Why Should You Choose A Radiant Cut Diamond?
When it comes to diamonds it all comes down to the 4Cs (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight). However, the price point of premium cuts like the Round Cut or the Princess cut becomes substantively higher than other cuts.
Rather than playing it by the book all the time, it is important to be playing it by ear when it comes to choosing your diamond. This does not mean you go for whatever you find. A certain amount of knowledge is essential and that’s what we are here for.
A Radiant cut diamond has excellent brilliance and costs much lesser than a Round Brilliant or a Princess Cut diamond. However, is it worth it? Let’s find out everything about Radiant cut diamonds and why they can be perfect for your engagement ring.
Everything You Need to Know About Radiant Diamonds.
From, cut to clarity grade here is everything you need to know about this particular kind of diamond.
History Of the Radiant
In pursuit of the perfect hybrid, Henry Grossbard designed the Radiant diamond in 1977. He wanted to infuse the perfect elements of the round brilliant and the emerald cut diamond into one gorgeous diamond.
The outcome was the favorite Radiant cut, which gained a lot of popularity in the 1980s. This cut owes its almost flawless brilliance to its 70 facets. These facets are found in the diamond’s crown and pavilion. The brilliance of this particular diamond is only surpassed by a round brilliant.
Its beveled corners protect this diamond from chipping, unlike the Princess cut. This makes this cut perfect for engagement rings and for people with an active lifestyle.
Cut Quality
The cut facet pattern of this diamond for both the pavilion and the crown gives this diamond a high level of brilliance. The brilliance of a diamond refers to the amount of white light it can reflect back to your eyes. This is the ability of a diamond to sparkle.
The GIA does not rate the cut quality of fancy cuts. In such a situation the table%, depth % are used to assess the cut quality. It is very important to have a professional evaluate your loose radiant diamonds. The table below will give you a certain idea about Radiant diamond cut quality.
| Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor | |
| Table% | 61-69 | 57-60 or 70-72 | 53-56 or 73-74 | 52-53 or 76-79 | <52 or >80 |
| Depth% | 62-67 | 58-59 or 71-74 | 55-56.9 or 75-79 | 55-56 or 75-79 | <54 or >59 |
| Girdle | Very thin to Slightly Thick | Very Thin to Thick | Very Thin to Very Thick | Extremely Thin to Extremely Thick | |
| Cutlet | None | Very Small | Small | Medium | >Medium |
The cropped corner of a radiant should not be too narrow or too wide. This gives the diamond stability. They need to be symmetrical for aesthetic purposes.
Length To Width Ratio
The length to width ratio determines how proportionate a diamond is. It is determined by dividing the diamond’s length by width. The ratio you choose is dependent on personal taste. A recommended ratio is 1.00-1.4. They might go up to 2 in order to achieve a more square shape. The table below will give you a better idea about length to width ratio.
| Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor | |
| Square | 1.00-1.03 | 1.04-1.05 | 1.06-1.08 or >1.08 | >1.08 | |
| Rectangle | 1.20-1.30 | 1.16-1.19 or 1.32-1.35 | 1.10-1.13 or 1.37-1.40 | 1.08-1.09 or 1.42-1.5 | <1.08 or >1.50 |
The Clarity Of Your Radiant Cut Diamond.
The GIA grades clarity from IF to I2. IF being internally flawless. It is important to not jump the gun when it comes to clarity grades. While higher clarity grades are definitely better, they are hardly distinguishable from one another unless you are viewing them under a microscope using 10X magnification.
Eye-clean diamonds are what we recommend. You will hardly be able to tell the difference between a VVS1 and VVS2 with the naked eye. If your radiant is free from inclusions when viewed with the naked eye, just go for it. You will end up saving more and not compromising on important aspects like cut quality. S1 and S2 grades are also fine if they are eye-clean.
Color Grade of your Radiant Cut.
Our recommendation is the same when it comes to color grades. The GIA grades color from D to Z. D being completely colorless. The color of your diamond can be masked with the right ring setting.
Going for an H-grade color on your radiant is fine. It is important to choose the right ring setting to mask any color that your diamond might have. If your diamond does not show distinguishable color, it is fine to get it.
Pros Of Getting a Radiant Cut Diamond
We’ve already gone over the impeccable sparkle and brilliance of a radiant diamond. Here are certain other pros of this particular cut.
They Look Bigger than other Diamonds.
Radiant cut diamonds look bigger than other diamonds. This is no coincidence. Henry Grossbard designed this particular cut to appear larger. Due to the diamond’s broad, shallow design more of the diamond is visible. This makes this cut appear bigger on a ring than other diamonds of the same carat weight.
More Durable Than Other Square Diamonds
The Radiant cut is often compared to Princess cut and other square-cut diamonds. The Radiant can match the Princess diamond when it comes to brilliance. One added advantage that Radiant diamonds have over Princess cuts is that their beveled edges offer much more durability. They are much less prone to chipping, unlike Princess diamonds. If you and your loved one have active lifestyles, this is the diamond you want on your engagement rings.
Great Value for Money.
The Radiant cut uses most of the diamond rough with very little going to waste. This ensures that the cost per carat of this diamond is comparatively lesser than other diamonds.
If we are to do a small comparison, a 1 carat, VS1 clarity, H grade Radiant cut diamond will cost between $3900 to $4000. The same specs on a Round Brilliant will be around $6000. This makes the radiant a very affordable diamond. With its impeccable brilliance and excellent durability, it is worth the money you are spending.
The only con about this particular diamond is that the GIA does not grade the cut quality of fancy diamonds. However, you can always gauge the cut quality by looking at the diamond’s table%, depth%, and length to width ratio. Our table above will help you determine the right cut grade for your diamond.
This particular aspect cannot be looked upon as a con, as this same issue is applicable to any fancy-shaped diamond.
Radiant Cut Vs Cushion Cut Diamonds
Having several similarities, these two cuts can be distinguished by the following points.
The edges of the Cushion cut are more rounded than that of the Radiant. The radiant diamond is known for its distinct beveled edges.
It is tough to beat the brilliance of a Radiant cut diamond. The Cushion cut diamond is known for its fire ( colored light reflections).
Length to Width ratios are more often a matter of personal preference.With regard to Radiants, they come in both square and rectangular shapes. In most circumstances, Cushion Cuts are purchased with a length to width ratio of 1-1.10. This is indicative of a more square shape than Radiant cuts.
Radiant Diamonds vs Princess Cut Diamonds
The Radiant cut diamond bears close resemblance to a Princess cut diamond. In Fact at a glance, a Radiant cut looks something between a Princess cut and a Cushion Cut.
There are however stark differences between a Princess cut and a Radiant cut diamond.
The Radiant cut has beveled edges as compared to the Princess diamond which has sharp edges. As mentioned earlier the sharp edges of a Princess diamond are much more prone to chipping even with a four prong setting. The Radiant diamond is more durable than a Princess cut.
There is a difference in price between these two particular cuts, A Princess Diamond is more expensive than a Radiant cut.
A Radiant is slightly more elongated than a Princess cut diamond which is a square diamond. Square Radiant cuts are rare and not as easily available as square Princess diamonds.
Best Place to Buy Radiant Cut Diamonds
A trusted jeweler is always a good guide to your perfect diamond. With Jewel Hero, finding the right jeweler is a breeze. All you have to do is log in to our website and answer a few questions pertaining to your choices and the kind of diamond that you are looking for. That is it. We will connect you to local jewelers near you with whom you can connect online. The right Radiant cut diamond is only a click away.
Our Unique algorithm is focused on connecting eager consumers with authentic jewelers. Please visit our website and get a step closer to buying the Radiant diamond of your dreams.