Picking the right diamond shape is a significant decision itself, but it becomes even more crucial when it comes to choosing between the two popular variations — an elongated cushion and a radiant. At first glance, both of these stunners may appear the same but in reality, each shape is unique in its way. So, don't give up just yet!
In this guide, we offer an in-depth comparison between radiant and elongated cushion diamonds to determine which shape is superior and best suited for you or your partner.
What Is an Elongated Cushion Cut?
A diamond cut with a curving crown anatomy and a squarish shape is known as a cushion cut diamond. This type, evolved from old mine cuts of the 19th century, features bundles of internal and external facets and soft curving edges to assemble the faceting patterns on the stone’s crown and girdle.
Similarly, an elongated cushion cut diamond consists of soft, rounded corners and straight edges to offer a distinctive, pillow-like appearance. The specialty of this diamond cut lies in its versatility, as it has no precise guidelines about its depth, shape, or table compared to other classic diamond styles.
Cushion cuts are commonly used as an alternative to the traditional round and oval cuts in engagement rings and for soft halos and vintage backdrops because of their extraordinary structure.
What Is a Radiant Cut?
In contrast to the rounder and softer design of cushion cut diamonds, radiant cut diamonds are all about straight edges and geometry. The distinguishing characteristics of a radiant cut include slanted cropped corners and sharp angles, similar to that of an emerald cut diamond.
This type, introduced in the late 1970s, is a cross-section of various faceting styles and is frequently regarded as a 'mixed cut.' Thus, diamonds with four-sided curved sides, flat tables, and no pointed culet all fall under the category of radiant diamonds.
A radiant cut diamond, with its elegant design and radiant sparkle, offers the best of both worlds and is mainly used for engagement rings and other pieces of jewelry.
Elongated Cushion vs Radiant Cut - What’s the Difference?
Selecting between a radiant and elongated cut can be quite confusing, especially for an amateur buyer. For this reason, we have highlighted the main differences between each type and compared them on various parameters, including facets, clarity, and price, that can help you decide which diamond cut is best suited to your style and preference.
Sparkle
When it comes to diamonds, you can never get enough sparkle. The radiance of any diamond can be determined by its shape and style of facet. All types of cushion cuts, including elongated, are available in two variations: standard and modified brilliant cuts with a dramatic difference in their visuals.
The standard brilliant features a pattern that closely resembles that of the classic round brilliant cut. It has pavilion facets extending from the culet all the way over to the outer girdle edge to provide a mega-sparkly look. Whereas, modified brilliants contain an extra row of facets to radiate a breathtaking "crushed ice" look.
Radiant cut diamonds differ greatly from cushion cuts in terms of facets and shine. They are composed of gobs of thin, shard-like facets that gleam in every direction. The 70-facet radiant cuts provide a far more intense and impressive sparkle than the softer, 58-facet rainbow flash of cushion cut and is the clear winner as far as radiance is considered.
Color
Cushion cut and radiant cut diamonds both have deeper pavilions as compared to various other shapes, making them brilliant at reflecting light. Diamonds featuring these cuts have a vibrant appearance and pronounced warm shade to add a pop of color to all jewelry items. However, if you prefer a colorless stone, opt for a color grade of H or higher in either shape.
Clarity
The clarity of any diamond defines how visible the inclusions are to the naked eye. An elongated cushion with a modified brilliant cut does a better job at disguising these inclusions using its extra row of facets as compared to the chunkier pattern of a traditional cushion cut.
Meanwhile, radiant cut diamonds, with their tiny facets, are unbeatable at covering up any present dark spots and making inclusions invisible to the naked eye. As a general rule, opt for a stone that falls in the SI range to get optimal clarity for an affordable rate.
Ratio
The length-to-width ratio of any particular diamond helps in determining how elongated the stone's overall shape is. The greater the difference between its ratios, the more rectangular the diamond is. When talking about elongated cushion cuts, the ratio usually lies between 1:1.15 to 1:1.30 so that the stone isn't accidentally mistaken as a round one.
However, there are only limited options available when it comes to purchasing a pre-made elongated cushion cut diamond from the market.
Whereas, radiant cut diamonds are available in a variety of ratios and go as far as 1:2 and above to offer a beautiful elongated design. This type contains multiple diamond options to choose from, making the radiant cut a flexible and easily available option in contrast to the cushion design.
Price
As we talked about before, elongated cushion cuts are quite rare to find in the market and, therefore, slightly more costly than your usual cushion-cut diamonds. However, there isn't a drastic difference between the prices of cushion and radiant cut as both offer good value for money.
On a rough estimate, a cushion diamond can be up to 10% costlier compared to a radiant one featuring the same 4Cs (cut, clarity, color, and carat weight). This difference mainly exists because of the use of more rough diamond weights and polish duration during the manufacturing of cushion cut gemstone than that of a radiant cut.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the ideal settings for cushion and radiant cut diamonds?
Cushion cut diamonds, with their traditional appearance, are best suited to vintage-style settings and romantic designs. In contrast to this, radiant cuts are more modern and geometric to go well with contemporary backdrops and bold designs, including solitaire and three-stone rings.
What is the difference in the size and brilliance of cushion and radiant cut diamonds?
For the same carat weight, radiant cuts tend to appear bigger and bolder than cushion cuts. This is because of the cutting method used that increases the surface area of the gemstones by a huge degree. Radiants will almost always appear larger than cushion cuts since cushions carry more weight below the girdle.
Do elongated cushion cuts cost more than radiant cuts diamonds?
Yes, the price of cushion cuts is generally higher than that of radiant cuts because of the higher amount of waste involved during the cutting process. That, combined with the rarity of finding an elongated cushion cut with a high ratio, makes the stone pricier than the much more easily cut and acquired radiant-shaped diamond.
What is the best ratio for elongated cushion cut diamonds?
Since cushion cuts are usually available in a square, 1:1 ratio design, it is important to pay close attention to its length-to-width ratio when it comes to buying an elongated diamond. Ideally, opt for a ratio of 1.19 or more to obtain a unique, rectangular shape in your.
Elongated Cushion vs Radiant Cut - Who’s the Winner?
Having stated their distinctive features, it’s time to answer the burning question- elongated cushion vs radiant cut; which one is better?
In this head-to-head battle, radiant cut diamonds came out on the top by just an edge. With their easy availability, flexibility, modern design, and enchanting sparkle, radiant cut gemstones possess qualities that make them the ideal choice for engraving on engagement rings, wedding bands, bracelets, and other lavish accessories.
At the same time, if you are looking for a softer, romantic stone that adds to the vintage appeal and fills up the space on the width of your finger, then an elongated cushion cut diamond is your best bet. Each shape is unique and bold in its own way and guaranteed to be a timeless beauty wherever it is used.
Ready to make the big decision? Browse through our collection of exquisite jewelry and pick an item that goes well with your or your partner’s style.
