cushion, How Diamond
Dreams Are Made

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Presentation by Ehud Arye Laniado on Cushion, how diamond dreams are made
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The Cushion- shaped diamond has been popular for several
centuries. These squarish diamonds have rounded corners and
large facets that make them resemble the shape of a cushion.
A full version of the article can be found at
the last slide of the presentation
May 2015
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity. None of the information made
available here shall constitute in any manner an offer or invitation or promotion to buy or to sell diamonds. No one
should act upon any opinion or information in this website (including with respect to diamonds values) without
consulting a professional qualified adviser.

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The Cushion & Pop Culture

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• Sean Lowe proposing to finalist Catherine Giudici on The
Bachelor in 2011
• Kelly Rowland, Naya Rivera and Kaley Cuoco receiving
Cushion-shaped engagement rings
May 2015
The media fanfare around these diamond rings led to a rise in this
diamond’s popularity.
Recently, Cushion-shaped diamonds have received a number
of mentions in the media including:

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The Cushion-shaped diamond is a member of the square
diamond shapes, one of three groups of diamond shapes.
The other two are Rounds and semi rounds.

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There are a number of different ways to polish a Cushion-
shaped diamond, though usually it has 64 facets. Another
characteristic of the Cushion-shaped diamond is its depth.
More of its weight rests in the lower part of the diamond,
making it appear smaller, as the following illustration shows.

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A Comparison of Round, Oval, Pear, Heart, Marquise and
Cushion-Shaped Diamonds to Scale
Please note – not real size

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Compared to Rounds, the value of Cushion-shaped diamonds
is about 29%-58% less, depending on color and clarity.
The following table compares the value of one carat and 0.95
carat Cushion-shaped diamonds to 1-carat Round diamonds
(1 carat Round = 100%) in all colors and clarities.

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The 0.95-carat comparison is here to highlight the relatively small difference in size that
results in a large difference in value.
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity. None of the information made available here shall constitute in any manner an
offer or invitation or promotion to buy or to sell diamonds. No one should act upon any opinion or information in this website (including with respect to diamonds
values) without consulting a professional qualified adviser.

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Polishing the Cushion

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In terms of polishing, the manufacturer has to take into account
that with Cushions, an important aspect is its exact proportions
and faceting.
Cushion-shaped diamonds don’t reflect light as well as other
shapes so a very good cut or better is important.
A polisher would usually want to get the best value out of a
rough diamond.

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Example A:
The following is a 4.49-carat rough diamond in the 3D render. The polisher can polish out
of it a Round diamond, which will result in a 1.87-carat, D color, VS1 clarity and Excellent
Cut. In this case, yield is 41.5%, meaning 58.5% of the rough diamond's weight will be
lost in the polishing process.
Image: Sarine

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Example B:
The following is a a much larger Cushion-shaped diamond. In this case, a Cushion-shaped
diamond will take better advantage of the shape of the rough diamond and will result in a 2.66-
carats, D color, VS1 clarity and Excellent Cut polished diamond. In this option, the yield is a
high 59.4%.
Image: Sarine

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For this rough diamond, the polisher preferred a Cushion-shape to a Round
because of the value. The following value comparison is based on an
analysis of current prices in the market and represents the total value of the
diamonds.

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Getting a Better Yield

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Example A:
The following is a 4.55-carat rough diamond. It can be polished into a 1.40-carat, D/IF Round
diamond with an Excellent Cut at a yield of 30.7%.
Image: Sarine

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Example B:
Alternatively, the polisher may consider a Cushion-shaped diamond to get a higher yield. In
this case, a 1.70-carat D/IF, Excellent Cut diamond can be made at a yield of 37.4%, as shown
in the following.
Image: Sarine

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Even though the Round diamond is smaller, it has a higher value than the
alternative Cushion, as the following table shows.
The reason the yield is noted in all these polishing options is because from
a financial standpoint, it makes sense to try to get the best return out of the
cost of the rough diamond.

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Necessary Proportions

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When polishing a diamond, proportions are important for a
number of reasons, including aesthetics. Another reason is
light return. The more light that is reflected, the more the
diamond shines.

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To achieve this, the facets must face each other at the right angles. The
following is a list of Cushion-shaped proportions by Cut standard:

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The intention of this review was to highlight a number of issues relating to
diamonds and their value.
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity. None of the information made available here shall constitute in any
manner an offer or invitation or promotion to buy or to sell diamonds. No one should act upon any opinion or information in this website (including
with respect to diamonds values) without consulting a professional qualified adviser.
May 2015
A full version of the article can be found here:
http://www.ehudlaniado.com/home/index.php/news/entry/cushion-how-
diamond-dreams-are-made