Radiant vs Princess Cut

[Mikla]

What's the difference between the radiant and princess cut, besides the clipped corners?

  Mikla

[Diamondsbylauren]

Great Question Mikla!!

Tough to answer because there's no "standard" for either.
Still, let's try to define which is which.....

For example- Elizabeth has a clipped corner Radiant which is very similar to the most commonly seen princess facet design....

[Mikla]

Actually that looks like a princess cut with clipped corners to me.  So what is the difference in the facets?  How can you really tell which is which?

Mikla

[Diamondsbylauren]

Here- let's compare to a more "Classic" Radiant


Now let's look at a classsic Princess Cut


The best ways I could describe the difference would be:
The princess Cut has smaller facets, and no larger flat areas on the bottom- which many radiant cuts do.
The smaller facets mean the ..."focus" of al the facets at the corners is greater on the princess cut- more "relaxed" on a typical radiant.
Elizabeth's looks more like the princess.

Elizabeth's diamond also has an awesome cut, no matter what you call it.

[Trinkette]

 

So, which came first, the Princess or the Radiant? You know, like the chicken and the egg??? Seriously, I imagine the Princess is an off-take on the Radiant, but perhaps I'm wrong? I don't know, I can definitely see what you're talking about in these examples, David, but I'm not sure WHAT I'd call Elizabeth's. To me, it looks TOTAL Princess, just with the corners clipped off (I know, I know, clipped corners means it is NOT a Princess).  And, I'm sure you could pull out a whole pile of these diamonds to identify as one or the other, and I'd get a bunch wrong.  Just the other day, there was a yelllow diamond I saw you'd identified as one or the other and I remember thinking it was the other. I'll have to see if I can find it. Methinks this takes practice...

[Diamondsbylauren]

A little history....
The Princess Cut was developed in the 1970's in Israel.
The primary motive for this was retention of weight from the rough- cutting a princess wastes a lot less of the rough, as compared to cutting a round.
That's why, on a per carat basis, princess cuts are less than rounds.


The Radiant cut was developed here in New York City by Stanley Grossbardt, also in the late '70's.
It was developed as an "improvment" on an emerald cut

[Trinkette]

Oh, shoot, I knew that about Mr. Grossbardt. I learned that HERE, I think. I'm sorry!

To clarify:

That's why, on a per carat basis, princess cuts are less than rounds.

That is, on a per carat basis, a Princess COSTS less to purchase than a round, right? And, again, you've said it before, I think, a radiant starts as an emerald cut?  Correct?

Finally, if you flip two diamonds over, one Radiant Cut and one Princess Cut, how do they look different (I'm trying to figure out the "larger flat areas on the bottom" remark)? *SIGH* I still need to check out some of your UTubes of Radiants and Princesses...

David, thank you for the info.

[GracefulLion]

Fascinating!  I love learning this kind of stuff!!

[elizabeth]

The best ways I could describe the difference would be:
The princess Cut has smaller facets, and no larger flat areas on the bottom- which many radiant cuts do.
The smaller facets mean the ..."focus" of al the facets at the corners is greater on the princess cut- more "relaxed" on a typical radiant.
Elizabeth's looks more like the princess.

Elizabeth's diamond also has an awesome cut, no matter what you call it.

WOW - very interesting!  Thank you for the info!  And I SOOOOO agree with you David - It is an awesome cut!!!!