Tips and Tricks
What You Need to Know About Radiant Cut Diamonds | Rare Carat
Summary
- Radiant cuts blend princess-cut brilliance with emerald-cut elegance; a unique hybrid sparkle
- More durable than princess cuts, they resist chipping and hide inclusions well
- Their brilliance allows lower color (G/H) and clarity (SI1) grades without sacrificing beauty
- Their depth makes them appear smaller than rounds of the same carat weight
- Radiants are basically diamond hybrids, a mixture between princess cuts and emerald cuts, inheriting brilliance from the princess mother and sleek style from the emerald father.
- They’re more robust than princess cut diamonds, meaning less chance of cracking.
- Radiant cut diamonds combine both brilliance and step cuts. Their brilliance makes them more forgiving in regards to color and clarity.
- Because of that, you could safely stick around G and H color diamonds if you don’t want any warm tones. For clarity, you could go as low as SI1. These diamonds do well hiding inclusions.
- Now the cons: radiant cut diamonds are deep, and because of that, they look smaller than their round cousins.
Learn more about radiant cut diamonds.
Do I need to check a radiant-cut diamond when buying?
Absolutely. Because the cut grades for radiants aren’t standardized, you’ll want to look at proportions, symmetry, and whether the stone shows undesirable shadows (like a “bow tie”). Also check for that cropped-corner durability (less chipping risk) and make sure the diamond still gives you good light return.
Can a radiant diamond withstand everyday wear and tear?
They’re pretty sturdy. Because Radiants have cropped—or cut—corners instead of sharp edges, the risk of chipping is reduced significantly. That makes them a good pick if you want a diamond you can wear daily without worrying too much about damage.
Will a radiant-cut diamond look as big as a round diamond of the same carat?
Often, a radiant may appear slightly smaller face-up than a round diamond with the same carat weight—because some of the diamond’s mass sits deeper in the pavilion rather than spreading out on the top.
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Radiant Cut Diamonds FAQs