Asscher - help please!

[diamondhoarder]

I am looking for an Asscher in the 0.9 - .99ct range and have a couple on hold for me at JA.

I am awaiting gemologist inspections and ASET images, although my sales advisor has found an ASET image which was previously done for my top choice asscher.

Here is the video:

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.94-carat-f-color-si2-clarity-sku-294380

Below is the ASET image:

I am liking the look of diamond from the video but am now concerned that the ASET does not seem to have much red. What kind of light performance would this asscher give in real life?

Are there any asscher experts who can give me an opinion on this one - I would really appreciate it.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

I'd give it s B-. It's got a nice amount of green. Some red so that's good. The Black is all leakage though.

Is it eyeclean?

 

[diamondhoarder]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

It seems to be eye clean. I think it has a feather at one corner but it is placed so that it doesn't seem to reflect through the rest of the diamond.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

Price on it?

 

[diamondhoarder]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

Its listed at $3210. I like the fact that its F color, and eye clean looking, and has larger corners that some of the other asschers I have seen. But if it's not bright and firey enough I will be disappointed. I am outside of the US and have customs duties to deal with so its not so easy to risk ordering then sending it back.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

You will need to set it in a setting where it gets a lot of light.

My own asscher (Pre-PS) has a similar ASET.
Mine:



The setting it is in makes a HUGE difference on how bright the asscher is in real life. This is my 3rd (and final) setting and I finally have it set in a way that ensures the stone is always bright and lively.

How are you planning to set it?

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

This is how it looks in real life:

Current setting:


Previous setting:



MUG shot where you can see how the dark areas correspond to the blue in the ASET image.



What it looks like on the hand:



That's the best information I can give you.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

ASETs with step cuts don't tell you the whole picture. My asscher is bright and beautiful. And the faceting is precise on it. But the ASET isn't perfect. I think it has potential from the video.

But since you are overseas, I'm not sure it is worth the risk for you. It might be a good idea to see if you can find a stone with a better ASET in budget.

But you might have to give up weight and/or color.


THat said, it's not facing up that big. So there is a change if you keep looking you can find something with larger spread (dimensions). You shop for spread not weight with fancies.

 

[diamondhoarder]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

Gypsy - yours looks beautiful in that setting!

I was thinking of a halo as well, maybe something like:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-engagement-ring-asscher-center-item-17408

or
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-shoulders-engagement-ring-asscher-center-item-17397

possibly with a halo of pink diamonds - I was hoping that the contrast between the F color asscher and the fancy pink diamonds would work well.

I did wonder about a thin bezel inside the halo rather than prong setting, but based on your experiences with needing to get just the ring setting for max light return, maybe a bezel is a bad idea?

 

[Gypsy]

Re: Asscher experts - help please!

No. You don't want a bezel. You may have noticed I had two halos.

My first halo had prongs, but the setting was very much like a bezel. It completely covered up my girdle. When Steven Kirsch re-did my halo he set the stone higher, instead of it being set into the halo, it is set ABOVE the halo with the girdle exposed. The difference is like 1 mm but it lets in a LOT more light into my stone and with fancies that's important because unlike stones that are ideal cut and gather light from the edges, fancies gather light from everywhere.



Also those halos you are looking at aren't going to be very delicate. My first halo was 1 point melee stones in the halo. My second one has 1/2 pointers. Those are TINY stones, but they are the right proportion for my stone.

And if you want a delicate halo... JA isn't the right vendor for the setting, and the setting is going to cost quite a bit more than those...


My stone is a 1.09 and it faces up at 5.86x5.89 square. Yours is significantly smaller (spread not carat wieght) at 5.4mm. So the halo is going to have to be very delicate not to overwhelm that stone. One pointers are going to make for a large halo in combination with the metal of a bright cut style pave.

You can see the 'real' pics of other stones in that setting posted on JA. If you like the look, great. Then get that. If you don't... then you need something more delicate.

Do you have any wiggle room in your budget to get something like this. http://www.brilliantlyengaged.com/grace-classic-micro-pave-halo-enagement-ring-bpid-58-18.html


Alternately, http://www.elizabetajewelry.com/products/beverley-k-diamond-engagement-ring-semi-mount-center-stone-not-included-number-9022-slash-65ac this Beverly K (buy from GOG instead of this site though).

This one will have a good proportion because it will be made for your stone.