An elongated cushion cut is a cushion, a square-ish brilliant with rounded corners, stretched to a length-to-width ratio of about 1.15 or more, so it reads as a soft rectangle rather than a pillow. The classic elongated cushion sits between 1.20 and 1.35; below 1.10 it is a square cushion, above 1.40 it is rare. It has no points to chip, the rounded corners suit a bezel as well as prongs, and its facets come in two styles, "crushed ice" and "chunky", that look nothing alike. In our picker on September 25, 2026 a lab-grown elongated cushion of D to G color and IF to VS2 clarity started at $710 for 1 carat, $930 for 1.5, $1,216 for 2 carats (8.5 by 6.6 mm) and $1,819 for 3, with more than 350 to choose from at 1 carat and up; that is slightly less than a square cushion of the same weight and within a few percent of an oval. This guide covers the ratio to choose, the two facet styles and how to tell them apart on a report, how big an elongated cushion looks against an oval, a radiant and an emerald cut, its one real weakness, the settings that suit it, and what it costs at every size.
Elongated cushion cut at a glance
| Shape | A rectangle with rounded corners and curved sides; a brilliant cut with 58 to 64 facets |
| Length-to-width ratio | 1.15 to 1.40 counts as elongated; 1.20 to 1.35 is the classic range; 1.00 to 1.10 is a square cushion |
| Facet styles | Crushed ice (small, glittering flashes) or chunky (large, clear flashes like an antique cut); the report says "Cushion Modified Brilliant" or "Cushion Brilliant" |
| Size at 2 carats | About 8.5 x 6.6 mm, against 10.1 x 7.1 for an oval, 8.9 x 6.4 for a radiant, 8.6 x 6.0 for an emerald cut |
| Points and durability | None; the most robust elongated shape, and the best suited to a bezel |
| Bow-tie | Faint at most, and rare in crushed ice stones; check the face-up image |
| Weakness | Cut deep, 65 to 70% depth, so it shows less face per carat than an oval and stands taller |
| Lab-grown price, our picker | $710 at 1 ct, $930 at 1.5, $1,216 at 2, $1,478 at 2.5, $1,819 at 3, $2,326 at 4, $2,827 at 5, on September 25, 2026 |
| Best settings | Solitaire, bezel, east-west, hidden halo, three stone with half-moons, cathedral, wide band |
What an elongated cushion cut is
A cushion cut is one of the oldest diamond shapes, a descendant of the old mine cut that dominated the 1800s: a square or rectangle with rounded corners and slightly curved sides, cut with brilliant facets, and named for the pillow it resembles. For most of its history the cushion was square, and a square cushion is still what most jewelers mean by the word. The elongated cushion is the same outline stretched, to a length-to-width ratio of about 1.15 and up, and it has become the fastest-rising shape in engagement rings because it does something no other shape does: it gives the long, finger-flattering line of an oval or an emerald cut with softer corners than either and a brilliant sparkle, so it reads as both modern and old-fashioned at once. In searches it is now one of the most looked-for elongated shapes, and it is the shape people who like the idea of an emerald cut but not its stillness usually end up with. The cushion settings on our site are rendered with an elongated stone, and our cushion cut engagement rings collection takes any cushion, square or long, that you choose from the picker.
Crushed ice or chunky: the two kinds of cushion
This is the choice that decides how an elongated cushion looks, and it is the one most guides skip. A cushion's pavilion, the underside, can be cut two ways. A cushion brilliant has a pavilion like a round's, with facets that meet at the center in a clear pattern, and it returns light in large, distinct flashes; jewelers call it chunky or antique, because it looks like an old mine cut, and you can see the facet pattern from across a table. A cushion modified brilliant adds an extra row of facets to the pavilion, and the result is a mass of small, needle-fine flashes with no visible pattern, which the trade calls crushed ice: glittering, bright, and, in a big stone in strong light, a little like a mosaic. Most elongated cushions on the market are modified brilliants, because the extra facets make it easier to cut a long stone that stays bright from end to end; chunky elongated cushions are rarer, and the antique-style ones are sought after enough that people search for them by name.
How to tell them apart: the grading report names the cut, "Cushion Brilliant" or "Cushion Modified Brilliant", and the face-up picture in the picker shows it, a clear star of facets for chunky, a shimmer for crushed ice. Which to choose is taste. Crushed ice hides inclusions better and looks livelier in low light; chunky has more personality, shows its facets, hides less and looks more like an heirloom. Both are cushions, both are beautiful, and neither is the "right" one, but you should know which you are looking at before you fall for a photograph.
Length-to-width ratio: how long is long?
The ratio is the stone's length divided by its width, and for cushions the range is narrower than for ovals. At 1.00 to 1.10 the stone is a square cushion, the classic pillow. From about 1.15 it starts to read as elongated, and 1.20 to 1.35 is where most people find the proportions best: clearly a rectangle, still soft, without the stretched look. Above 1.40 the stone begins to look like a radiant with rounded corners, and stones cut that long are rare. The least expensive elongated cushions in our picker on September 25, 2026 ran from 1.29 to 1.40, which tells you where the supply is. Two things change as the ratio rises: the stone runs further up the finger and lengthens it more, and any bow-tie, the faint dark band across the middle of a long brilliant, gets a little stronger, though in cushions it is mild compared with an oval and often absent in crushed ice stones. As with every long shape, compare stones by their measurements on the report, not their carats: a 2 carat cushion at 1.20 and another at 1.35 are visibly different rings.
How big an elongated cushion looks
The honest answer is: a little smaller than an oval of the same weight, about the same as a radiant, and a little bigger than an emerald cut. Cushions are cut deep, typically 65 to 70% depth against 59 to 63% for a well-cut round, so more of the weight sits in the pavilion where you cannot see it. A 2 carat elongated cushion in our picker measured 8.5 by 6.6 mm, where a 2 carat oval was 10.1 by 7.1 mm, a radiant 8.9 by 6.4 and an emerald cut 8.6 by 6.0. On the finger that means the oval shows noticeably more face and length; the cushion, radiant and emerald cut are close, and the cushion wins on softness rather than spread. The depth also means the stone stands taller in its setting, which a bezel or a low-profile design offsets. The table gives the least expensive elongated cushion at each weight in our picker on September 25, 2026, D to G color, IF to VS2 clarity, with its measurements; our carat size chart gives every shape at every weight, and the size comparison simulator draws them on a hand.
| Carats | Elongated cushion in our picker | Ratio | Price | With our 14k solitaire ($950) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.02 ct, 7.1 x 5.3 mm | 1.34 | $710 | $1,660 |
| 1.5 | 1.59 ct, 7.8 x 5.9 mm | 1.33 | $930 | $1,880 |
| 2 | 2.01 ct, 8.5 x 6.6 mm | 1.29 | $1,216 | $2,166 |
| 2.5 | 2.54 ct, 9.3 x 7.1 mm | 1.31 | $1,478 | $2,428 |
| 3 | 3.13 ct, 10.3 x 7.6 mm | 1.36 | $1,819 | $2,769 |
| 4 | 4.26 ct, 11.9 x 8.5 mm | 1.40 | $2,326 | $3,276 |
| 5 | 5.10 ct, 11.8 x 8.7 mm | 1.36 | $2,827 | $3,777 |
Elongated cushion vs oval, radiant and emerald cut
Elongated cushion vs oval
The closest call, because both are soft-edged brilliants at similar ratios. The oval shows more face and more length for the weight, about 10.1 mm against 8.5 mm at 2 carats, and it is the more finger-lengthening of the two; the cushion has straighter sides and a more geometric, more vintage character, a milder bow-tie, and a slightly taller profile. Prices were within a few percent, $1,193 for the oval and $1,216 for the cushion at 2 carats in our picker. Choose the oval for spread and the cushion for shape; our oval guide covers the oval's own ratios, settings and prices.
Elongated cushion vs radiant
The two rectangles with brilliant facets, and they measure almost the same: 8.5 by 6.6 mm against 8.9 by 6.4 at 2 carats. The difference is the corners and the pattern. The radiant's corners are clipped straight, which reads sharper and more modern; the cushion's are rounded and read softer. The radiant's facets give big, crisp flashes; the cushion's, in crushed ice form, a fine shimmer. The radiant was $129 less at 2 carats, $1,087 against $1,216, which makes it the value choice if the sharper look suits.
Elongated cushion vs emerald cut
Same family of outline, opposite kinds of light. The emerald cut is a step cut, calm and clear, with long flashes and no sparkle to speak of, and it shows inclusions and color; the cushion sparkles and hides them. Sizes are close, 8.6 by 6.0 mm for the emerald against 8.5 by 6.6 for the cushion at 2 carats, and the emerald cut was the cheaper stone at $1,071. If you want the rectangle without the sparkle, emerald; if you want the rectangle with it and softer corners, cushion. Our guide to elongated engagement rings compares all the long shapes side by side, and our radiant cut vs emerald cut guide puts the two clipped-corner rectangles head to head.
Bow-ties, color and clarity in a cushion
Three things to check in the face-up image before you buy. The bow-tie first: any elongated brilliant can show a darker band across its middle where the pavilion facets reflect the viewer, and in cushions it is mild, faint in most chunky stones and usually invisible in crushed ice, but at ratios above 1.35 it is worth a look. Color second: cushions hold onto color more than rounds do, because their deep pavilions and rounded outlines bounce light around inside the stone, so a warm grade shows sooner in a cushion than in a round; our D to G range keeps every stone white, and G is a sound choice in a white metal, D to F in a big stone. Clarity third: crushed ice cushions hide inclusions better than almost any other cut, so VS2 is safely clean to the eye at any size, while a chunky cushion, with its bigger, clearer facets, is closer to a round and benefits from VS1 in large sizes. Our guides to VVS1 and SI clarity explain where the lines fall, and every stone in our picker is D to G and IF to VS2 with its IGI or GIA report.
Are elongated cushions more expensive?
Not in lab-grown, despite what the demand might suggest. In our picker on September 25, 2026 the least expensive elongated cushion of D to G color and IF to VS2 clarity was a few percent cheaper than the least expensive square cushion at every weight we checked, $710 against $758 at 1 carat, $930 against $960 at 1.5, $1,216 against $1,288 at 2 and $1,819 against $2,008 at 3, and it sat within a few percent of an oval. The reason is supply: elongated cushion rough is cut in quantity now, and lab-grown pricing follows the cost of growing and cutting rather than fashion. The exception is the antique-style chunky elongated cushion, which is scarcer and can carry a premium; if that is the look you want, search the picker by the report's cut name. The lab-grown diamond pricing guide explains what moves the numbers, and the price calculator estimates any combination of grades.
| Carats | Elongated cushion | Square cushion | Oval | Radiant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $710 | $758 | $719 | $659 |
| 1.5 | $930 | $960 | $900 | $801 |
| 2 | $1,216 | $1,288 | $1,193 | $1,087 |
| 3 | $1,819 | $2,008 | $1,724 | $1,839 |
Least expensive stone of each shape and weight in our picker on September 25, 2026, D to G color, IF to VS2 clarity, Very Good cut or better; elongated cushions are those with a ratio of 1.15 or more.
Settings for an elongated cushion
The rounded corners are the cushion's gift to the setter: no points to protect, so every setting works, and the ones below work best. The solitaire, $950 in 14k, holds the stone in four prongs on the corners and lets the outline speak. The bezel, also $950, follows the soft rectangle exactly and is the setting the elongated cushion was made for: it lowers the deep stone, protects it completely and turns the outline into a clean frame; the half bezel and the low-profile bezel ($1,300) do the same with more light. East-west is the other natural home, because a long cushion lying across the finger looks wider and lower than any other shape set that way; our east-west half bezel and east-west cathedral are both made in cushion, at $950 and $1,000. The hidden halo, $1,050, adds sparkle under the stone where its height is most visible. And the three stone with half-moon sides, $1,350, is the cushion's own version of the classic trilogy, the curved half-moons following the corners in a way trapezoids cannot.
Beyond those, the cathedral ($1,000) braces a big cushion from both sides, the wide flat band ($1,500) balances a 3 carat and up, and the tulip designs wrap the corners in petals. Whatever the setting, ask for the prongs or the bezel to be made to the stone, because a cushion's corners vary from stone to stone and a head cut for a different ratio leaves gaps.
Durability and everyday wear
An elongated cushion is the most robust of the long shapes. It has no points, its corners are rounded and thick, and its girdle is usually medium to slightly thick, so it takes knocks the way a round does; the one thing to watch is height, since a deep cushion stands taller than an oval of the same weight and catches more, which is the argument for a bezel or a low-profile setting if the hand works hard. As with any ring, take it off for the gym, the garden and any work with tools or ropes, and have the prongs checked once a year. Crushed ice cushions also stay bright when they are a little dirty, because their many small facets keep scattering light; chunky ones show grime sooner and reward a monthly clean.
How to pick a good elongated cushion
Five checks, all of which our picker lets you make from the report and the face-up image. First, the ratio: divide length by width from the measurements and aim for 1.20 to 1.35 unless you want the stretched look. Second, the facet style: read the cut name on the report, Cushion Brilliant for chunky and Cushion Modified Brilliant for crushed ice, and look at the picture to confirm which you prefer. Third, depth: under 70% keeps more of the weight where you can see it, and a table of 58 to 65% is the normal range. Fourth, the face-up image: look for even brightness end to end, a soft or absent bow-tie, and no dark or glassy patches at the corners. Fifth, symmetry: the two ends should match and the corners should be the same size, which matters more in a cushion than in an oval because the eye reads the rectangle. Then compare two or three finalists by millimeters, not carats, and put them on the hand in the simulator. Our guide to the 4Cs covers the grades behind the report.
Where Clairamor fits
Every cushion setting we make is built around the cushion you choose from our picker, which had more than 350 elongated cushions of D to G color and IF to VS2 clarity at 1 carat and up on September 25, 2026, each listed with its measurements, its cut name, its IGI or GIA report and a face-up image. We stock D to G color and IF to VS2 clarity only, and the setting price is the setting without the center stone, so a bezel at $950 with a 2 carat elongated cushion at $1,216 is a $2,166 ring. Every ring carries a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, comes with an appraisal for insurance, and includes one complimentary resize within 100 days for clients in the USA. If you cannot decide between crushed ice and chunky, or cushion and oval, book a consultation and we will put them side by side.
Cushion cut engagement rings Choose an elongated cushion See it on a hand
Not sure which cushion is right? Book a design consultation and we will bring the stones.
Frequently asked questions
What is an elongated cushion cut diamond?
A cushion cut, a brilliant with rounded corners and curved sides, cut longer than it is wide, to a length-to-width ratio of about 1.15 or more. The classic range is 1.20 to 1.35. It combines the long line of an oval or emerald cut with softer corners and a brilliant sparkle, and it comes in two facet styles, crushed ice and chunky.
Are elongated cushion cut diamonds more expensive?
Not in lab-grown. In Clairamor's picker on September 25, 2026, the least expensive elongated cushion of D to G color and IF to VS2 clarity was a few percent cheaper than a square cushion at every weight, $1,216 against $1,288 at 2 carats, and within a few percent of an oval. Antique-style chunky elongated cushions are scarcer and can cost more.
How much does a 2 carat elongated cushion cut diamond cost?
In Clairamor's picker on September 25, 2026, a 2 carat elongated cushion of D to G color and IF to VS2 clarity started at $1,216, measuring 8.5 by 6.6 mm; a 2.5 carat started at $1,478 and a 3 carat at $1,819. With the 14k solitaire at $950 the 2 carat ring comes to $2,166.
What length-to-width ratio is best for an elongated cushion?
Most people find 1.20 to 1.35 the best proportioned: clearly a rectangle, still soft. Below 1.15 the stone reads as a square cushion; above 1.40 it starts to look like a radiant with rounded corners, and stones that long are rare. The least expensive elongated cushions in Clairamor's picker ran from 1.29 to 1.40.
Crushed ice or chunky cushion: which is better?
Neither, they are different looks. Crushed ice, a cushion modified brilliant on the report, gives a fine glitter with no visible pattern and hides inclusions well; chunky, a cushion brilliant, gives large clear flashes like an antique cut and shows its facets. Most elongated cushions are crushed ice; chunky ones are rarer. Judge from the face-up image.
Do elongated cushion cut diamonds have a bow-tie?
Sometimes, and mildly. A faint dark band across the middle can appear in a long cushion, especially a chunky one above a 1.35 ratio; it is far weaker than in an oval or marquise and usually invisible in crushed ice stones. Check the face-up image in the picker; it does not appear on the report.
Does an elongated cushion look bigger than a round?
Longer, but not larger in face-up area. A 2 carat elongated cushion is about 8.5 by 6.6 mm against 8.1 mm across for a 2 carat round, so it runs further up the finger but shows slightly less face, because cushions are cut deep. An oval of the same weight looks bigger than both; a radiant about the same as the cushion.
Elongated cushion vs oval: which should I choose?
The oval for spread and length, the cushion for shape. An oval shows more face and lengthens the finger more; the cushion has straighter sides, a more geometric and vintage character, a milder bow-tie and a taller profile. In Clairamor's picker on September 25, 2026 they were within a few percent in price at every weight.
Is an elongated cushion good for everyday wear?
Yes; it is the most robust of the elongated shapes, with no points and thick rounded corners. Its only weakness is height, because a cushion is cut deep, so a bezel or low-profile setting suits a hand that works hard. Take it off for the gym, the garden and tools, like any ring.
What settings suit an elongated cushion cut?
Almost all of them. The bezel is the natural match, since the rim follows the rounded rectangle and lowers the stone; east-west settings show the shape off; solitaires, hidden halos and cathedrals all work; and the three stone with half-moon sides is the cushion's own trilogy. Ask for the head to be made to the stone's own corners.
Is the elongated cushion a trend that will date?
The cushion is one of the oldest diamond shapes, and the elongated version is its modern proportion; it has been climbing for years rather than spiking. A well-proportioned long cushion in a simple setting will age like an oval or an emerald cut, and the setting can be changed later far more easily than the stone.
Related reading
- Elongated engagement rings: oval vs emerald vs radiant vs marquise vs moval
- Which diamond shape looks the biggest?
- Diamond carat size chart: every shape at every weight
- Bezel engagement rings: full, half and faux bezel compared
- Hidden halo vs halo: which looks bigger?
- Radiant cut vs emerald cut: sparkle, size, clarity, settings and prices compared
- How to choose a diamond shape
- Oval engagement rings: ratios, the bow-tie, settings, sizes and prices
