What Is A Radiant Cut Diamond?
Radiant cut diamonds live up to their name, as this cut makes excellent use of light, which in turn creates sparkle. With its eight-sided outline that can be square or rectangular in shape, it has an impressive 70 facets that create the stone’s brilliance. The radiant cut is ideal for people who want the beautiful shape of a square diamond without losing the brilliance of the round cut.
This cut perfect for anyone with an active lifestyle as it is substantially more durable against chips and breakage than other shapes. Part of the reason for this is because, unlike princess cuts, they do not have sharp corners that can get caught or chipped. Due to its many facets and angles, flaws are easier to hide compared to other cuts. Radiant cut diamonds are a popular choice for rings and are great for multiple prong settings because of its trimmed corners.
History Of The Radiant Cut Diamond
Master diamond cutter Henry Grossbard created the radiant cut in 1977. Grossbard first came to New York after World War II where he apprenticed with a diamantaire. He dedicated his life to learning the diamond trade and his motto was, “An experienced craftsman can look into a rough stone and see the finished diamond.”
Grossbard wanted to create an ideal cut that could maximize a stone’s beauty and brilliance. His goal was to unify the elegant shape of the emerald cut and the sparkle of a finely cut round diamond. He combined two cutting styles: the brilliant cut used for round diamonds and the step up used for emerald cuts. He called this hybrid style the “brilliantized step cut.” As most square and rectangular cuts do not sparkle brilliantly, the radiant cut served as an alternative to the emerald cut.
Radiant Cut vs Cushion Cut
Radiant cuts and cushion cuts are similar center stones with subtle differences. Radiant cuts have distinct edges while cushion cuts have more rounded edges. Cushion cuts have an average of 58 to 64 facets while radiant cuts have 70 facets, creating their stunning brilliance. Though the cushion cut does provide great amounts of sparkle, it is best known for its great colored light reflections.
Famous Radiant Cut Diamonds
Radiant cut diamonds are a favorite cut among celebrity brides. Some of the most famous pieces include:
- Hilary Duff’s engagement ring features a 14 carat radiant cut with two impressively sized side stones in a French-set platinum band, estimated at $1 million.
- Megan Fox immediately lost her engagement ring after being proposed to by Brian Austin. But her fiancé soon replaced it with a sunning 3 carat radiant cut diamond ring set in a platinum diamond halo, estimated at $80,000.
- Anna Kournikova’s engagement ring is a fancy yellow radiant cut with two diamonds on its side, estimated at $6 million.
- Jennifer Lopez’s engagement ring from Ben Affleck was a fancy pink radiant cut surrounded by baguette diamonds, believed to be worth an staggering $2.5 million.
How To Buy A Radiant Cut Diamond?
Ready to buy a radiant cut diamond? Keep in mind the essentials 4 C’s of diamonds:
- Color Grade – Refers to how much color, or lack thereof, the diamond shows. Color grades range from D-Z with D being colorless and Z a light yellow. Smaller radiant cut stones hide color better than larger radiant cuts, perfect for someone who wants the appearance of a colorless diamond on a budget.
- Clarity Grade – Indicates the presence, or lack thereof, of imperfections in the stone. As radiant cut diamonds have many facets and great brilliance, this cut makes it easier to hide imperfections. However, you might have your own standard for clarity. Some people are happy with a stone that has inclusions that cannot be seen, while others want the entire stone to be flawless.
- Carat weight – Abbreviated to ct, carat weight refers to how heavy the stone is. A single carat is approximately 0.02g. The greater the carat weight, the more valuable the stone.
- Cut Grade – Refers to the cut quality and proportions of the stone. A well-cut stone will garner high prices. The GIA does not grade radiant cut diamonds so if you see a cut grade associated with one, this grade is from the jeweler. Make sure you avoid any stones will uneven corners and look for diamonds with a centered culet and parallel sides.
We recommend that you buy a radiant cut diamond with a GIA certificate as this shows the authenticity of the stone.
How To Sell A Radiant Cut Diamond?
There are several options for selling a radiant cut diamond. Keep reading and determine which option best suits your needs.
- Auction Houses – Auction houses have diamond experts who can accurately evaluate your radiant cut diamond at its secondhand value. However, there is the chance that your ring might not sell or that may need to wait a long time.
- Auction websites – Sites such as eBay use an auction format, where you can set your price and have interested buyers bid on your diamond. Similarly to auction houses, there is no guarantee that your diamond will sell and if it does, it might be a long wait. Make sure that you are always careful not to share any personal information online and to meet with your diamond’s potential buyer in public places with a family member or friend.
- Pawnshops - This quick option lets you exchange your diamonds for cash. However, you are likely not selling to a jeweler or gemologist with thorough diamond knowledge, leaving you with a disappointing price.
- Expert Online Diamond Buyers – With myGemma, you can sell your radiant cut diamond quickly and safely for the best possible price. Our expert service has earned us an A+ rating with the BBB and hundreds of satisfied customers. With our honest and competitive pricing we can pay you in as little as 24 hours after filling out our online form. If you have any questions about how much your radiant cut diamond is worth, call or text our GIA certified gemologists today at 646-758-0270. Get a price quote for your radiant cut diamond today by clicking the button below.
