radiant cut settings

Radiant Cut Settings – Pros, Cons, and More!

As you may have guessed, the radiant cut is characterized by the radiance it gives off. In fact, the radiant cut displays a unique combination of two different styles of cuts: the few square style cuts and the brilliant round cut. This stunning cut displays fire and brilliance that are close to comparable to the world’s most popular cuts (the brilliant round cut and the princess cut) which makes it hard to believe that this beauty only ranks as low as 7 on the popularity totem pole.

radiant engagement ring

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Radiant Cut Settings – The Basics

If you are considering a Radiant cut stone, it is essential to be well informed of the pros and cons that come with the cut, the most suitable GIA grades for the cut, and the ideal settings for the cut. This article will walk you through the in’s and outs, as well as the in between, of the Radiant cut.

The radiant cut is a relatively newly created cut, being formed as recently as the 1970’s by Henry Grossbard. What it lacks in history, though, this marvelous cut makes up for with rewarding attributes. The radiant cut is a very deep cut with a large underside, which emphasizes the brilliance and fire of any gemstone, while also carrying the title of the only square cut, next to the princess cut, to display a high degree of brilliance. Couple these unique characteristics with its lack of demand and you have a truly ravishing cut for a bargain price!

engagement ring radiant cut pave setting platinum

What are the pros?

Unlike its square cut counterparts, the radiant cut has trimmed corners which offer security to the gem, and the gems owner, alike. As a result of its trimmed corners, the radiant cut is less likely to snag every-day items and, in doing so, is also less likely to loosen itself from its setting. The trimmed corners of the radiant cut are also beneficial to the gem as a hold as this characteristic keeps the sometimes fragile corners of a stone from chipping.

radiant cut settings 9 carat

The radiant cut also has the benefit of being able to fit numerous styles and tastes. This cut looks stunning on a diamond but equally glamourous on any gemstone, though gemstones with higher hardness ratings are preferred. Stones cut to a radiant cut also have the benefit of being able to both, stand on their own as solitaires OR find themselves nestled between more stones. When it comes to the radiant cut, the possibilities are endless.

Finally, the radiant cut is an extremely forgiving cut that will hide small flaws in its stone. This allows for less expensive stones to be used to attain the same amount of beauty as high quality stones in many other cuts. Needless to say, but we’ll say it, this masking trait of the radiant cut is also a desirable financial attribute.

And the cons?

Unfortunately, to create its fire, the radiant cut carries a lot of its weight at the bottom of the cut which makes its top appear to be smaller. Due to this trait, a radiant cut that is 1 carat may appear to be smaller than a different cut of the same size. What more, due to its lack of history and experience in the diamond world, as well as a general lack of knowledge about it, the radiant cut isn’t a go-to cut for most jewellers and can be hard to come across and may need to be custom cut. Both these attributes can add to the costliness of the radiant cut.

Check out some affordable CZ radiant cut alternatives

radiant cut center stone with faceted trapezoid cut sides

Clarity

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has created an international diamond rating system that allows for a universal standard for determining a diamonds quality. An aspect of this quality is the diamonds clarity. A diamonds clarity is determined by its number of inclusions and/blemishes. All diamond will have some inclusions and blemishes, but a flawless diamond will be one where they can’t be seen when magnified by ten.

This list contains the clarity ratings as they determine the value of a diamond from the most expensive to the least:

Flawless (Fl) – No Inclusions.
Internally Flawless – (IF) No inclusions, only blemishes.
Very Very Slightly Included – (VVS1 and VVS2)  Contains inclusions but they are very difficult to see.
Slightly included (SI1 and SI2) – Noticeably included.
Included (I1, I2, I3) – Obviously included.

An ideal diamond for a Radiant cut will be anything from SI1 and up. Avoid Radiant cuts that fall into the categories of SI2, I1, I2 and I3. Check this good website where you can buy essays.

Color

The GIA also grades diamonds on their color – or rather, lack of. This rating system does not include colored diamonds. Essentially, the ideal diamond is colorless while the least desirable is light yellow or brown.

These changes in color are extremely subtle, and may not even be noticeable to the naked eye, but they make a colossal impact on the price of a diamond so they are important.

This list contains a list of the color ratings, D being completely colorless and most valuable and Z being of color and the least valuable.

D, E, F – colorless
G, H, I, J – near colorless
K, L, M – faint color
N, O, P, Q, R – very light color
S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z – light color

The ideal diamond for a Radiant cut is colorless, so grades D, E, or F – however a nearly colorless grading that’s closer to the completely colorless spectrum, such as G and I, will also produce desirable results.

Settings

The ideal setting for a radiant cut is a 4 prong setting. A 4 prong setting will allow light to cut through the diamond and maximize the brilliance that the cut is in need of. That said, for a larger diamond, a 6 prong setting might be necessary to avoid damage or looseness of the diamond itself.

ruby radiant cut 4 prong

While some websites might recommend the Bezel setting for the Radiant cut, we don’t. The Radiant cut achieves most of its brilliance from its heavy under-side and a Bezel cut might hinder its ability to capitalize on all the brilliance and fire that this spectacular cut has to offer.

Radiant Cut Settings Recap Plus Some

Ok, so, what do we know? The Radiant cut is a square cut that is close to comparable in brilliance and fire to the much more expensive Brilliant Round and Princess cuts. This cut is extremely versatile, self-protective of snagging and chipping, and hides flaws in the stones in which it is cut into. However, the radiant cut also tends to appear smaller than the size in which it is and it can be pretty hard to come by. Finally, the Radiant cut is set in a 4 prong setting that allows for premium sunlight to help its brilliance.

But wait – don’t run to your nearest jeweler quite yet. Before you run out your door, here are a few additional tid bits to keep in mind:

1. If your Radiant cut stone is a diamond, deal only with reputable jewelers that will provide IGA certification.

2. If you’re buying a used or antique diamond studded ring, don’t listen to number one. The IGA hasn’t been around forever and diamonds have. Instead, in the instances of antique or used diamonds, ask for a certificate of authenticity or professional appraisal of the diamond you’re buying.

3. If a colored, or colorless, gemstone is you’re thing, we’re into it. Check out our extensive gemstone directory for ways to ensure your are purchasing the best quality authentic gemstone for your ring.

4. It never hurts to get a second opinion – if you’re confident in your purchase, this isn’t necessary, but if you’re like us and like play it safe, take your purchase to a professional jeweler or gemologist for a second opinion as to the quality of your stone.

5. You’re getting married! This should be the most rewarding and enjoyable experience in your life to date – while we absolutely promote the idea that knowledge is important, and that you should be well informed, we also want you to remember not to lose sight of your excitement and joy, so go on, go shopping for your engagement or wedding ring and don’t forget to have fun with it!

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