Asscher / Square Emerald Cut

[JustAppraisers]

We have recently seen an upturn in appraisal requests for Asscher / square emerald cuts and thought the below article, which I penned in 2000, may be of interest to some.. It is slightly out dated but the guts are still relevant nevertheless.

The Asscher is the forerunner of today’s emerald cut. Why is this charming old world diamond so desirable by some of today’s diamond aficionados? Like any other art form, it is hard to translate the beauty of this diamond into words. The answer lies in the combination. When shape outline and proportions are effectively blended, the Asscher exhibits an icy, prismatic brilliance coupled with rainbow dispersion that can dwarf the brilliance and dispersion of today’s emerald cut. The “optical light ballet”, performed with utter balance and symmetry was orchestrated and patented in 1902 by Joseph Asscher, a master diamond cutter exemplar.


The Asscher-cut most likely evolved in the late 1800’s. The diamond company began in 1854 in Amsterdam. The Asscher family soon became entrusted with cutting most difficult shapes and sizes. King Edward VII of England commissioned the Royal Asscher Company to cut the Cullinan, the world’s largest rough diamond ever found at 3,105 carats. It is clear that Joseph Asscher was a master in his sense for balance and used a wealth of experience and enormous expertise to develop and define this new style of cutting.


In spite of their old world charm, many of the original Asscher-cut diamonds were re-cut into modern emerald cuts. The production of Asscher-cuts dwindled soon after 1910 with the advent of the rotary diamond saw. This new invention enabled the cutter to slice the rough crystals advantageously to yield more weight and hence, more profit. Unfortunately, the incentive to cut these beautiful Asscher-cuts was lost to technology. New transitional cuts emerged giving way to the modern emerald cut. That leaves today’s collectors with a desire to acquire those remaining at premiums well above the emerald cut.


Although the production of the Asscher cut waned, the yearning for its beauty was never lost and hence, today we are all searching for this old world cut to re-emerge. And it has. The original Asscher family has registered its “Royal Asscher Diamond” cut. By next year, 2001, we may be seeing branded Asscher cut diamonds in the better outlets. Even small Asscher cuts are now being found in smaller sizes ranging in weight between 0.10 carat and 0.35 carat for line bracelets that remind us of the Edwardian and Deco Line bracelets. Another natural use for a small size Asscher is the eternity band in modern platinum settings. These bracelets and eternity bands are sure to convey the style embraced in the Edwardian period, 1902 and extending well into the 1920’s Art Deco period.


But one more time, due to economics of cutting rough diamonds, the larger ones are simply expensive to execute. Yes, sooner or later, someone will commission a diamontaire to cut one, but the budget will be without restraint. And like an emerald cut, the large ones are even more dramatically drop dead. And, if the emerald cut does not curb your insatiable appetite to be different, the Asscher-cut will.

We are beginning to see limited reproductions of this old world diamond in larger sizes that are no longer cut from pointed octahedral crystals. The newer version is different and you may need an expert to verify the age and style. A true old Asscher may be more compelling to add to your collection. The sheer distinct outline of the old Asscher is recognizable to the trained eye. Its shape is similar to a stop sign. Sometimes it is slightly rectangular and other times square-ish with bold cut corners. Imagine… a diamond stop sign! But before finalizing any major purchase, a consultation with an expert is a prudent measure to verify the value traits. Is it an old world cut, with maximum optical proportions and what about the color and clarity? Does it fluoresce and how does that effect the subtle beauty?

Asschers had no absolute standard proportions or shape outlines because they were always cut to maximize the yield from the natural rough crystal. Each one had its own personality. Besides the dramatic cut corners, the second noticeable trait is the very small top facet called the table. Today’s emerald or princess cuts will present a distinctly larger table. Asscher repros may yield somewhat larger tables because they are cut from sawed halves of whole octahedral rough crystals. Each half only has one side that is pointed and that side becomes the pointed bottom.


The next tell tale sign of a true Asscher is the steep, mountaineer’s crown. It keeps rising with three broad parallel steps. It appears as if it is effervescing out of the mounting. It protrudes up above the setting almost as much as it sinks below. If it is set in its original antique setting, this headlight of a diamond could very well illuminate a friend, daughter, mother or wife of yours who up until now was terminally depressed by the thought of her inevitable fiftieth birthday.


Let us inspect the antique Asscher cut diamond from the bottom last. When viewing an Asscher, don’t hesitate to look at the bottom as closely as you would the top. The bottom is full bodied when compared to the emerald cut. If you don’t notice an obvious bulging belly, or pavilion (to be gemologically correct), then it’s either a transitional Asscher, circa 1930, or a modern version. Every estate jeweler turns a piece of jewelry upside down during a thorough exam. It is imperative to spy the under-belly yourself. The bottoms of modern Emerald cuts and transitional cut diamonds lack this obvious bulge. The bulge maximizes the return of light to the top of the diamond where it is most enjoyed by the viewer. Coincidentally, this bulging belly is the norm for the noble colored stones, ruby, sapphire and emerald.

Lastly, this diamond is from a traditional family of cuts known as “step cut” diamonds. All step cuts display uniform facets or steps that work evenly around the stone and are parallel to the table. This cut has been adapted to all shapes with three or more sides including straight or tapered baguettes, triangles, bullets and other asymmetric and symmetric shapes. These stones are not for everyone. They don’t cause the light to break up into a myriad of brilliant sparkling points due to the vertical arrangement of facets on the round, oval, marquise and pear shaped brilliant cuts. Step cuts are subtle. They stand apart in their shape and their domination of larger horizontal splashes of brilliance. Interestingly, a psychological study once noted that people who are attracted to the step cut are natural leaders.

If you fall into this “step cut” psychological profile, give one of your premier estate jewelers a call. Maybe an Asscher is lurking in someone’s vault or showcase. If it’s a big, white gem, get ready for a rare treat and prepare yourself for a rash of goose bumps. If a little yellow body color is apparent, that will not hinder the unique scintillation of this rare time capsule. The Asscher has captured the awe of the greatest jewelers past and continues to seduce collectors today.