Softly rounded corners, chunky facets and flashes of light that catch your eye as the diamond moves. If you love engagement rings with vintage character, an antique cushion or old mine cut diamond could be your starting point.

Perhaps you picture yours in a substantial yellow gold band, a delicate solitaire or a bespoke trilogy setting. Whether you prefer natural or lab grown diamonds, this distinctive look offers plenty of room to create something personal.

At Faire & Fine, we’re an independent family jeweller in Hatton Garden, London. Our bespoke engagement ring service lets you build your ring around the details you love, from the shape of the diamond to the width and feel of the band.

What is an old mine cut diamond?

An old mine cut is a historic diamond cutting style, typically recognised by its cushion-shaped outline, high crown, small table and visible culet. The table is the flat facet on top of the diamond; the culet is the small facet at its very base, which can appear as a central opening when viewed from above.

Original antique examples were fashioned using older cutting techniques, so their outlines and proportions can vary considerably. Those individual differences are part of their appeal: some look softly square, others more elongated, with their own distinctive arrangement of facets.

For someone drawn to vintage style engagement rings, an old mine cut offers a beautiful place to begin.

Are antique cushion diamonds and old mine cuts the same?

The terms overlap, but they aren’t always interchangeable.

“Cushion” describes a shape with rounded corners. Old mine cuts generally have a cushion-like outline, while modern cushion diamonds can have different proportions and facet patterns. Not every cushion cut has the appearance associated with an old mine cut.

“Antique cushion” is also used to describe newly cut diamonds with an antique-inspired appearance. When choosing a stone, it’s worth establishing whether you’re looking at an original antique diamond or a newly cut diamond in an old-style cut.

Both can be beautiful. The important thing is understanding what you’re choosing and finding the appearance you love.

The appeal of chunky facets

When people describe an old mine cut diamond as “chunky”, they’re usually talking about the visible facet pattern inside the stone.

If that’s the look you’re after, ask to see the diamond moving. Still photographs are useful for comparing outlines, but a video or an in-person viewing gives you a better sense of how the individual stone catches the light.

It also helps to separate two different preferences: a diamond with chunky facets and a chunky engagement ring. You can choose either, or combine both. An antique-style cushion on a slender band creates a different overall feel from the same stone set into a broad, rounded gold band.

Natural or lab grown old mine cut diamonds?

You can explore the antique look through natural diamonds or newly cut lab grown diamonds. Your choice will depend on your priorities, budget and whether the history of the individual stone matters to you.

Natural old mine cut diamonds

For some people, the attraction is owning an original antique diamond with a past of its own. If that matters to you, ask what is known about the stone’s age and provenance.

A natural diamond can also be newly cut in an antique style. “Natural” describes its origin; it doesn’t automatically mean the diamond itself is an antique.

Lab grown old mine cut diamonds

Lab grown diamonds can be fashioned with an old mine-inspired cut, giving you a way to explore vintage style in a newly created stone.

A lab grown diamond is a diamond, rather than a simulant such as cubic zirconia. However, a lab grown old mine cut is a modern interpretation of a historic style, not an antique stone.

For your ring, we can discuss which route best suits what you want to achieve, then consider the individual diamond alongside the setting.

Choosing your cushion shape and setting

Before getting too focused on specifications, think about the proportions you’re drawn to. Do you love a softly square cushion, or would you prefer a more elongated shape? Do you want the stone to be the main focus, or the gold setting to make an equally strong statement?

These are some of our favourite design directions:

• A chunky yellow gold band: a substantial, rounded setting that brings warmth and a bold outline to the ring.

• A simple solitaire: a clean design that keeps attention on the diamond’s shape and facets.

• A bezel setting: a rim of metal around the diamond for a framed, sculptural look.

• A trilogy ring: a centre cushion paired with side stones chosen to complement its proportions.

• An east-west setting: an elongated cushion positioned across the finger for a different perspective on a vintage-inspired stone.

With bespoke, you can also consider practical details such as setting height, how the ring feels on your hand and how it will sit alongside a wedding band.

Create your own old mine cut engagement ring with a setting designed around your preferences.

What affects the price?

The price of an antique cushion or old mine cut engagement ring depends on the individual diamond and the work involved in the setting.

Natural or lab grown origin, carat weight, colour, clarity and the availability of a suitable stone all influence your options. For an original antique diamond, condition and documented provenance may also be relevant. Your chosen metal, band dimensions and design complexity contribute to the finished ring’s cost.

A useful starting point is your overall budget and the details you care about most. That might be a particular outline, a substantial gold setting or the history of an original antique stone. Sharing those priorities helps us guide the design.

Creating your ring with an independent London jeweller

You don’t need to arrive with a finished design. A saved photograph, a preferred diamond shape or simply a love of chunky vintage rings is enough to start a conversation.

At Faire & Fine, you’ll speak directly with Matt and Harry. Our bespoke process includes design development and a 3D printed replica, helping you understand the scale and proportions before your ring is made in our London workshop.

Whether you’re imagining a natural old mine cut in a simple solitaire or a lab grown antique cushion in a chunky gold setting, we’d love to hear your ideas.

Book a free bespoke consultation and tell us your preferred shape, whether you’re considering natural or lab grown diamonds, your budget and your ideal proposal date. We’ll help you explore the possibilities.

A checklist for choosing an antique-style cushion

• Confirm whether the diamond is an original antique or newly cut in an antique style, and whether it is natural or lab grown.
• Compare its length and width, rather than relying only on carat weight.
• View a moving video to judge the facet pattern, central culet and contrast.
• Discuss setting height, band width and wedding-band fit before approving the design.

For setting inspiration, compare our solitaire rings, bezel engagement rings and east-west designs. These collections illustrate setting styles; the individual diamond’s cut should be confirmed separately.

Our bespoke rings start from £3,000. Manufacture usually takes 4–8 weeks from final design approval, with stone selection and design development before that period.