Radiant cut with more defined facets, facet pattern?

[NeciaKH]

Hello, I am new here! I love learning about diamonds and jewels, and this community is such a wonderful resource!
I am interested in diversifying my diamonds (currently composed of RBC, emerald cut, OEC, OMC) and adding a new cut.
I have been researching square cuts, am keen to find out if there is a Radiant cut style that will appeal to me. I love my emerald cut and the idea of Asschers, but I am sensitive to inclusions and I know that these open step styles show any inclusion more easily (my emerald cut is SI1 and has visible white inclusions!). The cut cornered radiant cut appeals to me more than the princess cut, because I do love more structure.
My big question is whether there is a way to tell from the facet diagram on the GIA report (or from some other method) whether a radiant cut will have somewhat more defined facets or will have a very crushed ice appearance. I know that this can be done with cushion cuts from the facet diagram to some degree, but I can’t find any info about this for radiant cuts.
I am aware of branded cuts that are in the style I am looking for, like the Lucida and the Lucere, but there are so few Lucere and the Lucida has such a markup from being Tiffany.
I saw a video from Good old Gold that had a comparison of crushed ice vs an unbranded radiant with more defined facets vs a Lucere (Going left to right in the image of 3). I will post photos. So I know the option is out there!
I found two potential online I am interested in. The GIA/Photo of the 1st 2 photos go together. Then the photo/GIA/Photo is the last 3 photos go together. Thank you!
I found tw potential online bu

 

[diamondhoarder]

Have you considered a Princess of Hearts/ H&A square radiant? You would definitely have a very defined facet pattern and also very high performance which can rival a round brilliant.











The proportions on these diamonds are all very similar and they will all have similar plots/ facet design too.

 

[tyty333]

It is very easy to tell by just looking at up close pictures of a stone. Harder to tell by looking at the faceting
diagram on the report.

Have you looked at James Allen or Blue Nile?

Love the stone that @diamondhoarder posted. I check JA for something similar to them every now and then and
still havent found one there (in the sub 1 carat range).

 

[NeciaKH]

Have you considered a Princess of Hearts/ H&A square radiant? You would definitely have a very defined facet pattern and also very high performance which can rival a round brilliant.












The proportions on these diamonds are all very similar and they will all have similar plots/ facet design too.

Thank you very much! This is extremely helpful, that is exactly the look I am going for. Is there anything to look for on the facet plot if there is no label of “hearts and arrows” or “princess of hearts”? Should I look for something that has a symmetrical star pattern & an open table?

 

[NeciaKH]

It is very easy to tell by just looking at up close pictures of a stone. Harder to tell by looking at the faceting
diagram on the report.

Have you looked at James Allen or Blue Nile?

Love the stone that @diamondhoarder posted. I check JA for something similar to them every now and then and
still havent found one there (in the sub 1 carat range).

Thank you very much. It’s helpful to know that. I am definitely looking in the above 1 carat range, just because I know that these cuts face up smaller in comparison to the other stones I have. I really don’t want to go below 6mm at the bare minimum.

 

[tyty333]

This one is small but this is sort of what I look for...

0.80-Carat Radiant Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

Edit
There is also this kind of faceting that is more reminiscent of a princess with the corners cut off.

1.52-Carat Radiant Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

 

[flyingpig]

1.02 Carat radiant diamond

This radiant cut 1.02 carat F color vs1 clarity has a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

Rare Elongated Radiant with H&A Patterns.
Has some leakage. This is expected from a non-branded radiant, and especially from elongated one.

I could not find anything I like above 1.20c from JA.

 

[Rad_Fan]

...just because I know that these cuts face up smaller in comparison to the other stones I have. I really don’t want to go below 6mm at the bare minimum.

Maybe or maybe not. Mine is a Radiant but I don't feel like it faces up smaller than others. You can see mine and the details on post #103 below.

2 carat Radiant cut

@Matthews1127 - it is a bit “squatty”. I would have preferred 1.3:1. I wish the length was closer to 8.2 mm and the smaller width.

www.pricescope.com

I am not familiar with designer cuts but I thought that we should judge fancy cuts in person, not solely based on diagrams or pictures.

 

[Rockdiamond]

There's no way to tell from looking at a GIA report.
Regretfully, Radiant Cuts are especially hard to find nowadays.
Personally, I find that the best radiant cuts will not allow you to focus on individual facets ( H&A)- rather, they have a burst of sparkle (Bottomless bucket of "crushed ice")
The point is kind of moot now, because of the scarcity- and the one brand which did feature super well-cut Radinats ( The Original Radiant Cut) has ceased to exist.


When square stones are cut to mimic rounds, they may achieve that look....but IMO, rounds do it much better. Plus, generally, the H&A square diamonds are quite deep, so they look small for the carat weight......

 

[NeciaKH]

This one is small but this is sort of what I look for...

0.80-Carat Radiant Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

Edit
There is also this kind of faceting that is more reminiscent of a princess with the corners cut off.

1.52-Carat Radiant Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

Thank you!

1.02 Carat radiant diamond

This radiant cut 1.02 carat F color vs1 clarity has a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

Rare Elongated Radiant with H&A Patterns.
Has some leakage. This is expected from a non-branded radiant, and especially from elongated one.

I could not find anything I like above 1.20c from JA.

Thank you! This looks beautiful and the price is great.

Maybe or maybe not. Mine is a Radiant but I don't feel like it faces up smaller than others. You can see mine and the details on post #103 below.

2 carat Radiant cut

@Matthews1127 - it is a bit “squatty”. I would have preferred 1.3:1. I wish the length was closer to 8.2 mm and the smaller width.

www.pricescope.com

I am not familiar with designer cuts but I thought that we should judge fancy cuts in person, not solely based on diagrams or pictures.

Thank you, I will check out your post. You are certainly right about seeing tbt diamond in person, but I am on bedrest with this pregnancy, so I was hoping to at least build some knowledge while I can’t leave the house. My city does not have a great selection of diamonds, and especially with a rarer cut, I would probably end up buying online from a reputable jeweler in the end anyway. When I purchased my ER our jeweler borough in several diamonds for us to compare, but there was also a huge markup for going through him, and this is just a fun ring that does not have to be perfect.

There's no way to tell from looking at a GIA report.
Regretfully, Radiant Cuts are especially hard to find nowadays.
Personally, I find that the best radiant cuts will not allow you to focus on individual facets ( H&A)- rather, they have a burst of sparkle (Bottomless bucket of "crushed ice")
The point is kind of moot now, because of the scarcity- and the one brand which did feature super well-cut Radinats ( The Original Radiant Cut) has ceased to exist.


When square stones are cut to mimic rounds, they may achieve that look....but IMO, rounds do it much better. Plus, generally, the H&A square diamonds are quite deep, so they look small for the carat weight......

Thank you. This is my conundrum. It seems that a “well cut” radiant cut is usually considered to have more of the scintillating crushed ice look, while I do not care for that as much. I have noticed the depth issue as well, to get the optical effect they seem to have a lot of their weight in the depth, and seem smaller than the carat weight may suggest. Ideally, I want a diamond that has some characteristics of a step cut, but with just a bit more facets, I am not looking for a disco ball at all.

 

[princessandthepear]

Have you looked at used Tiffany Lucida cut diamonds. They have some traits of a step cut with the additional facets.

 

[distracts]

Ideally, I want a diamond that has some characteristics of a step cut, but with just a bit more facets, I am not looking for a disco ball at all.

Have you looked into the modified step cut brands like Daussi, Crisscut, etc?

 

[NeciaKH]

Have you looked at used Tiffany Lucida cut diamonds. They have some traits of a step cut with the additional facets.

Yes, thank you! The Lucida or Lucere branded cuts are exactly what I am looking for, but Lucere are very hard to find and Lucida seems to have a premium price due to the Tiffany brand. I will keep searching though.

 

[NeciaKH]

Have you looked into the modified step cut brands like Daussi, Crisscut, etc?

No! Thank you! Now that you mention it, I suddenly remember Crisscut as a love back years ago when I first heard about it, but I had complete forgotten about it. Daussi is new to me, so I am thrilled to have more options to search for.

 

[distracts]

No! Thank you! Now that you mention it, I suddenly remember Crisscut as a love back years ago when I first heard about it, but I had complete forgotten about it. Daussi is new to me, so I am thrilled to have more options to search for.

Ashoka is another similar brand.

Occasionally you can find similar cuts on James Allen in the cushion section, which seems to be where all the oddities hide out. I haven't spotted any on Blue Nile but it doesn't mean they're not ever there. They usually are comparatively shallow so face up larger but can have obstruction at close viewing distance.

Show me your crisscut diamonds

I am considering a Crisscut as my next purchase. There don't seem to be many Crisscut photos on PS so I would love to see photos of peoples Crisscuts in different lighting and from different angles. :wavey: Here is a stock photo of a an emerald shaped Crisscut:

www.pricescope.com

eta: hah just went to check BN and found several by searching cushions with depth below 66% (all three actually have depths below 62%):

1.09-Carat Cushion Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

1.03-Carat Cushion Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

1.03-Carat Cushion Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

For whatever reason, JA isn't letting me look at cushion cuts right now???

 

[NeciaKH]

Ashoka

This is incredible and wonderful! Thank you!

 

[diamondhoarder]

Thank you very much! This is extremely helpful, that is exactly the look I am going for. Is there anything to look for on the facet plot if there is no label of “hearts and arrows” or “princess of hearts”? Should I look for something that has a symmetrical star pattern & an open table?

Mine (in the photos) wasnt inscribed with a brand name, but it was cut to the same parameters as the Princess of Hearts brand. I have heard that some brands sell some of their stones as loose generic diamonds without the brand name as a way of shifting inventory. I found mine on B2Cjewels website and it was priced as a generic (unbranded) diamond. They are sometimes available on James Allen or through vendors such as GoodOldGold or August Vintage. With this type of radiant the GIA plots should look identical. in photos there should be a distinctive 8 pointed star under the table.



Mine is a 1.17ct stone and it measures 5.96 x 5.96mm so it faces up a good size for this kind of diamond. I have seen others of a similar weight which face up smaller, so it really depends on the diamond in question in terms of the depth and girdle thickness. If you search for radiants with tables under 60% (or 58%) and put no limit on the depth then you might find the odd one pop up.

Any radiants which are based on a brilliant cut pavillion (like this one) are likely to exhibit leakage with uneven brightness when cut in elongated shapes. Perfect squares are likely to have the least chance of uneven light return.

Many radiants have very underwhelming ASET images, especially the crushed ice type. It is possible to find cushions with straight sides and rounded corners with the X - factor facet pattern which can have very nice light return even in more elongated shapes. They are more difficult to find, but once set may well look very similar to a radiant.

Here is an example:

1.20 Carat cushion modified diamond

This cushion modified cut 1.2 carat H color vs1 clarity has a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

 

[NeciaKH]

Thank you so much. Your diamond is drop dead gorgeous!! The detailed info is so helpful, I really appreciate it. Do you happen to have a photo of the facet plot of your diamond? Does the 8 pointed star extend all the way to the edges, or just under the table?

 

[diamondhoarder]

Thank you so much. Your diamond is drop dead gorgeous!! The detailed info is so helpful, I really appreciate it. Do you happen to have a photo of the facet plot of your diamond? Does the 8 pointed star extend all the way to the edges, or just under the table?

Thanks Yes, that was the image I attached along with all the photos earlier in this thread - it is the facet plot taken from the GIA cert. If you look at the last photo I posted, the eight pointed star is seen under the table, and around the crown facets you can see the "arrowheads"

 

[NeciaKH]

Thanks Yes, that was the image I attached along with all the photos earlier in this thread - it is the facet plot taken from the GIA cert. If you look at the last photo I posted, the eight pointed star is seen under the table, and around the crown facets you can see the "arrowheads"

I absolutely see what you mean now! I didn’t remember that was your earlier photo at first because I am stuck on my smart phone viewing this thread because I just had my baby today!

 

[tyty333]

I absolutely see what you mean now! I didn’t remember that was your earlier photo at first because I am stuck on my smart phone viewing this thread because I just had my baby today!

FULL STOP! What??? You had a baby yesterday!?! Congratulations!!! So happy for you!!! Specs on this new baby? Hahaha!
I'm sure he/she is a Super Ideal and totally Flawless! Seriously, big Congrats!

 

[NeciaKH]

FULL STOP! What??? You had a baby yesterday!?! Congratulations!!! So happy for you!!! Specs on this new baby? Hahaha!
I'm sure he/she is a Super Ideal and totally Flawless! Seriously, big Congrats!

Thank you so much! He ended up coming two weeks early but he’s definitely super ideal and perfect specs! 6 lbs 1oz baby boy with a head of black hair!!

 

[Rockdiamond]

Congratulations!!!!!
He's so handsome!!!

 

[tyty333]

Congrats @NeciaKH ! He is gorgeous! I remember the days! So exhausted from delivery but so much adrenaline that your giddy (and
who wouldnt be)!

 

[flyingpig]

He's like.. "I am enjoying this new world"

 

[diamondhoarder]

I absolutely see what you mean now! I didn’t remember that was your earlier photo at first because I am stuck on my smart phone viewing this thread because I just had my baby today!

Congratulations - he is amazing! I would imagine diamond searches are on the back burner for a few days now?!?

 

[KKJohnson]

Thank you so much! He ended up coming two weeks early but he’s definitely super ideal and perfect specs! 6 lbs 1oz baby boy with a head of black hair!!

He is absolutely adorable! Congratulations

 

[NeciaKH]

Thank you!! He made a surprise appearance but we are so thrilled! Half adrenaline half exhausted. Thank you for all of the great advice and I will try not to buy a diamond while I am on an adrenaline high!!

 

[natasha-cupcake]

No advice re: diamonds. I just had to chime in and say that your baby is absolutely beautiful! The expression on his little face is priceless. He looks positively regal to me, which is not an adjective I typically use when looking at baby pictures. But for some reason, it fits. And you are a true PSer, posting so soon after childbirth. I love it! Congratulations!

 

[distracts]

Congratulations! Perfect baby!