Uploaded February 2020 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago

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For a more indepth read about cushion cut vs princess cut diamonds, head over to: beyond4cs.com/faq/cushion-cut-vs-princess-cut

In this video, we compare a cushion cut vs a princess cut diamond to show you the visual differences between them when they are worn on a hand. Besides showing you how they look like in real life, we are also going to examine them under various types of lighting to show you the differences between their optical performance.

Visually, the cushion cut diamond is shaped like a pillow and has 4 rounded corners. It takes on a softer outline due to its curved edges. The princess cut diamond is essentially a square cut diamond and has a harsher and more pronounced outline.

For people who like geometric shapes and outlines, the square shape princess cut would be something that suits your tastes better. Depending on the type of ring designs you are after, you may prefer one shape over the other.

For example, if you like vintage or retro designs, the cushion cut is much better suited for these settings. For a more modern kind of appearance, the princess cut diamond would be a better fit to contemporary designs.

In the video, we compare the cushion cut and princess cut diamonds on our fingers and bring it under 5 types of everyday environments. Visually, both diamonds are spectacular and that should come as no surprise as both are carefully picked for their light performance.

Both diamonds are rated as AGS 000 and are ideally cut for the best brilliance and sparkle for their respective shapes. They are benchmarks of how a well cut cushion and princess should look like.

By itself, the cushion cut diamond has better finger coverage and looks bigger than the princess cut diamond in a like for like setting. This is because princess cut diamonds are generally cut deeper in order to bring out their sparkle. Cushion cut diamonds on the other hand, have better spread to carat weight ratio. If you placed 2 diamonds of the same carat weight side by side, the cushion cut would generally look bigger than the other.

In terms of optical performance, both diamonds are pretty much on par with each other. If we were to split hairs, the cushion cut diamond would have marginally better performance and scintillation patterning over the princess cut diamond.

As you can see in the different lightings, both diamonds light up like disco balls when they are subjected to spot light or sunlight. The fire and brilliance shooting out of the diamonds are incredible.

So, having watched the video, would you like a cushion cut diamond over the square cut diamond ring? Which do you think has better performance and appeals to you more?

Leave a comment below to let me know your thoughts!
Other links for interesting reads:

beyond4cs.com/reviews/crafted-by-infinity-diamonds
beyond4cs.com/shapes/princess
beyond4cs.com/shapes/pear