A custom jeweler in Austin ordered 60 cushion moissanites last year and had seven stones come back chipped at the corners within four months of setting. The cushions had been set in standard prong settings, but their four soft corners were the weak point, and the supplier had never flagged which stones needed heavier corner prongs. Cushion cuts are the romantic favorite in moissanite wholesale — soft corners, big sparkle, vintage appeal — but they carry two predictable failure modes that a good supplier catches before they reach you. Here is the cushion spec we ship and the mix to order.
What goes wrong with bulk cushions
Two failure modes account for most cushion returns:
- Corner chips. Cushions have soft, rounded corners that sit close to the girdle. Without a corner prong or a bezel, they chip in daily wear. A good supplier flags stones that need a stronger corner setting.
- Outline drift. Cushions are cut as square (1.0–1.1 L:W) or rectangular (1.2–1.3 L:W). A mixed tray looks like a bargain bin, and clients cannot compare stones cleanly.
A secondary issue is clarity: cushions show inclusions more than rounds but less than emeralds, so a VS cushion is usually acceptable if the stone is eye-clean.
| Inspection point | Industry bulk norm | Our cushion parcel |
|---|---|---|
| Corner edge | Visual only | 10x check; thin-girdle corners flagged for bezel/prong note |
| Outline | Mixed square/rectangle | Square and rectangle trays labeled separately |
| Color | D–H mixed | D–F sorted; cushions show warm color at the corners |
| Clarity | Mixed | VVS eye-clean; no dark inclusion under table |
The cushion spec we publish
We hold cushions to the following tolerances, roughly 20% tighter than bulk parcels:
- Corner inspection: every cushion is examined at 10x along the four corners. Any stone with a thin girdle at the corner is tagged with a setting note — usually “bezel or four-prong with corner prongs.” This single step removes most in-warranty returns.
- Outline sorting: square cushions (1.0–1.1 L:W) and rectangular cushions (1.2–1.3 L:W) ship in separate, labeled trays. A matched tray of square cushions photographs and sells as a collection.
- Color: D–F sorted. Cushions show a faint warm cast at the corners more readily than rounds, so color sorting protects the setting.
- Clarity: VVS eye-clean. We reject cushions with a dark inclusion visible through the table facet.
- Certification: GRA on every cushion with outline and corner note recorded. IGI documentation available for US high-jewelery accounts.
Which cushion mix fits you
Boutique adding cushions for the first time
Start with 20 square cushions in the 1.0–1.5ct bracket, D–F. Square cushions are the most versatile silhouette and sell into both vintage-modern and clean-contemporary settings.
Full-line bridal store
Carry square and rectangular trays. Rectangular cushions (1.25 L:W) read elongated and finger-lengthening, and pair beautifully with vintage-inspired settings. We supply matched small cushions for halo surrounds.
Private-label / OEM
We cut cushions to your outline and proportion spec, carded under your brand. Minimum 50 stones per outline bracket. Export documentation covers EU and US DDP shipping with full customs paperwork; GRA certificates travel with every stone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cushion cut moissanites durable?
Yes, with the right setting. Moissanite at Mohs 9.25 handles daily wear, but the four soft corners of a cushion need corner prongs or a bezel. We tag every cushion with the recommended setting type so you do not set a thin-corner stone in a bare four-prong.
Square or rectangular cushions — which sells more?
Square cushions outsell rectangular by roughly 60/40 in our US book. Rectangular cushions sell better in elongated engagement rings and in halo settings where the outline reads as a statement.
What MOQ applies to cushion parcels?
Opening MOQ is 20 cushions in one outline and carat bracket. Reorders start at 10. Private-label programs require 50 stones per outline bracket.
Can I get matched cushions for a halo setting?
Yes. We hand-match small cushion halos to a center cushion from the same batch, so color and outline match around the setting. Order center and halo stones in the same PO.
How quickly do stock cushions ship?
Stock cushions ship in 5 business days. Custom-outline or private-label parcels run 15–20 business days, DDP to US and EU addresses.
Pairing cushions with the right setting
Cushions reward a setting choice that shows them off: halo settings, vintage-inspired milgrain bands, and east-west orientations all photograph better with a soft-corner cushion than with a princess. When you order, tell us the setting style you intend to pair each stone with; we tag corner notes accordingly. A cushion set in a clean four-prong solitaire reads slightly less romantic than the same stone in a halo, so the pairing decision affects sell-through more than it does on rounds.
Takeaways
- Require a corner setting note on every cushion — it prevents chip returns.
- Keep square and rectangular outlines in separate trays.
- Sort D–F color; cushions show warmth at the corners.
- Order center and halo cushions from the same batch.
Request a cushion sample parcel: 20 square cushions, 1.0–1.5ct, D–F, ships in 5 business days. See the cushion collection, read our shape guides, or open a wholesale account. Finished cushion rings are listed under engagement rings.