What is the Difference between an Emerald-Cut and Radiant-Cut Diamond?

An Emerald-Cut Diamond looks like a rectangle with truncated corners.  It is shaped with linear facets that are parallel to the stone’s edge (girdle).   Emerald-cut diamonds are shallower when compared to the round brilliants.

A Radiant-Cut Diamond has a rectangular shape and some of them are square.  Like the Emerald-Cut, this diamond shape has cut corners and this feature adds to the durability of radiants.

1.  CUT

(a)  The emerald cut belongs to the group of so-called “Step Cuts”.  They have parallel walls and it is easier to see through them than through brilliant-cut stones.

(b)  The radiant cut is classified as a “Mixed Cut”, which means that it combines some of the features of both the step cut and the brilliant cut.

2.  FACETS

(a)  Most facets of the emerald cut are shaped so as to be parallel to each other and to the girdle of the stone.

(b)  Radiant cuts, on the other hand, have facets with triangular or other non-rectangular shapes, and for the most part, they are not arranged in a parallel fashion.  If you look at a radiant closely, you will notice that it’s cut doesn’t look as “linear” as the emerald cut.

3.  BRILLIANCE & SPARKLE

(a)  The facets of the radiant cuts are shaped and positioned so as to enhance the stone’s brilliance.

(b)  Emerald cuts are not cut with this goal in mind and their facets are not shaped and arranged in a way that maximizes sparkle.  That’s why if you compare a radiant with an emerald-cut stone, you will notice that the former has more brilliance and sparkle than the latter.

4.  CLARITY

(a)  Since the emerald cut does not maximize brilliance as much as the radiant cut does, these two shapes differ in how visible their flaws are.  A radiant cut of a certain clarity grade is less likely to have noticeable imperfections, as such flaws would be masked by the stone’s sparkle.

(b)  In contrast, inclusions in an emerald-cut of the same clarity are likely to be more visible due to the stone’s relatively lower brilliance.

CHOOSING BETWEEN RADIANT-CUT AND EMERALD-CUT

The Emerald-Cut Diamond is a good choice if you want a diamond that has a rectangular shape and is not too sparkly.  Just make sure that the emerald-cut diamond you choose has a high enough clarity grade (VS1-VS2 or higher) as well as a good colour grade (at least H or G) so that the stone doesn’t have visible flaws or yellow tints.

Choose a Radiant-Cut Diamond if you like the shape of the emerald cut but you also want your diamond to have the brilliance and sparkle of the classic round-cut diamond.

For more information, contact your Professional Jeweller.