Emerald Cut Diamonds vs. Radiant Cut Diamonds

To the untrained eye, at first glance the emerald cut and the radiant cut look the same as they are similar rectangular in shape.

Rectangular diamond cuts are popular as the centerpiece that radiates in all kinds of jewelry pieces. You may ask yourself well, “What is the difference between emerald and radiant cut diamonds?”

Emerald cut diamonds and radiant cut diamonds that are elongated are first seen as similar as they are a long rectangular shape with parallel sides.

They cut corners in which they are beveled.

The cut corners will help protect the diamond so that it is less prone to chipping and make the diamond durable.

The two cuts are what is described as fancy shaped diamonds because they have a rare faceted look, in which you can start to see the differences between the two.

However, as similar they may seem in terms of shape, the two diamond shapes have quite the differences in their features.

To uncover the difference between the two so that you may find the right diamond shape to adorn your hand, neck, or fingers.

What is an Emerald Cut Diamond?

The emerald cut is one of the oldest cuts of diamonds in which the origin of the style can be first seen during the 1500’s. This type of cut on diamonds was originally used on emeralds and is still a popular cut for emeralds now.

The emerald cut diamond can often be seen associated with the Art Deco era that originated in the 1920’s.

The emerald cut emerged due to the people’s love of clean lines and the symmetrical look which was very popular at that time. The name “emerald cut” was then first coined.

What is a Radiant Cut Diamond?

Unlike the emerald cut diamond which has its origins hundreds of years ago, the radiant cut diamond is a fairly new cut that is available in the market today.

The radiant cut diamond was first seen when it was designed in the late 1970’s and slowly gained popularity where it was popular during the 1980’s.

Related: The History of Diamond Rings

The radiant cut is actually a mixture of two diamond cuts, the round brilliant cut and the emerald cut.

Unlike the rectangular radiant cut, a square radiant cut diamond has a whopping 70 facets inside the diamond, so it only has less radiance than the brighter round brilliant cut diamond.

The radiant cut diamond is often seen in wedding or engagement rings as the cut makes it easier for people with active lifestyles to go about their activities as the cut corners are harder to chip and the stone more durable.

What is the Difference between Emerald & Radiant Cut Diamonds?

1. Clarity

   In terms of clarity, radiant cut diamonds are better at hiding their imperfections such as flaws rather than emerald-cut diamonds.

   This is because the radiant cut has a more brilliant cut of the stone and makes it easier for them to hide imperfections even without the use of a jeweler’s gemology microscope.

   The radiant cut shows more brilliance so even though the diamond has low clarity, inclusions such as imperfections are harder to see. If you prefer a radiant cut diamond either pick a clarity grade of SI1 or SI2 for a diamond that no inclusions are easily spotted.

   If you have a tight budget and love the radiant cut, an I1 radiant cut diamond is sufficient if you want to save your buck.

   Unlike radiant cut diamonds, emerald cut diamonds don’t hide their imperfections very well because of their step-cut features.

   When shopping for emerald-cut diamonds, you have to be careful and take note of the clarity of the diamond. If you want an affordable diamond that looks the part, Shira Diamonds recommend an emerald cut diamond with at least a clarity grade of VS2.

2. Setting

   Emerald cut diamonds are usually found in traditional and classic settings.

   The halo design is a great setting to put an emerald cut diamond as the contrast that emits from large flashes that comes from the center stone whereas a smaller shine that comes from the small diamonds that surround the center stone.

   The emerald cut is a classic style yet still manages to look modern in engagement rings if you want a combination of timeless elegance and modernity into one ring.

   Not far behind, the radiant cut diamond also looks excellent in any setting that suits the emerald cut. Any design suits the stone, from a three-stone engagement ring design to a halo style as well.

   However, the radiant cut is slightly less popular than the cushion cut but the radiant cut pulls through as it offers an even greater shine and sparkle.

   If you want to sparkle and flare, anyone would be happy to get one of the radiant cut diamond engagement rings.

3. Price

   Are radiant cut diamonds more expensive? The answer is simple, because of the cutting process when it is first made, the radiant cut diamond uses more of the original rough diamond so this diamond cut is more affordable and has a lower price tag.

   An emerald-cut diamond is an excellent choice if you want the center stone of your ring to look bigger while paying a great price. The emerald-cut diamond looks larger compared to other diamonds due to its rectangular shape even though other diamonds have the same carat weight.

4. Facets

   In terms of facets, the emerald cut diamonds have a rectangular cut with parallel sides. The emerald cut diamond usually has 50 -58 facets that are step cut, which of course, the number of facets are dependent on the dimensions of the stone.

   Due the facets of the emerald cut diamond creates the look of a “hall of mirrors” and is capable of flashing different lights that makes the emerald cut look sophisticated yet subtle.

   The same with the emerald cut, radiant cut diamonds have the same rectangular shape although, the radiant cut sometimes has a square shape silhouette but instead of 50-58 facets, this diamond has 70 facets that showcases the brilliance and fire of the diamond.

Do radiant cut diamonds look bigger?

The emerald cut and radiant cut do tend to look larger than round brilliant cut or princess cut diamonds due to its cut corners and flat facets. The radiant cut diamonds look bigger even with the same carat weight.

In the end, the radiant cut diamond has a shape that is the best of both worlds due to its brilliance that makes it look larger. Contact us here!

More from Shira Diamonds

Does An Inscription Make a Diamond More Secure?
How to Identify Laser Diamonds