Radiant Square Cut Cubic Zirconia: Pros, Cons & Fire

Our radiant square has 49 facets on a square with cropped corners. At 72.8% it is deep, the second deepest cut in our CZ census after DG-Bowtie, over a 34.64° pavilion.

It faces up smaller for its weight than the T73, Face-up size 91 against 100, and that depth is the likely reason.

Is a radiant square cut worth it in cubic zirconia? Pros and cons

Pros

Far more fire than a diamond radiant square 81 vs 62
Keeps nearly all its light when tipped 98 vs 90

Cons

Heavy for its size 2.67 vs 1.62 ct
A quarter less light than the T73 74 vs 98
Fewer flashes than the T73 66 vs 80
Some light leaks 13 vs 1

Compared with the T73 Round Brilliant in cubic zirconia and with the Radiant Square Cut in diamond. A difference counts from 3 points (Brilliance, Fire, Tilt, Leakage), 5 (Scintillation, Symmetry), 4% (face-up size per carat) or 5% (weight); Tilt counts as a pro only for a stone within 5 points of the brilliance it is compared with. How we measure.

All eight scores against the T73

At a glance: the Radiant Square Cut in cubic zirconia (white) against the T73 Round Brilliant in cubic zirconia (dashed): solid white where it reaches further, hatched where it falls short. Each pro and con is explained, with pictures, below.

Against the T73 Round Brilliant in cubic zirconia: ahead on 2, level on 1, behind on 5.

Global83, the comparison 93, difference −10
Brilliance74, the comparison 98, difference −24
Fire81, the comparison 87, difference −6
Scintillation66, the comparison 80, difference −14
Spread101, the comparison 100, difference +1
Symmetry100, the comparison 100, difference 0
Shape-norm86, the comparison 106, difference −20
Tilt98, the comparison 87, difference +11

Face-up light census, a different measure from the Cut Grading Tool; Spread and Shape-norm above 100 sit on the ring. Spread is the census's estimate from depth alone; the face-up size in the pros and cons is measured from each model's outline.

Open it in the Cut Performance Wheel

What the radiant square gives cubic zirconia

Far more fire than a diamond radiant square

Fire 81 against 62 for the Radiant Square Cut in diamond: 19 points higher

The diamond version scores 62; in CZ the same facets reach 81, so the gain is the material's, not the cut's. It still sits under the T73 in CZ, 87. Together with the baguette, it is the largest fire gain over diamond in our CZ census.

Radiant square cut in cubic zirconia face-up under a single bright light: a render from our simulator, its coloured flashes are the fire (score 81) — Look at the coloured flashes: those are fire. Same light, same size, same face-up angle; rendered by our 3D Gemstone Simulator from each cut's own model.

Radiant square cut in diamond face-up under a single bright light: a render from our simulator, its coloured flashes are the fire (score 62) — Look at the coloured flashes: those are fire. Same light, same size, same face-up angle; rendered by our 3D Gemstone Simulator from each cut's own model.

Try it yourself: See the fire in the 3D Gemstone Simulator

Keeps nearly all its light when tipped

Tilt 98 against 90 for the Radiant Square Cut in diamond: 8 points higher

At 20° it keeps 98 of its face-up light, against 90 for the diamond radiant square. Both return similar light face-up, 74 and 72, so the comparison is fair: from much the same light, the CZ keeps more when tipped.

Radiant square cut in cubic zirconia tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 13% of the face leaking — Tilt is how much of its own face-up light a stone keeps when tilted. Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; grey is light leaving through the pavilion. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

Radiant square cut in cubic zirconia tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 16% of the face leaking — Tilt is how much of its own face-up light a stone keeps when tilted. Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; grey is light leaving through the pavilion. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

Try it yourself: Compare the Tilt spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

The catch with a radiant square CZ

Heavy for its size

2.67 ct at 6.5 mm, against 1.62 ct for the same cut in diamond (+65%)

A 72.8% depth puts a lot of stone below the girdle, and CZ adds 65% over diamond on top: 2.67 ct at 6.5 mm across, where a diamond would be 1.62 ct.

A Radiant Square Cut 6.5 mm across, weighed from the model's measured volume and each stone's specific gravity.

What helps: Choose it by the side in millimetres.

Try it yourself: Weights in all seven gemstones on the Radiant Square Cut page

A quarter less light than the T73

Brilliance 74 against 98 for the T73 Round Brilliant in cubic zirconia: 24 points lower

It returns 74 where the T73 returns 98 in CZ, a little more than the diamond version's 72.

Radiant square cut in cubic zirconia face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, grey shows where it leaks (Brilliance 74) — Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; grey = light leaving through the pavilion. This is the head-on view; the Brilliance score averages a wider cone of light, so the score can differ from what one picture shows.

T73 round brilliant in cubic zirconia face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, grey shows where it leaks (Brilliance 98) — Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; grey = light leaving through the pavilion. This is the head-on view; the Brilliance score averages a wider cone of light, so the score can differ from what one picture shows.

What helps: Several square-ish cuts return more light in CZ, among them DG-Octagonal Kite Cubic Zirconia (93), the Cushion Cut Cubic Zirconia (88) and the Square Cut Cubic Zirconia (85).

Try it yourself: Open this Light Return map in the simulator

Fewer flashes than the T73

Scintillation 66 against 80 for the T73 Round Brilliant in cubic zirconia: 14 points lower

With 49 facets to the round's 73, the radiant square scores 66 for scintillation, the same as in diamond.

Radiant Square Cut · 49 facets · Scintillation 66

T73 Round Brilliant · 73 facets · Scintillation 80

Scintillation follows the number of facets: more facets, more and smaller flashes as the stone moves. Count the facets in each crown. Drawn from each cut's own model.

What helps: The Cushion Cut Cubic Zirconia scores 85; the Princess Cut Cubic Zirconia, with sharp corners, 78.

Try it yourself: Compare the Scintillation spoke in the Cut Performance Wheel

Some light leaks

Leakage 13 against 1 for the T73 Round Brilliant in cubic zirconia: 12 points higher

13% of the light leaves through the back in our census, about one ray in eight; the T73 in CZ loses 1%.

What helps: At 34.64° the pavilion is below the 38.1° guide for rounds, but we have not measured a steeper radiant square, so we promise nothing. The Cushion Cut Cubic Zirconia leaks 7%.

Try it yourself: Tilt it yourself in the simulator's light map

Who a radiant square CZ suits

Choose the radiant square in CZ for a square centre stone with plenty of colour that keeps its light at an angle, as a ring is often seen. Allow for its depth in the setting.

For more light in a square, DG-Octagonal Kite Cubic Zirconia. For sharp corners, the Princess Cut Cubic Zirconia, which returns less light (63). The long Radiant Cut Cubic Zirconia returns far less, 33.

Radiant Square Cut Cubic Zirconia: questions

Is a radiant square cut good for CZ?

For fire and steady light, yes: Fire 81 against 62 in diamond, Tilt 98. It returns 74 against 98 for the T73.

Radiant square or princess cut in CZ?

The radiant square returns more light (74 against 63), leaks less (13% against 22%) and holds steadier when tipped. The princess has more fire, more sparkle and more face for its weight.

Does a radiant square CZ look small for its weight?

A little: Face-up size 91 against 100 for the T73, measured from the outline. It is also 72.8% deep.

How heavy is a 6.5 mm radiant square CZ?

2.67 ct; in diamond, 1.62 ct.

Get the Radiant Square Cut files

6 formatsMillimetresWatertight

Radiant Square Cut 3D files

The Radiant Square Cut as exact geometry: 49 planar facets, real-world scale, ready for CAD, rendering, printing and casting.

STEPExact faceted solid for CAD
3DMRhino, closed mesh on its own layer
STLWatertight mesh for printing and casting
OBJMesh for modelling and rendering
FBXBlender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, Unreal
GLBWeb, AR and quick previews

€9.99 · Personal useBuy the 3D files

GemCad96 index

Radiant Square Cut cutting files

The Radiant Square Cut as a faceting design: 41 + 8 girdles = 49 facets, 96 index, 4-fold symmetry, ready for the machine.

.ascGemCad design file, 96 index gear
.csvTier table: angles, indices and cutting order
DiagramPrintable faceting diagram

€9.99 · Personal useBuy the cutting files

Questions before you buy? Email us.

More gemstones and cuts

Cubic Zirconia: optical properties and the top ten cuts · The Radiant Square Cut: specifications, model and files

Radiant Square Cut Cubic Zirconia: far more fire than in diamond, and steady when tipped