Basics on Royal Asscher

[wallace]

Hi everyone - I am now sufficiently recovered and eagerly searching new e-ring. THanks again! I liked the Royal Asscher (RA) before and now is my chance to (try to get one). I got so bogged down in all different types of square brilliants! I prefer the RA cut b/c of it's glitter over sparkle - it is very elegant and classic. But, I have two basic questions that need answering:

1) RA cut seems to demand higher clarity over color. This is an adjustment from evaluating brilliant cuts - and I do not know how to assess. I spoke with RA today and they seem to have mainly H-J color stones but with VS and VVS clarity. How do I unlearn? THe cut can handle the color categories, apparently that's what it was originally designed for - but how, why?

2) a. It was explained to me that the RA cut is deeper than brills - and that e.g. a 2c RA will look like a 1.25ish round brilliant! Is that a marketing pitch? Is is somewhat true but not that big of a difference? If this is true then I will have to get a 2c or 2.5 RA! Which leads to part B...
b. I am looking at 1.5 and higher but at what point, if a. is true, is it moot to buy an RA? i.e. Is it really worth it to bother to buy a 1.5 RA? BTW, I prefer quality to quantity so I will, in this case, wind up with a smaller stone - so, should I give up the dream?

THanks for your input. A size comparison photo would be fabu if anyone has got one. I am going to see the stones (never have before in person) in three weeks. THanks

 

[wallace]

PS - do the same standards for flourescence apply? I mean, does getting a faintly fluores. stone help overcome the yellow in natural light?

 

[coarchitect]

Hi Wallace!
I don’t know what the situation is now, but a year ago, when we were looking, Royal Asschers that are anywhere near 1 ct. were really hard to find.
I think the reason you were told that they have H-J stones of super high clarity left is b/c those are most likely the ones that don’t get snached up right away. Asschers will show color and they will show imperfections (just the nature of the cut). They do look smaller than other cuts, so if your main concern is size, then I think you would be much happier with some other squareish cut. Royal asschers are cut very very deep (look at www.royalasscher.com to see a side profile) in comparison to a RB, thus explaining why when viewed from the top they appear smaller. The thing I really love about asschers is that I feel like you can see the artistry of the cut.
All those steps swirling around are so hypnotic, but it isn’t for everyone. Try dong a search on pricescope and then I would try to find a jeweler that has (or can get) Royal Asschers for you to look at. You can also try Medinkow (I don’t know if I spelled that right) or Diamond Brokers of HiFlorida. People on this forum have bought from both.
Good luck!

 

[wallace]

Thanks Co-Architect. your advice really helped. I managed to check out a few down here before my saturday appointment in NY - and found wisdom in your words confirmed by my experience. I cancelled the trip to NY. Besides, the salesperson at the store I was directed to did not answer my questions - at all really. I did not like that. After the last experience, I will wait til I meet a jeweler with whom I feel comfortable. I explained that I was not very interedted in what they had to offer at the moment. I think you are right about the G-J with very high clarity (they were not even in the ballpark on size)- they are the "left overs". THe only other stone they had,perfect size, was a D SI1 -For a Royal Asscher I just do not feel like an SI1 will do. DOes anyone else have a different expereince? THey pushed hard but when I asked if they had the new inventory yet, which they promised - first dibs on the good stones, she did not answer me. I can't drive to NY every weekend becuase she wants to sell me something I don't want.

I have decided to wait til I can afford to get a 2.5 - 3.o c stone. For now, I can only do a 1.5 - 1.75 stone.

This leaves me where I was before... Can't get Elara, not going to get the RA - now what? I will go in search of Flanders and wait for as long as it takes to get what I want. Rhino suggested a Queen of Hearts which looked lovely - but then I keep getting bogged down in all the possibilities! I think I will take a month off from diamond hunting. Maybe my fiance will just go and get something and surprise me again = this time I just won't worry if he is being ripped off. Thanks for your help!

 

[Beansy]

Just saw your post. Jan from DBOF, Samuel Gordon's, and Jay Medinkow are the only ones I know of that carry Royal Asschers (at least internet wise.)

We initially thought we wanted one after seeing a 2 ct Royal at Mayors. Unfortunately, you ran into the same problems we ran into...finding one that fits all your specifications. I will add that we are a bit more picky, being a pricescope member and all

, and Jan and Jay REALLY tried to find me one. The price tag was just too much for us.

I have posted a picture for you comparing a 1.81 ideal vs. royal. The picture is from Jan at DBOF from Diamond talk (I hope this is okay?) The size difference is evident, but I'm an asscher lover, and would go royal ANY day of the week. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[valeria101]

Quite curious here... was the D-SI visibly included?

 

[wallace]

Beansy - WOW - Thanks for the picture! THat's precisely what I needed. THe "shrinkage" is not as bad as I was prepared for... Thanks for the on-line recommendations - I am going to try that becuase there aren't any stores that I am aware of yet in my area that have RA (the previous horrible store I went to tried to get them but RA wouldn't let them sell their stones! Wish I had known that before - says about about their rep).

Valeria - I did not go see the D SI1 this weekend but I have been curious about it... THey said it was just gorgeous but of course they would say that... they do have a reasonable inventory, though, and they were just gaga over this rock. I just wish they might have told me more over the phone - I'll see if I can still get some info.

Where would be the "best" place for inclusions on the RA - at the corners and in the top edge facets?

I had someone try to sell me an SI1 with a carbon inclusion (turned out to be two when the stone was held sideways - one right on top of the other)smack dab in the middle of the rock - what do you think of that?!?!?! It wasn't visible to the naked eye on bird's eye view but side view showed both and amplified it (Flanders B - E SI1 1.10ct asking 13K). I declined. Nuts.

 

[coarchitect]

For where to buy royal asschers, go to www.royalasscher.com again and try to find your way to contact us? You should be able to find a number for Fabercant (spelled wrong, im sure). It is a main line and the woman who answers must get a million calls a day b/c she can have a bit of an attitude, but call and ask who sells in your area. Then you can call that particular jeweler and find out if they have any in stock and/or if they can get any in for you to take a look at.
As far as inclusions, I am anal (or shall we say detail oriented?) and anything that is visible with the naked eye would bug me like crazy. But to each his own.
Good Luck!!
Finding a Royal Asscher that fits what you want is a big time commitment and a lot of work, but that is part of what makes them so special!

 

[Beansy]

Wallace,

I would suggest going to the names I listed above first. They are not only online, and you would pay no tax if it's in a different state, but they are all very reputable. I have heard many great things about each company, and have emailed/spoken to each one of them directly. I even had Samuel Gordon send us a RA, but it was an SI2. It was way too included from the pavillion, just like yours was. We just couldn't live with that, even if it was a reasonable price.

I tried calling Fabrikant directly as a consumer (this was probably my problem?) They were very abrupt, short, and simply said no more than "you have to call Mayors." I emailed the Royal Asscher company over in Amsterdam to try to compile a list of places that would sell them here in the US, and even got a few emails from Edward Asscher himself. I never got the list he promised. It was supposted to come from Fabirkant, but no hopes there.

We were lucky enough to find a square cut/asscher though, that to me, is the closest I'm ever going to get to a royal. It took me 8 long mos, but we have it, and I could not be happier. I must also add that I am a Sagitarius, and we are known for the love of the hunt. The boy hasn't proposed yet, so I have to wait to send you pictures. I will include a picture of the idealscope image Whiteflash sent us, and an idealscope image of a Royal. BIG difference, but I am happy it's close.

PS, if you get a royal, as with any asscher you want to get inclusions away from the pool like table, it will look like a penny in a swimming pool.

I truely hope this helps in some way.

 

[Beansy]

Royal asscher idealscope....mmmmmm pretty. See how it almost glows if you stare at it too long. Same thing happens with the real thing!

 

[Beansy]

Here is my asscher/square cut. Nice table. Yummy. Now I finally get to show off, I feel so special.

 

[wallace]

Ouch! Beansy - that's so gorgeous it hurts! You have convinced me to check your sources! Co-ARC. - I did call Fabricant and they sent me to Fortunoff (lady who did not answer my question). The people at RA were great. I live in DC but since I ma form NYC I thought it wouldn't be a schlep to see some rocks if I could see some friends, too! It seems that NY is the closest to me.

I have settled on a 2.5 - 3.0 ct. RA and I am prepared to spend at least a year per carat to get it. thanks for the warning!

I am also looking in to a synthetic RA to fill the space of this gorgeous setting I found for my (future) RA.

Now, the search to replace e-ring is takes priority.Thanks for all your help - stay in touch with RA news!

 

[wallace]

PS - I have heard a lot of great things about Mednikow...

 

[wallace]

BTW - I spoke to a woman named Claudia at Asscher and she was just pleasant and sweet as can be (maybe they were not busy when I called?). She directed me to Amy Curan at Fabrikant - she was very sweet and helpful and pleasant, too. Hope those names help... I have noticed they aren't too great with e-mails...

Eddie Asscher himself?! Wow again. Doesn't mean much if he couldn't help you! Maybe we should try to get together a little ad hoc list here ourselves of RA jewelers...

 

[RoyalAsscher]

dear wallace

if anybody can anwser your questiion i would be the person
first of all i will anwser the first q.
no it is not a marketing pitch that RAC show smaller then rounds
the thing is we designed this stone with so much love for diamond we didnt even think about it until the stone was finished
on the other hand it is a logical thing that square will show smaller than rounds

then we have color and qlarity
in diamonds color will centre in the corners and because rac has cut corners we will not produce lower than j color
about clarity of cours there will be some lower qlarities but if it is visible true the table it most likely will reflect in the whole stone

if you want more info or if you need help on buying a royal asscher cut you can always ask me
no problem,

greetings from amsterdam

mike asscher G.G.
5 th generation of the asscher family

 

[wallace]

Lieve Mnr. Asscher,

Dank U wel! Wat leuk dat U heeft mij persoonelijk geschreven. Maar, ik moet U vertellen dat ik heb net iets anders gekocht (het spijt me)! Het kreeg vier weeken voor ik een e-mail van Fabrikant on-line gehad. Dus, heb ik beslissen later en RA te kopen, toen ik een groter diamant kunnen meenemen. Ik wil liever een van drie carats (vroeger zoekt ik een van twee carats). Fortunoff in NY valt niet mee. Weet U waar ik in mijn stad (of in de omgeving)een RA kunnen zien? Ik will alleen en Royal. Misschien kan ik een bezoek maken naar A'dam. Anders, zou ik U meteen schrijven of opbellen. Het is al lang geleden dat ik heb NL gesproken...jammer.

Veel danken en
Groetjes uit Washington,
WALLACE