When it comes to choosing the perfect diamond, the cut can significantly impact its beauty and brilliance. Two popular diamond shapes that often catch the eye are the radiant cut and the emerald cut. While both feature a rectangular shape and clipped corners, they offer distinct qualities that cater to different preferences. Understanding these differences can help you make an informed choice when selecting a diamond that reflects your style and personality.
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What Is The Emerald Cut?
The emerald cut is a stunning diamond shape known for its rectangular form and distinctive clipped corners. This unique design gives the stone a sleek and elegant look, often described as “understated elegance.” What makes emerald cut diamonds particularly captivating is their ability to create a mesmerizing “hall of mirrors” effect, reflecting light in a way that produces a soft, glowing sheen.
This gentle shimmer adds to their sophisticated charm, making them a popular choice for those who appreciate classic beauty and timeless style. Additionally, the emerald cut allows viewers to see the stone’s clarity and color more clearly, emphasizing the diamond’s natural qualities and making each piece truly unique.
What Is The Radiant Cut?
The radiant cut is another beautiful diamond shape, featuring a rectangular form with clipped corners, but it is renowned for its dazzling sparkle. Unlike other cuts, the radiant cut boasts numerous facets, which contribute to its vibrant brilliance. Often referred to as a “glitter bomb,” these diamonds catch and reflect light in stunning ways, creating an eye-catching display of sparkle.
This combination of elegance and exceptional shine makes radiant cut diamonds a favored choice for those who want a piece that truly stands out. Moreover, the radiant cut blends the sophistication of emerald cuts with the brilliance of round cuts, making it versatile enough to suit various styles and preferences. Whether set in an engagement ring or a pendant, radiant cut diamonds are sure to impress.
Differences Between Emerald Cut and Radiant Cut Diamonds
When you look at the emerald cut diamonds and radiant cut diamonds, they will appear similar. Both cuts are rectangular and have similar profiles, but there are differences in the way they are cut and worn. Let`s have a look at some of the differences between radiant cut and emerald cut diamonds.
Cut
Radiant cut diamonds are usually rectangular, but you can find some diamonds that are square. Emerald cut diamonds are rectangular with truncated corners. Both diamond shapes have cut corners and are therefore durable and less prone to chipping. With the emerald cut, the linear facets are parallel to the girdle and belong to the step cut group. The edges of emerald cut diamonds are parallel and therefore it is easier to see through these stones. For that reasons, it is important to purchase emerald cut diamonds with high diamond clarity and color grade. The radiant cut belongs to the mixed cut group and it is a combination of brilliant cut and the step cut. The outline of radiant diamonds is a step cut while the table and pavilion are brilliant cuts.
Facets
In emerald cut diamonds, the facets are shaped so that they are parallel to the girdle and each other. Radiant cuts have triangular facets and other non-rectangular facets. These facets are not arranged in a parallel fashion like in emerald cut. The facets of a radiant cut diamond can be compared to a Princess cut diamond, whereas an emerald cut diamond is similar to an Asscher cut diamond.
Sparkle and Brilliance
In radiant cut diamonds, the facets are positioned and shaped, to enhance the brilliance of the stone. Emerald cut diamonds are usually less fiery than radiant cut diamonds, but they also tend to have wider more dramatic flashes of light. Radiant cut diamonds are more brilliant when compared to emerald cut stones, which is why many color diamonds are cut into a radiant cut. Especially radiant cut yellow diamond engagement rings have gained significantly in popularity over the recent years with many Hollywood celebrities showing off their radiant cut yellow diamonds.
Clarity
As radiant cut diamonds have the better brilliance, the flaws in the stone will not be as easily visible when compared to emerald cut diamonds. Therefore, it is possible to purchase a radiant cut diamond with lower diamond clarity grade, while you will have to opt for a higher clarity grade stone for emerald-cut stones.
Best Engagement Ring Styles For Emerald And Radiant Diamonds
Emerald Cut Diamond Engagement Rings
Emerald cut diamonds look beautiful in different styles. Solitaire settings allow the diamond to stand out on its own. In halo settings, smaller diamonds surround the emerald cut, making it look bigger and brighter. Diamond band settings also focus on the center diamond while adding extra sparkle with diamonds on the band.
Radiant Cut Diamond Engagement Rings
Radiant cut diamonds are stunning in various styles as well. Solitaire settings highlight the diamond’s shine, making it the main attraction. In diamond band settings, small diamonds on the band add beauty to the radiant diamond. Three-stone settings feature a radiant diamond with two smaller stones beside it, which makes the center diamond look larger and symbolizes the couple`s past, present, and future. Each style shows off the radiant diamond’s sparkle beautifully.
Buying Loose Diamonds Emerald Cut And Radiant Cut Diamond
To source the finest radiant cut diamonds and emerald cut diamonds at the best possible price, we advise you to buy loose diamonds at wholesale diamond prices. Together with a diamond expert, you can buy loose diamonds from the diamond wholesale market. This means that you buy diamonds and have them from diamond suppliers and manufacturers, and have them mounted onto jewelry afterward. This will easily save you 50% off retail prices. Our diamond experts will help you to find loose diamonds of any shape sourcing the worldwide inventory of GIA certified wholesale diamonds. Ask for a free quote to get in contact with your dedicated diamond expert and receive the wholesale diamond price of your diamond based on today`s prices.
