Asscher cut advice please - rose gold setting

[Mariannasscher]

Hi PC members,

May I please ask for your advice on selecting an asscher diamond for a rose gold interlocking wedding set?

A bit of back story, my partner proposed and very kindly gave me full design rights to my wedding set. I had never thought this before, so graciously set out to design something - exciting, albeit daunting to get right!

Ring design:
E.ring: Asscher solitaire, rose gold bands
W.Band: pave, channel set (top 1/4) diamonds, rose gold band
Interlocking like this



I am now at the diamond selection stage…gulp, and I am completely out of my depth! I really don't want to waste my partner's money or abuse the kind gesture.

I have no (!) preference on size
Should I be choosing a particular level of clarity to compliment rose gold?
These are what are available and in the “range” - I haven't seen any yet, I need to pick 3 to view.

Blue are currently unavailable.
My thoughts are to look at 3, 6 (unavailable), 2 and 9


Any advice would be much appreciated!

Many thanks,
M

View attachment 493675

 

[BlingDreams]

Congratulations on your engagement! And how fun that you're designing your ring and band

I'm in my phone and not my computer so this will be a bit brief. In short, I am no expert but there are many ladies here who are and would love to help you find a great diamond. Step cut stones are complicated though so be ready for that aspect of the search. You can either a) give more information about your parameters (especially budget; we can see the color/clarity/carat range from what you posted), or b) just directly contact a couple of trusted vendors and tell them what you're looking for and ask them to bring in samples to show you (they can send you photos and videos). I'm also on the hunt for an asscher diamond and the ladies here strongly recommended working with Jon at Good Old Gold or Yekutiel at ID Jewelry; i took their suggestion and contacted both; I will learn what they've found for me within the next week but I'm very confident one of them will have found something great.

Good luck with your search!

 

[secretagentlaura]

Are you tied to that vendor? If not, it might make sense to browse for asschers at somewhere where you can look at the actual stones. Here's what James Allen has: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/ and there is such great variation in visual appearance! (And not all of it is positive ...)

 

[Mariannasscher]

Thank you for you responses ILikeShiny and Secretagentlaura. I realise I should have added a bit more detail for context!

I am in Australia and my partner picked the vendor before proposing (we aren't actually tied to the vendor just yet, but I'm not sure who else could help me polish my design, source the diamond AND make it by July this year now). The list of diamonds are their current offering.

I also appreciate your comment on James Allen and seeing the diamonds first too, you've hit a nerve (in a good way ). The vendor is a reputable custom design studio, BUT I am finding the diamond choice process to be a little, well unexpected - picking 3 without seeing them seems and feels like extra pressure. Who's to say they aren't showing us the worst of their offerings because I don't know enough.

These stones are between $7500 AUD and $9400 AUD ($5700 - $6800 US) - cheapest at top.
My partner said they are all the "range", but I certainly don't want to go to the higher end without it really being worth it - if that makes any sense!

If you had to pick 3 from the table, do any stand out? Or is this all false pressure and I should look at changing the entire designer and everthing?

Eeek!

 

[foxinsox]

Not remotely knowledgeable about asschers but there really isn't enough information in that list to choose anything.
Any shape other than a MRB needs to be judged by ASET or pictures at the very least so you can work out if you like deep clipped corners or if there's a P3 issue or anything like that.
If they're making the ring, they should be able to tweak the design for the actual stone you buy if you buy it elsewhere. Which I would do. Or at the very least, use James Allen or Good Old Gold's sites to work out what flavour of asscher makes your heart sing and then show them examples of how you want it to look so they can get the right stone in for you. You're looking to spend thousands of dollars, make them work for you!
Since you're putting it in rose gold, if you do not have a cultural or other preference for high colour, you could go down in colour (even an I should look quite white in rose gold) and therefore up in size if that would appeal.
Also congratulations on your engagement!

 

[farrahlyn]

You really cannot choose a fancy cut just by looking at the numbers. if you pull up the link secretagentlaura gave you to JA, you'll see some really ugly stones mixed in with decent stones. choosing a step cut stone is even MORE difficult and honestly, most B&M stores will not know how to go about choosing one. You really need someone that has a good deal of experience in it.

I'd also take the advice to go with a vendor like GOG or IDJ and honestly, either one could also work with you on the setting as well. Both can provide pictures, videos, etc etc vs just a list of stones to randomly choose from.

 

[gregchang35]

Agree with all the posters above... fancy shapes has to be determine by more than numbers. an ASET image is something that will give you a better indication of how it will perform- how much bling you are going to get for your buck. As others have posted as well, seek out GOG, ID, JA. They will provide ASET images for you. GOG will do a YT video as well.

Rose gold band means you should be able to go with a lower colour. but you need to see this physically for yourself.

Take the time to do the research here in AUS. Go to a store (michael hill comes to mind as that is where i went; there could also be other jewelers near where you are) and sit with the Sales rep. Please note that not all of them understand/ know what an asscher/ square emerald cut diamond is. Most of them only know of round or princess cut. If that is what they know, my advice is to walk out the door and find another vendor.

When you find a vendor that knows what one is, make an appointment and let them do the talking and educating. Keep in mind, all that you are doing is getting information. Things like what works for you in terms what colour and what size; tell them that you would like to set it rose gold. that way they can show you some variations in step cut coloured diamond and hopefully they have a rose gold band, yellow gold, white gold band for good measure to test the colours of the stone and band against your hand.

Step cuts are not stocked well in the stores and they have to call stones in for you to view. Do not let them push you to put deposit down. They should be calling the stones in for you to view. i requested michael hill to bring in an asscher for me to see. they could only bring in 0.5ct size. what you will notice is the pricing is insane here in AUS.

What you want to do with step cuts as well, is a trick that i learned on here... view the stone the normal way up- ie table (flat side) of the diamond facing you. Then slide a piece of newspaper / paper with print on it. if you can see the print on the paper, then this is what is called a leakage issue. In an asscher it is commonly in the p3 region of the diamond. p3 = 3rd pavilion = 3rd step/ facet down from the table. This means that the light doesnt bounce around inside the diamond and then reflect it back into your eyes. that is NOT a good asscher/ square emerald cut. An ASET image will also tell you this. This is probably the most important image to see if you are buying on line. You are looking for red ASET colours for the best looking./ blingy asscher. There will be some green and blue or white. There is a search section on learning about step cuts, reading ASETs etc.

In their stores, the lighting is such that it will make all stones shine.

let your eyes be the judge while you are in the store.
once you have had that experience, you are then better armed with knowledge - what colour and size works for you...

Then you can ask vendors like GOG who will do all of this for you and put it in a video.

Just remember that you will have to pay the GST when the ring comes back into AUS.

Sorry for the long post.. didnt realise... and sorry if i have confused you even more..

have fun with it... then come back here and show everyone what you see/ learn and what you are planning!!!!