Concierge Prodiam replies within four business hours, Mon–Fri. Insured overnight delivery across South Africa.

  • Only natural diamonds

    Mined-Earth, never lab-grown. Kimberley Process documented from the mine of origin.

  • GIA & EGL certified

    Every loose stone certified by the GIA or EGL. Cert PDF supplied per stone.

  • Insured overnight delivery

    Brink’s, G4S or our nominated jewellery courier across South Africa. Ferrari Group / FedEx Custom Critical international.

  • 14-day in-person exchange

    In-person sales at the viewing room come with a 14-day exchange courtesy on stock pieces. Distance-sale CPA cooling-off applies.

The radiant cut: emerald outline, brilliant sparkle

The radiant cut was designed to settle an old trade-off. Buyers loved the clean, straight-sided outline of an emerald cut but missed the fire of a round, so the radiant puts brilliant-style faceting, the same light-scattering geometry as a round, inside a rectangular or square outline with neatly cropped corners. The result sparkles like a brilliant but holds the architectural lines of a step cut, and the cropped corners make it durable, with no sharp points to protect. It is the shape for someone who wants both.

Why a radiant hides colour and inclusions well

Because a radiant breaks light into so much sparkle, it is one of the most forgiving shapes on the two grades buyers worry about. The busy faceting disguises both body colour and small inclusions that would show plainly in an open cut, the practical opposite of an emerald cut. That means a radiant can often carry a slightly lower colour and clarity grade and still look bright and white to the eye, which frees budget for carat or for the setting. We still select stones that face up clean and even, and show them to you under daylight so you can judge for yourself.

Three-stone and halo radiant settings

  • Three-stone, a radiant centre flanked by tapered baguettes or trapezoids, the most classic radiant engagement setting, as on the ring shown above.
  • Halo, a pavé frame that squares up the outline and adds light and size, matched to the centre on our bench.
  • Solitaire, the radiant alone in a four-corner head, the cleanest way to show its outline and fire.
  • Pavé shoulders, small diamonds set into the band to carry light down the finger, in any of the above.

Choosing a radiant

ChoiceWhat we make to order
Length-to-width~1.00 for a square radiant; ~1.20–1.35 for the classic rectangle
CaratFrom around 0.70 ct to 5 ct and above, to your budget and hand
ColourD–F, or a near-colourless G–J that the faceting keeps looking white
ClarityAn eye-clean VS–SI, the busy facets forgiving of small inclusions
Metal18k white, yellow or rose gold, or platinum
CertificationGIA / EGL certified; report supplied with the stone

Pricing is on application, the stone drives the figure, and you receive a firm ZAR quote, excl. VAT, before any work begins.

How a radiant-cut ring is made to order

  1. 01

    Brief

    Square or rectangular, carat, colour and clarity range, setting style, metal, budget and deadline. We respond within 24 hours.

  2. 02

    Choose the stone

    We present GIA-certified radiant cuts at different ratios, on the daylight tray or by video, each with its report.

  3. 03

    Build & cast

    The setting is built and cast in your chosen metal, with any side stones or halo matched at the bench.

  4. 04

    Set & finish

    The radiant is set, the ring hand-polished to a mirror finish, and checked under loupe and microscope.

  5. 05

    Hand-over

    Presentation at Bedfordview by appointment, or insured overnight courier nationwide. Certification and a written valuation included.

Comparing shapes? See the round brilliant, oval, princess and emerald cuts, or start from the loose diamonds on the bench. When you are ready, brief us and Darren will come back within 24 hours.

Radiant cut engagement rings: common questions

What is the difference between a radiant cut and an emerald cut?

They share a straight-sided outline with cropped corners, but they are faceted completely differently. An emerald cut is a step cut, long open facets that flash like a hall of mirrors. A radiant cut has brilliant-style faceting inside that same outline, so it sparkles like a round while keeping the clean rectangular shape. In short: same silhouette, opposite light behaviour. The radiant is the choice if you love the emerald-cut outline but want fire rather than flashes.

Does a radiant cut hide colour and inclusions?

Yes, better than most shapes. The radiant’s busy brilliant faceting breaks light up into so much sparkle that it disguises both body colour and small inclusions, which would show more in an open cut like an emerald. That means a radiant can often carry a slightly lower colour and clarity grade and still look bright and white to the eye, a practical way to put budget into carat or cut instead. We still choose stones that face up clean and even.

What is the difference between a square and a rectangular radiant?

It is the length-to-width ratio. A square radiant sits near 1.00 and reads as a softened square, sometimes called a cushion-radiant. A rectangular radiant, around 1.20 to 1.35, is the more classic engagement look, longer on the finger. Both are cut with the same brilliant faceting and cropped corners; it is purely a matter of the outline you prefer, and we will show you both so you can decide.

How much does a radiant cut engagement ring cost in South Africa?

There is no fixed price, a ring is priced on the stone it carries, its carat, colour, clarity and cut, plus the metal and setting. Because we cut and grade our own diamonds at Procut DCW rather than buying them in and marking them up, you pay a wholesale-direct stone price plus transparent manufacturing. A radiant’s good rough-yield and its forgiveness on colour and clarity can also stretch a budget. We quote a firm ZAR figure, excl. VAT, before any work begins.

Can you make a radiant cut engagement ring if I am not in Johannesburg?

Yes, clients commission radiant cut rings from Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Gqeberha and across South Africa. The stone and design conversation happens by video and WhatsApp, you approve the diamond and the setting, and the finished ring is delivered insured and overnight nationwide via Brink’s or G4S, with its certification and a written insurance valuation.