For the Love of Asschers

[cymbrie]

Per the suggestions from Decodelighted, Kaleigh, and Mrssalvo I am starting a thread on the topic of Asschers (SE)s. As mentioned in the previous string:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/asscher-square-emerald-quest.21147/page-2
I am recently engaged and in the process of researching the mesmeric Asscher for an ering. From what I''ve read on previous posts regarding Asschers it seems best to consult with vendors such as GOG and Engagementringsdirect to procure the best quality stones. I would greatly appreciate ANY and ALL information on this exquisite cut.

Kaleigh...I would LOVE to hear all about your Asscher buying experience this summer...do share...pictures would be awesome!

Thank you Decodelighted, Kaleigh, and Mrssalvo for your prompt responses and for making this newbie feel welcome.

Many Thanks and Cheers,
Cym

 

[allycat0303]

Hi Cymbrie,

Welcome to Pricescope! I hope Kaleigh won''t be mad but I posted a link to her gorgeous asscher right hand ring

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/look-nan-has-her-hand-on-my-asscher.34088/

It''s practically the sexiest thing I''ve ever seen

 

[strmrdr]

first law of buying asschers on the net:
good pictures are manditory.

second law
see first law

third law
numbers are a guidline look at the pictures.

forth law
patterns patterns patterns patterns patterns

fifth law
10% or higher crown is the important number
Everything else can be seen in a good photo and sometimes from the side view photo crown height is odvious too.

sixth law :}
asschers rule and the rest drool :}

seventh law
get more pictures

 

[ecf8503]

I know Kaleigh worked with strmrdr to find her asscher (strmrdr''s kind of the PS resident expert on asschers). A wealth of knowledge and an eagle eye for a quality rock there!

 

[Kaleigh]

Thanks cymbrie, that is so sweet of you. No problem Ally, everyone knows I can''t post pics anyways!!! The first thing I did was to talk to Storm. I asked him via PM to help me find the perfect asscher. I had read up on them here and was still confused. He found the one at GOG. We anaylized everything about it and it was a good price as well. This is a RHR so I didn''t want to spend tooo much. I also had in mind the setting I wanted to create for it as well. Anyway with Storm''s advice I bought the stone from GOG. Jonathon was very helpful as well. I used the numbers as a guideline, but really concentrated on the pics. They tell a lot about a stone. Anyway it did turn out to be a Storm worthy asscher and I am thrilled with it.

 

[cymbrie]

Wow thanks for such quick responses! Storm thanks for the Asscher commandments. I will be sure to refer back to them in my search. Thanks for the pix Alleycat...very cool!

Kaleigh thanks for your story what a stellar ring! I hope Storm will assist in my search when we are ready to make the final plunge

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/20/2005 4:25:00 PM
Author: cymbrie
I hope Storm will assist in my search when we are ready to make the final plunge

anytime :}

 

[Kaleigh]

cymbrie,
With Storm''s help you can''t go wrong. Serioulsy. I can''t wait to see what you 2 find!!!

 

[cymbrie]

Thanks, you guys Rock! Not to be punny. It''ll probably be a few months before we start the actual selection process likely after the new year. We''re still narrowing down the budget...which hopefully will allow me to get something I really like

.

My initial thought (insert dream rock here) is best quality cut/symmetry/polish, F color, VS2 about 1.5-2.0 carats. Although after seeing Wendy''s 1.83 carat, J color, SI I might re-think those specs. The setting I like is the Dvatche X-Prong. Like many others, I love the look and simplicity of Tiffany''s Lucida, but A) don''t want to pay a premium, B) am in love with the Asscher cut which Tiffany WILL NOT substitute in that setting. So I''ve spent many many months online trying to find out as much as I can and where the best resources are for these types of stones.

I''m SOOO thrilled to have found this site. It''s so cool to be able to interact with other gemlovers. As with most passions/pursuits only those who share the interest can relate. When I have more time, and if you''re interested I''ll tell you the story of the 7.24 carat aquamarine pendant I designed and had fabricated for my mom complete with 8 trilliant diamonds ([4] 0.3 carats [4] 0.25 carats) flanking it. Have to locate the pix too! Thanks again!

Cheers,
Cym

 

[MissAva]

oh! You should definately post all about in in the Colored Stones thread. Sounds yummy!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/20/2005 5:40:53 PM
Author: cymbrie



My initial thought (insert dream rock here) is best quality cut/symmetry/polish, F color, VS2 about 1.5-2.0 carats.

Cym

http://www.goodoldgold.com/asscher_2_02ct_f_vs1.htm

next :}
That one is actualy what I call a steep drop off asscher because it will appear to drop in the center instead of stepping down.
Im kinda torn on where they fall on my grading scale.
Some people love the look better than the more stepped down looking ones.
Im the opposite prefering the stepped look.
Either way its a kicken asscher :}

the actual photo does have some tilt the LS image is much better leveled.

 

[widget]

Author: strmrdr
forth law
patterns patterns patterns patterns patterns

Hey storm...while we're on the subject of "dream" asschers... is there a preferred look for windmills? Or is it a matter of taste? (Forgive me if you've addressed this elsewhere.)

I'm sure it's important that they are symmetrical and meet at the culet, but what about width? Skinny? wide? inbetween? I've even seen some square EC's with NO windmills!

widget

(Edited to add) Oops...Cym I forgot to welcome you to PS! It sounds like you'll be getting a fabulous stone! Have fun!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/20/2005 6:05:41 PM
Author: widget

Author: strmrdr

forth law

patterns patterns patterns patterns patterns

Hey storm...while we''re on the subject of ''dream'' asschers... is there a preferred look for windmills? Or is it a matter of taste? (Forgive me if you''ve addressed this elsewhere.)


I''m sure it''s important that they are symmetrical and meet at the culet, but what about width? Skinny? wide? inbetween? I''ve even seen some square EC''s with NO windmills!


widget


(Edited to add) Oops...Cym I forgot to welcome you to PS! It sounds like you''ll be getting a fabulous stone! Have fun!

They should be the width of the cut corners no more and no less then taper uniformly as it goes towards the culet.
How big the cut corners are is a matter of what you like.

Its one of those things where you look at it and say thats just right.

 

[cymbrie]

Date: 10/20/2005 5:52:56 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 10/20/2005 5:40:53 PM
Author: cymbrie



My initial thought (insert dream rock here) is best quality cut/symmetry/polish, F color, VS2 about 1.5-2.0 carats.

Cym

http://www.goodoldgold.com/asscher_2_02ct_f_vs1.htm

next :}
That one is actualy what I call a steep drop off asscher because it will appear to drop in the center instead of stepping down.
Im kinda torn on where they fall on my grading scale.
Some people love the look better than the more stepped down looking ones.
Im the opposite prefering the stepped look.
Either way its a kicken asscher :}

the actual photo does have some tilt the LS image is much better leveled.

That one is VERY pretty storm, I''m almost afraid to know "how much of niceness" (as mom would say) for that one. Please forgive my ignorance but would you be able to post a pic of both the "steep drop off" and a "more stepped down look" I would need to see them side by side to determine which look I prefer. I''m sure I have a preference but I lack the "technical speak" to tell you which one.

Thanks to widget for the welcome and for bringing up windmills. I definitely like a well balanced proportionate windmill pattern. The pattern in the link storm included has nice windmills. I don''t like the SEs w/out em as much.

 

[Kaleigh]

Yes that''s a great idea cymbrie. Can you do that Storm, it would provide a great visual. Pretty please

 

[strmrdr]

Thanks to GOG for the base images.

 

[widget]

Wow! So interesting!

I just went back and looked at my asscher with "new eyes"!!

Thanks, Storm!

 

[valeria101]

I like the pattern idea... with a little reserve. This is one thing that does not show in all lights and I would consider the pattern (either contrast or the look of those clipped corners) relative to size too.

Widget, that doesn''t apply to your diamond

for obvious reasons! It is HUGE!

Pictures make a big deal of contrast brilliance because most cameras are balck. Only if they were of light color... This factoid might better be left out of the ecuation, IMO.


Here''s a rather heavy handed approach to showing that matter of size. Even shrunk these are still large compared to the real thing - 5mm pictures are not feasible, of course.

 

[strmrdr]

Val,
The patterns will show more in asschers than rounds.
Remember that head shadow isnt the only thing and not even the primary component in creating the patters.
leakage is.
When there isnt a lot of head shadow around the patterns become white with brighter white instead of gray/black with white.

 

[cymbrie]

Wow storm, thanks for doing that. You know, I thought it would jump out at me, but there is such unique beauty to each of those stones. I think I like the look of the "drop" you first linked best (middle stone). It appears to have the most depth and seems most balanced esp when Val shrank them. Are these 58 facet or 74 facet asschers? I read that classic/vintage asschers only have 58 facets whereas the modern design branded by RA has 74 facets. More facets in most cases provide more fire if properly cut right? Speaking of classic vs. modern RA, I emailed a jeweler this question and received no response. Storm can you show us a classic and RA asscher side by side now?

It''s funny, the more I research these puppies the more questions

seem to crop up...You know all diamonds have their beauty but the more I read and the more I see the deeper and deeper I fall under the spell of the asscher...

 

[Kaleigh]

cymbrie,
I think of all the cuts out there, asschers are the hardest nut to crack so to speak. Storm has something in store for tomorrow, which will be a great learning experience for all of us. Stay tuned!! Hint, I asked him to line up some pics for us to judge. Should be fun.

 

[cymbrie]

Oh most Exellent

...yeah figured as much...would be me to love the most beautiful (in my humble opinion) but ellusive cut. I cannot express in words how thrilled I am to have found PS...now I don''t have to drive the fiance crazy with all my gemtalk he''s probably going to sign on just to thank you all for keeping me out of his hair.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 10/21/2005 12:16:48 AM
Author: strmrdr

Remember that head shadow isnt the only thing and not even the primary component in creating the patters.
leakage is.

Ok... so the same pattern shows differently in different settings - different colors get reflected and the direction of the primary lighting sounds may favor some facets rather than others. I reffered to the head shadow thing because that is what shows in the current pictures and also, that instance may be when any such pattern becomes more visible (black on white rather than degrees of brighteness).

I am pretty sure you can come in with some nice DC models and pictures to boot Thanks for all the work !

 

[valeria101]

Something about the RA and the generics...

Sure enough, this little picture is based just what is mentioned (the representation of the RA cut scheme on a poster

and an IS image) and as much insight one can get in a week

plus some nice piece of software.

Just for fun, there are non-branded step cuts with one more row of facets on the pavilion, but I don''t think these stones are cut to match the looks or the proportions of the RA. I am not sure it is the extra row of facets that is the critical component of this look - most of it should be comming from the proportions of the cut that are hard to find anyway - with or without the extra facets. In this, their tag line (''the cut they can''t touch'') sounds well justified to me.

 

[strmrdr]

The kewl thing is that the second and third asschers have the exact same number of facets.
The first has 3 rows of crown facets and 4 rows of pavilian facets or as I call them 3c/4p asschers but you can get the same look from a 3c/3p asscher but its a lot harder to do and much harder to find than in the 3c/4p asschers.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/21/2005 12:52:02 AM
Author: cymbrie

Wow storm, thanks for doing that. You know, I thought it would jump out at me, but there is such unique beauty to each of those stones. I think I like the look of the ''drop'' you first linked best (middle stone). It appears to have the most depth and seems most balanced esp when Val shrank them.

Thank you that made a decision for me, They will be included in the strm0 class which is something iv been going back and forth on.

 

[diamondlil]

I''m looking forward to this, Strm. Consequently, I like the big and small step asschers (1 and 3) better than the drop. It''s interesting when we all see beauty differently.

 

[strmrdr]

question for everyone:
Does wide step or big step better discribe them?
narrow vs small?

Im going to turn this into an article eventualy I think so want to settle on names.

 

[strmrdr]

example of patterns with little too no head shadow.

 

[strmrdr]

About the RA''s iv seen a couple of them and they ranged from very nice to awesome.
To my eye they look a little too busy in the smaller sizes.
3ct and up I think they will come into there own a little more.