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Advice on an Asscher please!

R

rokuk

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 16, 2013
Messages
10
Hi,

I'm very new to this forum, but have read a lot of posts and I've found some great information :)

I am considering buying an Asscher cut stone from James Allen, which I think looks pretty good in terms of stats and the pictures/videos I can see. It's for an engagement ring for my fiance. I had a chat with one of their sales staff earlier today, who said she thinks it looks very good, but to some extent I would discount her opinion since she's in house. I know they have gemologists who can review the stone for you and potentially provide further information - is this worth doing?

I would really welcome anyone's thoughts on whether this is a good Asscher to purchase, taking into account the size, ratings and price, which is $10,740. I am a bit concerned with buying sight unseen despite all the tools that JA offers, although there is always the return policy to fall back on.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Link to diamond on the JA site:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.51-carat-h-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-214048
 
One other thing, I'd be happy to take suggestions on alternatives if people have them. My budget is around where this stone is, probably not a lot higher. Though if there was something exceptional, never say never!

Thanks again for any help :)
 
The table is larger than my personal preference, but it looks like it has potential. You need to ask JA for the ASET image for this stone.
 
I just saw the most amazing asscher in Las Vegas. Nothing else I've seen in person even compares. It was a J color vs clarity. I believe it is just shy of 2ct, but can't remember. "Asking price" was a lot above your price point, but even the jeweler said that price was the "before negotiation" price. This stone is definately worth stretching the budget! Let me know if you are interested and I'll dig up the Jewelers info! It was truly beyond gorgeous.
 
You really need to pick three choices. They will examine them for you and provide ASETs which tell alot about how a diamond will perform IRL. I will link a couple more for you.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.70-carat-i-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-184894

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.70-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-207645

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.50-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-30379 *note this is a square cut ec looks like an asscher, beautiful crown!

There are quite a few stepcut experts on this board. Hopefully they'll chime in with suggestions or feedback on the diamonds I linked to.
 
Hi aspensweets,

I'd be interested to find out more, if it's as gorgeous as you say it is! Let me know the details, though I'm on the East Coast, so might be hard to see it in person...
 
Thanks diamondseeker and woofmama,

I've asked JA for the ASET for the stone I was looking at and two of the others that woofmama suggested. One question, when I looked at step cuts in the flesh, so to speak, it seemed like you could go lower in colour rating - G to I - without seeing a lot of colour in the stone, but that going lower than VS1 in clarity could be an issue due to the step cut. Would you agree with those rough rules? I realise a lot is stone-dependent.

Thanks again!
 
Rokuk,
It all depends on your sensitivity and tolerence level. I can see the difference between a G and I face up but I don't mind the very slight tint of an I colour at all, especially in a very well cut fancy stone. My personal preference in step cuts is the icier D/E/F but beggars cannot be choosers when the budget speaks the loudest. :lol: In general, VS2 seems like a safe bet even from the side view, most of the time and I would not go lower than that.
 
Hi,

It took a while to get the ASETs from James Allen. They've also given me a gemologist view on the stones. They are recommending the 1.7ct stone, which they say has a less good ASET but is better in the flesh. I'd love to get the views of the board on the stones and whether they look like they have potential.

From the little I know about ASETs, they don't seem to have as much red as would be optimal, but maybe that's a characteristic of square, step cuts in general?

Thanks in advance!

Email from JA:

"When the gemologist pulled these diamonds, she was really torn between the 1.70 carat and the 1.53 carat. While the 1.70 carat-I-VVS1 (diamond 184894; $11,330 http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.70-carat-i-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-184894) looks to be the second best when viewing the ASET images, the gemologist determined that it is the best performer in person and the one that she prefers. It has a very good amount of brilliance (white light return), with a great amount of fire and sparkle that is blended in very nicely, and well balanced throughout the diamond. It is completely "eye clean" and as you would expect with a diamond of this size with a color grade of "I", it does have a slight warmth when viewed from the profile side (face up is a nice white color). The 1.53 carat-I-VVS2 (diamond 222238, $9,260 http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.53-carat-i-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-222238) does have a good amount of brilliance, but there is a little amount of light leakage, causing it to be the second best in real life. It does have a good amount of fire and sparkle that is also well balanced throughout the diamond. It does face up "eye clean" and is a true "I" in color that faces up a nice white. The 1.51 carat-H-VVS2 (diamond 214048; $10,740 http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.51-carat-H-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-214048) has the most light leakage of the three and is was not recommend by the gemologist. It has an "ok" amount of brilliance, with a fair amount of fire and sparkle. It does face up eye clean and is the whitest of the three.

After reviewing this information, it is not hard for me to recommend that you move forward with the 1.70 carat diamond. It is a truly beautiful asscher cut diamond that we know you will love when you see it for yourself. "

184894.jpg

222238.jpg

214048.jpg
 
I like the 1.70 the best of those three, from the video.

The ASET is not very confidence-inspiring, though they have a generous return policy. Perhaps JA will indulge you with one more comparison round, or your CC can handle more than one stone?

I like the wider windmills on this one: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.51-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-211455

I think this one has potential: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/1.66-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-171763
 
The 1.7 ct stone is the nicest but I wish it has wider shoulders. The shape is a bit too square whereas I think it'll look better if it were more octagonal (larger windmills).
 
If it were me, I would order the 1.70. They are giving it a thumbs up and you used your three ASETs so I would want to see it in person. You can spend months on here analyzing the cut of every diamond and get lots of varied opinions. It can be a black hole sometimes :cheeky: I am step cut obsessed. I have spent hours watching the JA videos. There are different cuts of asschers, wide or narrow windmills etc. I find beauty in several different types. I think if you hit the nail on the head for size, color, budget and a recommendation from the gemologist it's all good.

When I bought my EC I really went rogue :devil: I picked out one (yep didn't even pick three) I liked the picture of (before JA had videos) ordered an ASET and then did a post asking for feedback. ASET looked nice, gemologist comments were favorable. It is a low color, K, but at the end of the day I loved it and my ring turned out fabulous.

Don't let the 1.70 slip through your fingers. Check it out in person!
 
One more thing-Fancy cuts can't be judged entirely by ASETs. It has been discussed on here multiple times that step cuts don't always have the best ASETs. Remember it is a tool. KarlK the step cut expert has stated to put as much weight on the gemologists comments as the ASET.
 
woofmama|1370003629|3456790 said:
One more thing-Fancy cuts can't be judged entirely by ASETs. It has been discussed on here multiple times that step cuts don't always have the best ASETs. Remember it is a tool. KarlK the step cut expert has stated to put as much weight on the gemologists comments as the ASET.
Click to expand...

so how to judge if not based on the ASETs?
 
Thanks woofmama, it does seem like a data overload at times with no real idea on who or what to pay credence to! :twirl: I think you're right that the 1.7 look positive from the gemologist and I've see posts from KarlK saying that ASETs do not tell the whole story, so fingers crossed it'll be good in person!

Just wanted to thank all for their advice, but particularly woofmama for engaging so much :appl:
 
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