A buyer in Dallas asked for cushion moissanite at a flat per-carat rate and got three very different quotes back: one for a chunky 1.5 ct D-VVS at that rate, one for a crushed-ice 1.5 ct F-VVS at 12% below, and one for a cushion-modified 2 ct G-VS at 8% above. All three were legitimate wholesale prices. The buyer was comparing apples to apples in name only. Cushion pricing splits along cut style, clarity, and size bracket—and if you do not know which lane you are buying in, you will overpay or understock.
Cushion is the second most popular fancy shape in moissanite after oval. It sells in engagement rings, solitaires, and three-stone settings. This article lays out the per-carat price bands we see in wholesale supply, what drives the spread, and how to build a cushion PO that does not leave money on the table.
The three cushion lanes and their prices
Cushion moissanite splits into three commercial cut styles, each with its own price band. The chunky cushion (also called chunky vintage) has larger, broader facets and reads like an old mine cut. It is the most expensive of the three because it uses more rough per carat and the cut is harder to execute. The crushed-ice cushion has many small facets and scatters light like a round brilliant; it is the most common and the cheapest per carat. The cushion modified sits between them—usually a square outline with rounded corners and a half-moon facet set. We cover the visual difference in chunky vs crushed-ice facets.
On a typical wholesale list, a 1.5 ct D-F VVS cushion runs roughly as follows (illustrative bands, not a quote): crushed-ice in the low band, modified in the middle, chunky at a 15–25% premium. The premium grows as the stone gets larger because the chunky cut wastes more rough. For the broader moissanite pricing context, see carat weight pricing tiers, and for how that translates to retail margin, wholesale vs retail margin.
Size brackets move the price more than clarity does
Across our cushion orders, the single biggest price jump happens between the 1.0 ct and the 1.5 ct brackets, and again between 2.0 ct and 3.0 ct. Rough supply gets thinner as stones get larger, and the per-carat cost rises. Clarity moves price less than most buyers expect—VVS1 versus VS2 on a cushion is usually a 5–10% spread, because cushion facets hide inclusions better than step cuts do. Color, on the other hand, moves price more: D-F runs 10–18% above G-H on a cushion, and customers can see the difference. See D-F vs G-H stock.
The length-to-width ratio also matters for price. A square cushion (1.00–1.05:1) usually commands a small premium over a cushion that runs 1.20:1, because the square reads more like a diamond cushion. Compare with the radiant square vs rectangular ratio for the adjacent shape.
Bulk-tier discounts
Most moissanite suppliers run tiered wholesale pricing: under 10 stones per SKU is list, 10–24 stones gets a mid-tier discount, 25+ stones gets a deeper tier. On cushion, the tier break is more generous than on rounds because the supplier wants to move slow-moving fancy shapes. Building a cushion PO that mixes sizes (e.g., five 1 ct, five 1.5 ct, three 2 ct) usually qualifies for the mid-tier even when the per-SKU count is small. Our piece on 1ct to 5ct stocking has the bracket mix that works for most accounts.
What to expect at retail
Retail customers buying a cushion solitaire usually expect to pay somewhere between a lab-grown diamond and a premium moissanite. Price your cushion moissanite ring at a 2.5–3.5x markup over your wholesale cost and you will land in that band. FTC Jewelry Guides require you to disclose that the stone is moissanite, not diamond; read the wording in simulant positioning. For setting, cushion corners wear well in solitaire and halo settings; see girdle thickness notes.
Why is chunky cushion more expensive than crushed ice?
The chunky cut wastes more rough and is harder to align; it usually carries a 15–25% premium per carat over crushed ice in the same size and grade.
What size bracket gives the best margin?
1.2–1.8 ct. It is the most requested bridal size, and wholesale supply is deep enough that you can negotiate tier pricing.
Does cushion moissanite hold value at resale?
Like all simulants, moissanite does not resale at retail; price it as a fashion purchase, not an investment. See lab-grown diamond context for the comparison.
Should I stock D-F or G-H cushion?
Stock D-F for white gold and platinum; G-H works in yellow gold and rose gold. See color grade guide.
Wholesale cushion supply. HOLYCOME supplies cushion-cut moissanite in chunky, crushed-ice, and modified styles, 1–5 ct, D-F VVS, with GRA certificates. Tiered pricing kicks in at 10 stones per SKU. Apply for a wholesale account and request the current cushion price list.
