Princess
Sharp, modern, brilliant
VS
Cushion
Soft corners, vintage warmth
Princess vs Cushion Cut
Two square-ish brilliants with very different personalities: crisp geometry against pillowy vintage.
Best for modern lines and price: PrincessBest for vintage softness: Cushion
| Princess | Cushion | |
|---|---|---|
| Silhouette | Sharp square with pointed corners | Square to slightly rectangular with rounded corners |
| Personality | Contemporary, architectural | Romantic, antique-leaning |
| Price per carat | Among the cheapest brilliant shapes | Also well below round, a touch above princess typically |
| Corners | Vulnerable; need protective prong settings | Rounded and durable by nature |
| Sparkle style | Crisp, flashy brilliance | Chunkier or more crushed-ice look depending on the cut |
| Face-up size | Carries weight in depth; can face up smaller | Similar; cut quality decides more than shape here |
Pick princess if
- Her taste runs modern and geometric
- Budget efficiency on a brilliant square matters
- The setting will have corner-protecting prongs anyway
Pick cushion if
- Her board is full of vintage and heirloom rings
- She is rough on jewelry and pointed corners worry you
- A softer, warmer sparkle appeals over crisp flash
Protect the corners
A princess cut's four points are its beauty and its weakness: they chip if struck and they snag if exposed. Any competent princess setting uses V-shaped prongs over the corners. If a seller shows you one without them, keep scrolling.
Cushion's two faces
Cushions come in two sparkle styles. Chunky cushions show bold, defined facets; crushed-ice cushions glitter like, well, crushed ice. Neither is better, but people usually love one and shrug at the other, so watch videos of both before ordering.