Oval vs Cushion Diamonds

Oval and cushion are both soft, romantic alternatives to a round — but oval is an elongated ellipse with bright, even sparkle, while cushion is a pillow-shaped square or rectangle with larger facets and a warmer, vintage glow.

	Oval	Cushion
Outline	Elongated ellipse	Rounded-corner square or rectangle — pillow-like
Sparkle character	Bright, even brilliance	Chunkier facets — a soft, "crushed-ice" sparkle
Size for the carat	Looks larger — elongated spread	Looks its weight (elongated cushions read larger)
Finger effect	Elongates	Softens — a more vintage, rounded look
Durability	No weak points	Rounded corners are very durable
Best for	A modern, elongating, larger look	A vintage, romantic feel with a warm glow

Which should you choose?

Choose oval for a bright, elongating, larger-looking stone; choose cushion for a soft vintage character and a warmer sparkle. Both have rounded outlines with no fragile corners, so both are easy to wear daily.

Oval

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OvalLabIGI

0.23 ct · D · SI1 · -

Oval Diamond

$84

OvalLabIGI

0.27 ct · G · VS1 · -

Oval Diamond

$89

OvalLabIGI

0.27 ct · G · VVS2 · -

Oval Diamond

$91

OvalLabIGI

0.27 ct · G · VVS2 · -

Oval Diamond

$91

Cushion

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CushionLabIGI

1.13 ct · F · SI1 · -

Cushion Diamond

$225

CushionLabIGI

0.56 ct · VS1 · -

Cushion Diamond

$227

CushionLabIGI

1.05 ct · H · VS1 · -

Cushion Diamond

$238

CushionLabIGI

1.05 ct · H · VS2 · -

Cushion Diamond

$238

Oval vs Cushion — common questions

Which looks bigger, oval or cushion?: An oval generally looks larger than a cushion of the same carat because its weight is spread into an elongated outline; a square cushion looks closer to its actual weight (an elongated cushion splits the difference).
What's the difference in sparkle?: Oval gives a bright, even brilliance close to a round. Cushion has larger facets that create a softer, chunkier "crushed-ice" sparkle many people find romantic.
Are both good for engagement rings?: Yes — both are durable, rounded shapes with no points to chip, and both are fully certified in our inventory. It comes down to elongated-and-bright (oval) versus soft-and-vintage (cushion).

Keep comparing

Oval

Cushion

Outline

Elongated ellipse

Rounded-corner square or rectangle — pillow-like

Sparkle character

Bright, even brilliance

Chunkier facets — a soft, "crushed-ice" sparkle

Size for the carat

Looks larger — elongated spread

Looks its weight (elongated cushions read larger)

Finger effect

Elongates

Softens — a more vintage, rounded look

Durability

No weak points

Rounded corners are very durable

Best for

A modern, elongating, larger look

A vintage, romantic feel with a warm glow

Oval vs Cushion — common questions

Which looks bigger, oval or cushion?

An oval generally looks larger than a cushion of the same carat because its weight is spread into an elongated outline; a square cushion looks closer to its actual weight (an elongated cushion splits the difference).

What's the difference in sparkle?

Oval gives a bright, even brilliance close to a round. Cushion has larger facets that create a softer, chunkier "crushed-ice" sparkle many people find romantic.

Are both good for engagement rings?

Yes — both are durable, rounded shapes with no points to chip, and both are fully certified in our inventory. It comes down to elongated-and-bright (oval) versus soft-and-vintage (cushion).