The Cushion Sapphires — a square or rectangular shape with gently rounded corners and a brilliant facet pattern — is the most romantic and historically resonant cut in colored-stone jewelry. It's the cut you find in antique sapphire rings, in royal heirlooms, and in modern vintage-inspired engagement settings. Cushion sapphires showcase color depth like no other shape: the rounded corners trap light and saturate the body color, producing the deep, glowing presence that defines a great sapphire.
Why cushion cut sapphires from Crescent Gems
Every cushion in this collection is hand-cut or recut in our Sri Lanka workshop. We pay close attention to corner symmetry, depth-to-table ratio, and the placement of the culet — small details that separate a brilliant cushion from a flat one. The majority of our stones are unheated; premium pieces ship with GIA reports. Every stone is photographed under standardized lighting against a neutral background.
How to choose a cushion sapphire
Square vs rectangular. Square cushions (1.00 to 1.05 length-to-width) read traditional and balanced. Rectangular cushions (1.10+) read more modern and elongated — see also our rectangular cushion collection.
Facet style. "Crushed ice" cushions have many small facets across the surface and produce a softer, sparkly look. "Antique" or "Old Mine" cushions have larger facets and a chunkier, more vintage flash. Both are beautiful — choose based on aesthetic.
Color depth. Cushion cuts intensify body color more than any other shape. This makes them ideal for pale-toned stones (peach, pale blue, light teal) that need help showing their character, and slightly less ideal for already-deep stones (very dark blue, deep teal) where saturation can over-concentrate.
Setting suitability. Cushion sapphires shine in vintage-style settings (halo, milgrain, art deco) but work just as well in clean modern solitaires. Their soft corners are also more forgiving on edges than sharp-cornered square cuts.
Engagement, vintage design, statement pieces
Cushion sapphires are the defining shape for romantic, vintage-inspired engagement rings. They were popularized in the modern era by the Princess Diana / Kate Middleton sapphire, which remains the single most photographed colored-stone engagement ring in history. Designers value calibrated cushions for matched-pair side-stone work — see our matched pairs collection.
Have a question about a stone? Email crescentgems@gmail.com. 14-day return on every order. Select pieces are available for Try-On. Free US shipping; international shipping via FedEx and UPS.
