The short answer: choose an Asscher if you love a clean, architectural, art deco look with a hall of mirrors glow, and choose a cushion if you want a soft, romantic look with more sparkle. Both are square, but they feel very different on the hand.
An Asscher is a square step cut with trimmed corners, and a cushion is a brilliant style cut with a pillowy outline and rounded corners. They are often compared because they share a squarish shape and a vintage feel. Here is how they differ and how to decide.
Side by side
| Asscher | Cushion | |
|---|---|---|
| Facets | Step cut, long straight facets | Brilliant style, many small facets |
| Look | Mirror like, calm, architectural | Glowing, sparkly, soft |
| Corners | Trimmed, angular | Rounded |
| Clarity | Shows inclusions more easily | More forgiving |
| Style | Art deco | Vintage and romantic |
The look of the light
An Asscher gives broad flashes of light, like looking down a staircase of mirrors. A cushion gives more scattered sparkle. If you like a quiet, elegant glow, the Asscher suits you, and if you want a lively shimmer, the cushion does.
Clarity and colour
Because the Asscher facets are large and open, inclusions and colour show more easily, so we help you choose a clean, bright stone. A cushion hides small inclusions more easily thanks to its busier faceting. If you are working to a budget, this can matter, since a cushion can look clean with a slightly lower clarity grade.
Depth and how big it looks
An Asscher is cut quite deep, so more of its weight sits below the surface. That means it can look smaller from above than a cushion of the same weight. A cushion spreads more across the finger. Neither is better, but if face up size matters to you, ask us to compare the actual measurements of the stones you like.
Durability and corners
Both shapes have corners that need protecting. The Asscher has trimmed corners that claws cover well, and the cushion has rounded corners that are naturally less exposed. Either works for everyday wear with a good setting. Our guide to protecting the corners of step cut stones explains how to check a design.
Settings
- Asscher: simple solitaires, bezels, three stone rings with baguettes, and art deco detail.
- Cushion: halos, hidden halos, bezels and vintage style settings.
You can read more in our guides to settings for an Asscher cut and settings for a cushion cut.
Metals
Platinum and white gold keep an Asscher crisp and icy, and yellow gold gives it a period feel. A cushion looks lovely in all of these, and rose gold adds a soft, romantic tone. The metal changes the character of either stone, so we show you renders in more than one before you decide.
Natural or lab grown
Both shapes are available as natural or lab grown diamonds, and both are real diamonds. We label every stone clearly.
How to choose
- Decide whether you prefer a calm glow or a lively sparkle.
- Think about the clarity you want to see in the stone.
- Choose between an angular and a soft outline.
- Look at both on video if you can.
We can show you both shapes side by side from our diamonds or lab grown colourless diamonds, so you can see how each behaves in real light. Nothing is made until you approve the design in writing, and our standard making time is 5 to 6 weeks, which can vary with your location and how busy we are. Pieces start from £600. For more shapes, see our diamond shapes guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which looks bigger? A cushion often looks slightly larger for its weight, because an Asscher carries more weight in its depth.
Which is more sparkly? A cushion, though an Asscher has a distinctive glow.
Which is more vintage? Both, in different ways. An Asscher feels art deco, and a cushion feels antique.
Can I add a halo to an Asscher? Yes, though many people prefer a hidden halo that keeps the clean lines.