What is the difference between cushion cut and princess cut diamonds?

Cushion cut and princess cut are both square-format lab-grown diamond cuts, but they differ primarily in corner shape and surface geometry. A princess cut has sharp, pointed corners and a flat, slightly recessed facet table, while a cushion cut has softly rounded corners and a more convex crown profile. The cushion cut's name comes directly from its pillow-like silhouette. In practice, the rounded corners of a cushion cut make it slightly more resistant to chipping, which matters for settings like solitaire rings where the corners are exposed. The princess cut reads as crisper and more geometric; the cushion cut reads as softer and more vintage-influenced. Neither is objectively superior. IGI-certified lab-grown diamonds are available in both cuts at comparable quality grades, so the choice comes down to the aesthetic you want on the hand rather than any difference in diamond performance.