What Are Radiant Cut Diamonds?

The radiant cut diamond is a beautifully symmetrical, non-traditional cut, the radiant cut combines the brilliance of a round and the purity of an emerald cut. Trimmed corners give this loose diamond shape versatility to shine in all kinds of jewelry, especially engagement rings. The faceting of a radiant cut gives it a fiery look compared to a princess cut, while maintaining soft, cut corners. Overall you could say that the radiant diamond combines some of the most beloved traits of other popular diamond shapes.

Radiant cut diamonds are often called the rectangular modified brilliant diamond. Simply put, these are the square diamond of the common round, brilliant gems. Radiant cut diamonds are in the gemstone cut group known as hybrids, which speaks to how its characteristics can be seem as combinations of some of the other stone shapes, including the cut's beveled corners. The rectangular radiant cut diamond is an excellent option for buyers who like the emerald cut shape, but want something with the brilliance of a round. But radiant diamonds are also available in a square shape. The difference simply comes down to their length to width ratio. This diamond shape also tend to be a very popular choice for fancy colored diamonds because they capture more rough diamond color than other cuts. (In case you're thinking of jumping on that sapphire and diamond engagement ring trend.)

What is a Radiant Cut Diamond?

The modern radiant diamond itself is less than 40 years old. Henry Grossbard created the very first radiant cut diamond in the late 1970s. He was part of Radiant Cut Diamond Company, who released the first radiant diamond in '77. Grossbard's creation changed the way rectangular diamonds were viewed and developed. His was the first to have such an intricate facet pattern on the pavilion of the stone as well as the crown. Every other rectangular-shaped diamond before this release had fewer facets, less attention to the finer details, and shone less brilliantly than Grossbard's version. In 2002, RCDC launched its own specific brand: the “original radiant cut.”

Popularity of Radiant Cut Diamonds

Despite its “youth” in the diamond community, the radiant cut diamond is easily among the most popular diamonds cuts, thanks to its versatility and brilliance. Although radiant cut engagement rings aren't very common, they're desirable enough that they boast celebrity fans. Celebrity engagement rings featuring a radiant cut as its center stone include:

• Hillary Duff wears a 14 carat radiant cut diamond engagement ring with two impressively large side stones and a French-set pave band
• Drew Barrymore received a 4-carat radiant cut solitaire with a pave band from her now ex-husband, Will Kopelman
• Jennifer Lopez once sported a fancy pink radiant cut engagement ring from Ben Affleck, though she just received an emerald cut from Alex Rodriguez
• Khloe Kardashian was presented a 12.5-carat radiant cut with halo when Lamar Odom proposed after a few short weeks of dating
• Megan Fox boasts a 3-carat radiant cut halo engagement ring with side stones and a platinum pave band
• Anna Kournikova has been spotted wearing a fancy yellow radiant cut diamond ring, but it's unclear if it's her engagement ring
• Kelly Clarkson said yes to a radiant cut engagement ring that has been estimated around 6 carats, featuring a fancy yellow diamond

Radiant Cut Diamond Settings

Radiant cut diamond engagement rings are beloved for the unmatchable shine they produce. Once the buyer has chosen to purchase a radiant cut diamond, the next logical step is to choose a setting to complement this choice in diamond cut. The most popular and logical setting to choose for a radiant style engagement ring is the four-prong setting. We know that the 4 prong vs 6 prong debate still rages strong, but there are some misconceptions here. A diamond with a high clarity grade will sparkle brilliantly even with a 6 prong setting. But the 4 prong setting will emphasize the square or rectangular shape of the diamond, making it ideal for the radiants.

Bezel settings, although they may be used, are not recommended for radiant cut diamonds. A bezel setting is a closed setting that encloses the center stone for a secure and cohesive feeling, but by closing itself off, the bezel setting hinders the amount of light that will hit the stone. Although it ultimately comes down to personal preference, this setting will cause a significant loss to the amount of shine of the ring. (But if you're looking for a truly unique radiant cut engagement ring, you might consider this trade-off well worth it. Again, you're the one wearing it, so what matters most is that you'll love your ring day after day.)

Radiant cut settings are ultimately a personal choice. You're the one wearing the radiant cut ring, so you're the one that needs to love it! But there are some settings that get more love when it comes to how they highlight radiant cut diamonds. First and foremost is the solitaire setting, especially with prongs. Prong settings are given this name because they contain a prong, also known as a small and sturdy metal claw that tightly grips the diamond and holds it into place. Prongs can be rounded, flat, or pointed, and you probably already know that you can choose between 4 and 6 prongs. While 4 prongs allow for more of the diamond to be shown and 6 prongs are more secure for the diamond, it ultimately comes down to personal preference.

But there are plenty of people who also love radiant cut engagement rings with a halo. Although it's flashier than its solitaire cousin, a halo engagement ring is still elegant and timeless. There's actually plenty of room for personalizing your radiant cut diamond engagement ring if you want a diamond halo. At With Clarity we have a gorgeous variety of different halo styles, and even something simple like metal choice can drastically change the look of your ring. A radiant cut rose gold engagement ring, for example, will give off a warm glow that the same ring in white gold just won't have. Even then, you get different shades of the rosy hue, depending on whether you choose 14 or 18K gold for your radiant cut with halo.

Radiant Cut and Other Shapes

Radiant Cut vs Cushion Cut

Radiant cut and cushion cut diamonds can appear quite similar, making it hard to choose what one to buy. The main difference between the radiant and cushion cut diamonds is their shape. Radiant cut diamonds have a rectangular outline, and the corners of it are cut. Meanwhile, cushion cut diamonds have rounded sides, so it doesn't look as rectangular as a radiant cut diamond. Sometimes cushion cuts can even have an oval appearance to them, depending on their length to width ratio.

Both radiant and cushion cut diamonds belong to a group called brilliant cuts. This simply means that all of their facets are arranged and shaped so that their brilliance is enhanced. Radiant cuts have been known to exhibit more brilliance than cushion cuts. In terms of clarity and color, there's no major difference between the two cuts. Their color and inclusions usually look very similar. Your choice here will primarily come down to your preference in the shape.

Radiant Cut vs Emerald Cut

In terms of shape, the radiant cut and the emerald cut are much more similar than the radiant and the cushion. Emerald cut diamonds have the same straight sides as the radiant cuts. But unlike the radiant, which sports cropped corners, emeralds have the same sharp, bold corners that you see on the princess cut. The biggest difference between these two diamonds is their faceting. Radiant cuts, as we mentioned, are brilliant cut diamonds. They have a crushed ice look, and they are cut for maximum sparkle. Emerald cuts, on the other hand, are step cuts. They have fewer, larger facets. That means they don't sparkle as much as brilliant cuts. Their look is more subdued, and the large factes are perfect for showing off the high clarity of a stone.

Radiant Cut vs Princess Cut

This is another choice that ultimately comes down to your preference in diamond shape. Radiant cut diamonds and princess cut diamonds are both brilliant cuts, just like cushion cut diamonds. They'll both reflect light well and sparkle, as long as they're cut well. But that leaves the shape. Princess cuts have sharp corners and are typically square in shape. They're bold and very geometric. Radiant cuts on the other hand have the cropped corners, also known as beveled corners. This means that radiant cut diamonds do not have rounded corners like the cushion cut. However, the cropped or beveled corners still offers some softening of the angles. Radiants also tend to be more rectangular than the princess cut diamonds, which can make your hand and fingers appear longer and thinner. It's a nice bonus if you're already leaning toward the radiant.

What to Know When Purchasing Radiant Cut Diamonds

One very appealing aspect of buying a radiant cut diamond is that you get an engagement ring style that has the same flash and brilliance of a round diamond cut, but in a square cut.

Radiant cut is also a forgiving cut for diamonds. This means that even if the diamond does have any inclusions, the cut will instantly hide these small flaws. Thanks to their faceting some inclusions will not be seen with the naked eye.

One downside of radiant cut diamonds is that due to how deep they are cut, a 1 carat radiant diamond will not look that large compared to a diamond that has a more shallow cut (such as a 1 carat emerald cut diamond).

Additionally, radiant cut engagement rings can be hard to find, especially ones that are high quality. But that doesn't mean you'll be alone in sporting this diamond style. The radiant cut is still sought after by people all over the world. They are especially appealing to women who prefer a more unique style with a gorgeous sparkle.

Radiant Diamond Guide

Please see the ideal table, depth and length to width ratio combinations for radiant cuts in the tables below. An important consideration when selecting a radiant cut is the color. Radiant cut diamonds tend to show color more than round diamonds due to lack of depth in the tips. A G color radiant will look closer to an H color diamond. Consider opting for a stone one higher color grade with radiant shapes, when compared to round shaped diamonds.

Depth % for Radiant Diamonds

Excellent: 75%-64%

Very Good: 78%-62%

Good: 84%-56%

Table % of Radiant Diamonds

Excellent: 76%-62%

Very Good: 78%-60%

Good: 82%-55%

Length to Width Ratio for Radiant Diamonds

Short

1.10

Optimal

1.25

Long

1.35

Radiant Cut Diamond Size Chart

Radiant cut diamonds have approximate millimeter sizes that correspond to certain carat weights. Please see the chart below of the popular radiant diamond sizes and their carat weights. For all sizes and shapes, please visit our diamond size chart page.

Radiant Cut Pricing

Radiant cut diamonds tend to have a larger pricing discount than other diamond shapes. Round diamonds have greater rough diamond wastage, whereas radiant diamonds use the maximum amount of diamond rough so they are very efficient from a diamond cutter's perspective. Radiant diamonds tend to be a bit deeper, though, which means they'll appear smaller at the same carat weight than other shapes such as round diamonds. Learn more about diamond pricing.

Additionally, It is very important to examine a diamond's length to width ratio when considering the shape. Radiant diamonds with a ratio of 1.25 with be in the optimal ratio. These possess the greatest premium in the radiant cuts. Shorter or longer radiant cut diamonds will look either a little thicker or slender and longer. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but merely a preference. Shorter radiant diamonds will look smaller and slender, long length to width ratios will look larger. While the average customer isn’t an experienced jewelry craftsman or appraiser, the evenness of the radiant cut diamond’s edges should be apparent to the naked, untrained eye. If the diamond appears crooked in the setting, or the entire ring sits a bit off center on your finger, it is probably not parallel. Some people believe that a square is a square is a square. However, if you are set on buying a radiant cut diamond, check the corners of the gemstone! Emerald and princess cut diamonds, as well as other square and rectangle shaped stones, have the sharp corners; the radiant cut diamonds do not.

The price difference between different carats of diamonds is incredibly large. With smaller diamonds, the price is much lower due to the size and availability in nature. Once a stone reaches 2 carats, the price can reach to a little over 20,000 dollars. That price skyrockets when another carat is added to the stone. While this is true of all diamonds, radiant cut diamonds are definitely on the high side of diamond pricing.

As usual, when purchasing a radiant diamond ring, a buyer should seek out a professionally-graded stone. This grade ensures that the stone is authentic and that the buyer can be sure of its value. One tip for buyers is to keep the length to width ratio in mind; make sure the stone has the proper measurements to make it a square or a rectangle. If the length to width ratio is not desirable, the stone may appear more oblong than rectangular.

Price Differences Between 2 carat and 3 carat Radiant Cut Diamonds for VS2 Quality

VS diamonds are diamonds that have minor inclusions, and they're broken down into VS1 and VS2. But what you need to know about the VS diamonds is that they are usually eye-clean, which means you won't be able to see the stone's inclusions without maginification. Although there are clarity grades above VS, these diamonds can be fantastic choices.

If you have a 2 carat VS2 diamond ring that is high quality, it will sparkle and truly show off its brilliance. Sometimes 2 carat radiant cut diamonds can be hard to find.A 3 carat radiant cut diamond will cost more than a 2 carat not only because it weights more but also because it's harder to find the rough material necessary for a stone this size. That's why you shouldn't expect the price to increase linearly by carat. You'll see the price increase exponentially once you hit the 2 carat measurement.

Tips when Buying Radiant Cut Diamonds

One major advantage of choosing a radiant cut diamond is that it allows for the inclusions and blemishes of the stone to be hidden better. Many diamond cuts accentuate the flaws of the stone, and therefore, the radiant cut diamond is special in its ability to hide them from the naked eye. Additionally, the radiant cut diamond is incredibly versatile which means that the cut will look incredible with a multitude of styles. A radiant cut diamond can be paired well with almost anything!