Radiant Square Cut Demantoid: more fire in demantoid than in diamond

Brilliance 77 · Fire 80 · Scintillation 66 · in our census, where the T73 scores 97 · 84 · 80 in demantoid

How the Radiant Square Cut handles light in demantoid, measured: brilliance 77, fire 80 and 16% leakage, set against the T73 in the same stone and against the same cut in diamond.

The Radiant Square Cut in demantoid, face-up Light Return map from our tracer at refractive index 1.881: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks
Light Return map of the Radiant Square Cut in demantoid, face-up, from our own tracer at refractive index 1.881. Red, green and blue return light to the eye; gray leaks.

Radiant Square Cut Demantoid

Demantoid has a refractive index of 1.881 to 1.888 and a dispersion of 0.057. Its critical angle, from the low end of that range, is 32.1°, so a round design needs a pavilion of at least 37.0° for head-on light to reflect off both sides of the pavilion and leave through the table. We trace it with one index, 1.885, the midpoint of the published range, and a fire spread of 0.049, 0.86 of the published dispersion. Every picture here is our Light Return tracer at 1.881, and every figure is from the same light census that scores the other gemstones; the 3D Gemstone Simulator shows the Radiant Square Cut in demantoid live.

The Radiant Square Cut has 49 facets and a total depth of 72.8% of its width; its pavilion mains sit at 34.6°. In demantoid, the census returns 77 of 100 for brilliance and 80 for fire, against 97 and 84 for the T73, our benchmark, in the same stone; the same Radiant Square Cut in diamond reads 72 and 62.

Is demantoid good in a Radiant Square? Pros and cons, measured

Compared with the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid 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 demantoid (white) against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid (dashed): solid white where it reaches further, hatched where it falls short. Each pro and con is explained, with pictures, below.

Performance wheel: Radiant Square Cut in demantoid, against the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid as an outline. Solid white marks where it reaches further, hatching where it falls short. The scores are listed below.50100Global−8Brilliance−20Fire−4Scintillation−14Spread+1Symmetry0Shape-norm−14Tilt+11

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

  • Global82, the comparison 90, difference −8
  • Brilliance77, the comparison 97, difference −20
  • Fire80, the comparison 84, difference −4
  • Scintillation66, the comparison 80, difference −14
  • Spread101, the comparison 100, difference +1
  • Symmetry100, the comparison 100, difference 0
  • Shape-norm90, the comparison 104, difference −14
  • Tilt90, the comparison 79, 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; these are the same census figures as our Cut Performance Index.

What the Radiant Square Cut gains in demantoid

More fire in demantoid than in diamond

Fire 80 against 62 for the Radiant Square Cut in diamond: 18 points higher

Fire is the share of the returned light that splits into color at the exit facet: the census traces each exit again at the refractive index minus and plus the fire spread (0.049 in demantoid) and counts a ray as fire when the two directions differ by more than 0.6°. The Radiant Square Cut reads 80 against 62 for the same cut in diamond. The figure is the census's; the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders demantoid's fire live.

The fire figure is the census's, traced at the refractive index minus and plus the fire spread. See the fire in the 3D Gemstone Simulator: the Radiant Square Cut in demantoid under the sunny-day lighting.

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

What the Radiant Square Cut gives up in demantoid

Returns less light than the T73 in demantoid

Brilliance 77 against 97 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 20 points lower

Brilliance is the share of the 3,200 census rays that enter the stone and come back out of the crown towards the viewer. In demantoid, whose critical angle is 32.1°, the Radiant Square Cut returns 77 of 100 and the T73 97. The Radiant Square Cut's pavilion mains sit at 34.6°, the T73's at 40.8°. The maps below show where each stone's light returns from and where it leaks.

Radiant square cut in demantoid face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 77)

Radiant Square Cut in demantoid · Brilliance 77

T73 round brilliant in demantoid face-up Light Return map: red, green and blue show where the light returns from, gray shows where it leaks (Brilliance 97)

T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid · Brilliance 97

Red, green and blue = light returning to the eye; gray = leakage, light that leaves heading down or stays inside. 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: the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 97 for brilliance in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

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

Fewer facets, less sparkle

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

Scintillation follows the number of facets the stone shows: 100 × (1 − e^(−facets / 45)). The Radiant Square Cut has 49 facets and the T73 73, so 66 against 80. It depends on the geometry alone, so it is the same in every stone.

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. Compare the facet counts under the drawings; each drawing shows only the crown. Drawn from each cut's own model.

What helps: the DG-Miliano reads 98 for scintillation in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

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

Leaks more light than the T73 in demantoid

Leakage 16 against 3 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid: 13 points higher

Leakage is the share of the census rays that enter the stone and leave through the pavilion, or through the crown heading down. The Radiant Square Cut leaks 16% in demantoid against 3% for the T73 in demantoid. Grey in the maps below is leaking light; the share under each picture is that picture's own.

Radiant Square Cut in demantoid · Leakage 16

Radiant square cut in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 17% of the face leaking0° · 17% leak
Radiant square cut in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 16% of the face leaking10° · 16% leak
Radiant square cut in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 19% of the face leaking20° · 19% leak
Radiant square cut in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking30° · 29% leak

T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid · Leakage 3

T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 0 degrees: Light Return map, 1% of the face leaking0° · 1% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 10 degrees: Light Return map, 6% of the face leaking10° · 6% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 20 degrees: Light Return map, 17% of the face leaking20° · 17% leak
T73 round brilliant in demantoid tilted 30 degrees: Light Return map, 29% of the face leaking30° · 29% leak
Each frame is the Light Return map with the stone tilted away from you by the angle shown; gray is leakage. The share under each frame is that picture's own.

What helps: the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 3% for leakage in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

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

Faces up smaller for its weight

Face-up size 91 against 100 for the T73 Round Brilliant in demantoid (T73 = 100): 9% less face-up area for the same weight

Face-up size is the outline's area per carat, measured from each model (T73 = 100): 91 for the Radiant Square Cut against 100 for the T73. The same volume spread over a longer or shallower outline shows more face for the weight; it is the same in every stone, because specific gravity scales every cut alike.

Radiant Square Cut · 5.37 mm at 1.00 ct · Face-up size 91

T73 Round Brilliant · 6.29 mm at 1.00 ct · Face-up size 100

Both stones weigh 1.00 ct in demantoid and are drawn to the same scale in millimeters, from each cut's own model. Face-up size is the outline's area per carat, with the T73 at 100: a deeper stone, or a rounder outline, spreads less area for its weight.

What helps: the Marquise Cut reads 121 for face-up size in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Try it yourself: See its size at 1.00 ct in demantoid in the 3D Gemstone Simulator

Our verdict on the Radiant Square Cut in demantoid

Pick the Radiant Square Cut in demantoid for this: it shows more fire than in diamond. The catch: it returns less light than the T73, has fewer facets to sparkle with, leaks more light than the T73 and faces up smaller for its weight.

If that catch matters more to you, the DG-Broken Hearts and Arrows reads 97 for brilliance in demantoid, the best of the cuts we score there.

Every figure on this page is from our light census, traced at one refractive index: a simulation of the geometry, not a grading report. The 3D files and cutting files below are the same Radiant Square Cut model we traced.

Radiant Square Cut Demantoid: questions

Is the Radiant Square a good cut for demantoid?

In our census the Radiant Square Cut returns 77 of 100 for brilliance and 80 for fire in demantoid, against 97 and 84 for the T73 in the same stone. Against that round and against the same cut in diamond it has 1 pro and 4 cons by our thresholds; the summary above names them.

What pavilion angle does demantoid need?

At least 37.0° for a round design: demantoid's critical angle is 32.1°, from the low end of its refractive index range, and head-on light has to reflect off both sides of the pavilion and leave through the table. The Radiant Square Cut's pavilion mains sit at 34.6°.

How much does a Radiant Square weigh in demantoid?

At 6.5 mm across, 1.77 ct in demantoid, against 1.62 ct for the same cut in diamond (+9%): demantoid's specific gravity is 3.85, diamond's 3.52.

Can I see the Radiant Square in demantoid in 3D?

Yes: the 3D Gemstone Simulator renders it live, with demantoid's own refractive index and dispersion. Demantoid is traced by the same light census as the other gemstones, with its refractive index and fire spread derived from published values, so its scores are on the same scale; the pictures here are our Light Return tracer, and the Cut Performance Wheel sets it against any other cut and stone.

Get the Radiant Square Cut files

6 formatsMillimetersWatertight

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 modeling and rendering
  • FBXBlender, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Unity, Unreal
  • GLBWeb, AR and quick previews
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

Not sure the files open in your software? Get the cube free: the same six formats, for your email address, used only to send them (privacy).

Questions before you buy? Email us.

More gemstones and cuts

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

Other cuts in demantoid

The Radiant Square Cut in other gemstones