Radiant-Cut Diamonds Buying Guide

The radiant cut gives a great look to the diamond ring. The radiant cut diamond is a combination of the round brilliant cut and emerald cut. In this blog, we will provide a guideline to buying radiant cut diamonds for engagement rings.

Are radiant cut diamonds popular?

The radiant diamond cut is one of the most popular cuts in recent years. The most important reason for this popularity is the extraordinary radiance and brilliance of the radiant cut. Radiant cut accounts for a significant portion of the Chicago diamonds market.

The radiant cut also has its pros and cons, like any other diamond shapes. In this blog, we review the advantages and disadvantages of the radiant diamond cut.

What is a radiant cut diamond?

Henry Grossbard created the radiant cut diamond in 1997. He applied the best features of the round brilliant shape and the emerald cut to make the radiant cut diamond.

The facet patterns bring this unique brilliance to this diamond cut. The radiant diamond cut has 70 facets, which increase the light reflection like a mirror.

The radiant diamond cut gives a modern symmetrical diamond shape with an extra shine. The radiant cut is available in both the square shape and the rectangular shape in jewelry stores.

What does a radiant cut diamond look like?

The radiant diamond shape can either be square or rectangular. Jewelers choose which is a better cut for that specific ring, based on the design and settings of the diamond ring.

Paying attention to the standard of length to width ratio is important in choosing the right shape. Experts have estimated that the length to width ratio in an excellent cut square radiant diamond is 1.00–1.03.

Also, the rectangular radiant diamond should have a length to width ratio of 1.20-1.30.

How many facets are in a radiant cut diamond?

Usually, the radiant cut diamond has between 53 to 70 facets. More facets bring more sparkle to the diamond.

These facets act as mirrors. The light taken by the diamond will reflect from each facet to another. The sum of the reflected rays will appear from the table facet. 

Radiant cut diamond pros and cons

Like any other shapes of diamonds, the radiant diamonds also have their advantages and disadvantages. 

The pros of radiant diamond cut:

• The radiant cut looks bigger than its actual size .

• The radiant cut looks bigger than its actual size.

The radiant diamond looks larger than its actual carat weight. This illusion is a positive feature that can make your chosen diamond ring so much more glamorous.

Radiant cut can be a good choice for people who prefer a larger diamond, at a lower cost. 

• Radiant diamond cut has excellent brilliance:

The radiant diamonds are unique and stunning in their luminosity. The radiant cut diamond can be a good choice for those who care about diamond sparkle.

The personal preference determines the shape of the diamond in the engagement rings. But what matters in diamond engagement rings is its brilliance. Fortunately, the radiant diamond cuts are classified as brilliant shapes.

The brilliance of this precious stone gives the diamond ring value. So if you like the modern, minimalist emerald cut, but still you can't ignore the brilliance of the round cut, then the radiant shape is the best choice for your engagement ring.

As I mentioned, the diamond sparkle and brilliance can determine the value of the diamond. I recommend you read our article that is about sparkle diamond selection.

How to choose a sparkly diamond?

• Radiant diamond cut has great durability:

Radiant cut diamonds are durable. This more strength is because of their cropped corners. The sharp edge is always at risk of damage. But this problem is solved by the radiant diamond cut.

Radiant cut diamonds are suitable for lively people. The radiant cut is durable with cropped corners. If you or your loved one has an active lifestyle, a radiant cut is a right choice for you. Even you can wear your radiant engagement ring on rock climbing.

The cons of the radiant diamond cut:

• The GIA doesn’t grade the cut quality of radiant diamond shape :

On the one hand, the cut grade is one of the most important factors in diamond pricing. On the other hand, cut grading is very professional and requires lots of experience. Certified cut grade diamonds are more valuable.

Unfortunately, the GIA does not determine the cut quality of the radiant diamond cuts. The GIA is the most trusted authority that certifies diamond quality.

Without professional tools and with the naked eye, it is impossible to evaluate the cut grade. Finally, you can get some basic information by looking at the loose diamonds. For example, you can say that the cut corners give good strength to the radiant diamond cut.

But in reality, this information is not enough to evaluate the diamond pricing. You need more information to evaluate the diamond cut grade. Some of this information can be found at the following link. 

Whatis a diamond cut grade quality and price?

Don't forget that you should consult with a reliable jeweler to evaluate the diamond cut grade, too.

How much is a radiant cut diamond?

The price of a radiant diamond cut depends on several factors. For example, the carat weight and the price of the diamond are directly related. This change in price is due to both the heavier weight of the diamond, which means more diamond, and the rarity of diamonds of that size.

Sometimes the price of a radiant cut diamond can be as high as $ 3000 per carat. Of course, this is a pretty generic price and you should consult with a reliable jeweler about your engagement ring value.

Usually, the price of a radiant diamond is about 40% cheaper than a round diamond with similar features. 

How much does a 2 carat radiant cut diamond cost?

It is impossible to determine the price of a diamond, only based on its carat weight. The GIA has determined that at least 4 factors are effective in diamond pricing. The Carat weight, diamond cut, color, and clarity are those four factors.

But in general, you should consider at least $10,000 to $12,000 to buy a 2-carat radiant diamond cut, with acceptable quality.

It is usually recommended to choose the excellent cut grade, the S1 or S2 clarity grade, and the H color degree for a radiant cut diamond.

The difference in each of these factors can significantly raise or lower the price of a radiant diamond.

If you need more information on the color and clarity of a diamond, I recommend the link below. Keep in mind that color and clarity have a huge impact on both the beauty and the price of a diamond.

  What is the color and clarity of the diamond?

Do radiant cut diamonds sparkle?

Radiant diamond cut is one of the most brilliant diamond shapes. It has an eye-catching sparkle. The name of the radiant cut is chosen for the extraordinary power of this diamond shape in light reflection.

Radiant cut has between 53 and 70 facets. Symmetrical facets reflect more and more light from the surface. The stunning reflection of light, from the table facet, makes a very sparkle diamond. 

Radiant cut diamond size chart

The diamond size chart is a good benchmark that can help you prioritize your engagement ring weight.

Jewelers can estimate the size of each diamond weight, due to many years of experience. This estimation is based on examining hundreds of equal weight diamonds and estimating their average size based on the carat weight.

Specifically, the higher the carat weight of the radiant diamond, the higher the price. On the other hand, the larger diamonds look glorious. But other features of the radiant diamond cut do not change much with the weight. 

Carat weight	Size in millimeters
0.50 Ct	6 * 4 mm
0.75 Ct	6.4 * 4.5 mm
1.00 Ct	7 * 5 mm
1.25 Ct	7.3 * 5.5 mm
1.50 Ct	7.5 * 5.8 mm
2.00 Ct	8 * 6 mm
2.50 Ct	9 * 7 mm
3.00 Ct	9.5 * 7.5 mm
3.31 Ct	10 * 7 mm

Radiant cut diamond vs round

The round diamonds are the most classic diamond shape in the world. But the radiant cut has a modern appearance. The radiant cut diamonds were created in the year 1997, by Henry Grossbard.

The radiant cut diamond looks bigger than its actual carat weight. But the round cut usually seems smaller than the actual size. The price of round diamonds is higher than the price of radiant diamonds, due to how much of the diamond is cut off from the original size and shape.

The round diamond is stone with the brightest cut. Similarly, Radiant diamonds are one of the brilliant shapes, among angled diamond cuts.

Note that, however, the diamond shape is not the only determining factor in diamond brilliance. Round shaped diamond with a poor cut grade is not considered brilliant. Even allowing the diamond to grow dull by not cleaning it, significantly reduces its brightness.

This article discusses cleaning the diamond in detail. 

How often should you clean your engagement ring?

	Radiant cut diamond	round cut
facets	53 to 70 facets	Many symmetrical facets
brilliance	brilliant	Most sparkle
corners	Cropped corners	No corners
shape	Square to rectangular	rounded

Radiant cut diamond vs princess

The most important similarity to the radiant diamond cut and the princess cuts is about their brilliance. Both cuts are classified as brilliant diamond cuts.

But these two cuts are also different in other features. The princess cut diamonds can be brighter than the radiant cut, because of more facets.

The radiant cut has cropped corners, while the princess cuts have sharp corners. The princess cut is usually quite square, while the radiant cut is more elongated.

	Radiant cut diamond	princess cut
facets	70 facets	50 to 144 facets
brilliance	Brilliant cut	Brilliant cut
corners	Cropped corners	Sharp corners
shape	Square to rectangular	typically square

Radiant cut diamond vs cushion

The cushion diamond and radiant cut are both brilliant cuts. Both diamond cuts have good security with cropped corners. But the cushion's diamond edges are slightly rounded, which makes it more durable and less prone to damage from the prongs.

Radiant cut diamonds also show high brilliance due to many facets. But the Cushion diamond, despite its good brilliance, reflects the colored light better.

The reflection of the colored light is related to the fire of the diamond. But the brilliance refers to the reflection of the white light.

	Radiant cut diamond	cushion cut
facets	Elegant facets	larger facets
brilliance	More brilliance	More fire
corners	Cropped corners	Rounded cropped corners
shape	Square to rectangular	Square to rectangular

Radiant cut diamond vs emerald cut

Radiant cut diamond and the emerald diamond shape look similar. Both cuts can have a square to rectangular shapes. Both diamond cuts look larger than their actual carat weight because of their elongated appearance.

The radiant diamonds have cut corners that enhance their durability against pressure. But the emerald diamonds have sharp corners that can be exposed to breakage and damage.

The other difference between these two diamond cuts is the number of facets. Radiant diamond has more facets than an emerald diamond. The more symmetrical facets act as mirrors to amplify the sparkle. So the diamond with more facets is brighter too.

As a result, the radiant cut and emerald shape differ in their brilliance. The Radiant cut diamonds are designed to show the highest possible brilliance. The radiant cut has an extraordinary sparkle and icy look, due to its facets.

But the emerald diamonds also have less sparkle due to the fewer facets. But since it has a larger table facet, it also provides greater clarity.

	Radiant cut diamond	emerald cut
facets	More facets	Less facets
brilliance	More brilliant	Less sparkle
corners	Cropped corners	Sharp corners
shape	Square to rectangular	Square to rectangular

Radiant cut diamond engagement ring

Choosing an engagement ring depends entirely on your personal preferences and taste. Among the variety of diamond shapes available in jewelry stores, radiant diamonds are very popular choices.

As I mentioned earlier, the radiant engagement ring is suitable for active people. You can wear it all day long without worrying about the diamond ring being broken and damaged.

The radiant cut is also very useful for people who can't choose between a classic cut and modern shapes. The radiant cut diamonds provide the brilliance of classic shapes and also the creative appearance of modern cuts.

On the other hand, Henry Grossbard, the creator of the radiant cut, created the radiant diamond cut by focusing on the magnification of the diamond's look and its sparkle.

This feature is very useful for budget management. You can get a bigger-looking engagement ring at a lower cost.

Another important consideration in choosing an engagement ring is to consider the design and setting of the ring. The radiant cut is usually used in a single central diamond ring with 4 to 6 prongs.

But the choice of the engagement ring design and the setting is up to you. Be sure to choose your favorite diamond color. Also, choose the best length to width ratio in consultation with experts.

You may have thought about the engagement party, after choosing the engagement ring. Don't worry! We provided a guideline for you, about engagement party planning in the following blog.  How to plan an engagement party in 10 steps?

Which diamond shape looks biggest for carat size?

The elongated diamond shapes look bigger than their actual carat weight. Much of the carat weight of the elongated diamonds are displayed on the surface of the engagement ring. This feature makes the illusion of the biggest diamond.

Conversely, part of the carat weight of the diamond is hidden beneath the surface in the round cut and square shape diamonds. On the other hand, it can be hidden between the prongs too.

This feature makes the diamond look smaller than its actual size. Some elongated shapes are:

• Oval shape
• Emerald cut
• Pear shape
• marquise

Which diamond cut has most sparkle?

The round diamonds are known based on their stunning sparkle. The radiant cut, princess diamonds, and Cushion shape are also among the most sparkle diamonds, after the round shape.

The diamond shape is not the only determining factor in diamond sparkle. Some other factors such as the cut grade, clarity, and carat weight should also be considered to determine the diamond sparkle.

Of course, if other diamond shapes also have an excellent cut grade, they will certainly give a good sparkle too.

Where can I buy radiant diamonds in Chicago?

One of the most experienced jewelry companies in Chicago is Wedding Bands & Company. Out of thirty years of experience in the jewelry business, we are capable to help you design your unique halo engagement ring, or any other style of engagement rings Chicago. The Wedding Bands Company’s showroom is located at 43 E Oak St. fl 2, Chicago, IL 60611.

Why should I come to you to design my ring?

We openly collaborate at every step. We start with a meeting to go over ideas and any concerns before designing. The process continues with a concept and changes. We cast, set, and repair your treasures internally, so it stays personalized as an experience. Our commitment is to hear you and make sure that your ring is as individual as you are.

We'll help you to design your dream engagement ring without stress and spending countless hours searching for your perfect ring. All you need to do is click on "Free Consultation" to get started.

By: Koorosh Daneshgar CEO/Design Chief