For those of you who actually have an asscher...

[azred]

First of all, total newbie move here and i apologize for that - I''m probably submitting a thread that is covered elsewhere. However, after hours of searching and not finding exactly what I was looking for, I figured I would just ask

If you have an asscher (or are just a fan, all opinions welcome!), I have a couple of questions for you:

-what size is the stone?
-do you think it looks too small?
-did you or your SO buy the stone sight unseen (ie online)?

I''ve been reading a LOT about asschers on here, and I''m curious as to whether other C''s should be sacrificed slightly to maximize the size - I read more than once that many people don''t like them in sizes less than 2.5-3 carats.

Not even sure yet this is the shape we''ll be going for (I haven''t even tried one on), but I''m trying to get some additional info before I actually go out looking at stones in person. I''m guessing that it''ll be in the 1-1.5 c range based on budget.

Thank you for your advice - this seems like an awesome community!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

-what size is the stone?
1.55 carats. More importantly, it is 6.5 * 6.4 * 4.3 (68% depth)

-do you think it looks too small?
I love my ring, but if I were to do it again, I''d have gone with a 2 carat stone. Maybe slightly larger. I chose the ring before my PS days and thought that 2 carats would be overkill and didn''t want to be thought of as vain. And I''m wicked cheap Still, I really think the pattern pops more in larger carats.

That being said, I wouldn''t sacrifice anything for more spread. My stone is an F in color and I''m color sensitve. Sometimes I feel like I can see the tiniest bit of color in my stone and if I ever upgrade, I think I''ll go with an E. I might be crazy, though. VS2 is also the lowest in clarity I''d be willing to go and that''s what I have now. Some are happy to get a more shallow stone for more spread, but that''s a personal preference. Those stones with less than 65% depth lost their appeal to me. The pattern was still great, but the depth wasn''t there.

-did you or your SO buy the stone sight unseen (ie online)?
No, we actually worked with 3 different local jewellers who all had stones shipped in for us to view. I think we looked at 8 - 10 stones and I didn''t like most of them. The specs were good, but in person they were flat. The one I have spoke to me, haha. We ended up getting it from a high end B&M who was having an incredible sale so we really, really lucked out. I guess all of those years he dragged his feet worked out for the best...

I just couldn''t buy an asscher online. At least not without a 100% return policy!

 

[musey]

-what size is the stone?

1.96ct (approximately 7x7mm)

-do you think it looks too small?

No!

That's kind of a difficult/loaded question, though so I'm not sure how to answer it other than "no." Would I love to have a bigger stone? Sure, why not. But it's plenty "enough" for me, especially at my age (23).

ETA: Most people that guess at the carat weight (I still don't understand why people do that, ever, but whatevs) think it's about 1 carat. That might bother some people, but at my age, I'd rather people didn't think my ring was 2 caratsish!

-did you or your SO buy the stone sight unseen (ie online)?

No, we bought it in person. If we hadn't found the deal we did, then we'd have shopped in person for the right specs then bought online.

 

[Green with Envy]

I don''t have an asscher yet, but I found the videos at the goodoldgold website VERY helpful.. in the video "Cushions for Nick" you can see and compare good and poor asschers... and other videos you can see difference in shapes in terms of fire, brightness, etc.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Welcome aboard! I have a 1.21 carat Royal Asscher, and it faces up true to its weight - it doesn''t look smaller than it is. I bought it from a regular jewelry store.

 

[vespergirl]

Hmm ... bothj are really important. I have an asscher, and have upgraded. My first asscher was 1.64 carats, with PERFECT patterns, but it only faced up 6.3 x 6.2, and everyone asked me if it was "almost a carat." I now have a 2.25 carat asscher that faces up 7.2 x 7.1, and people comment on how big it looks, but the patterns aren''t as nice as the first one, and I miss that one in that respect. Now I''m looking at trading it for a round brilliant just because it''s so much easier to find one that''s well cut. I am hesitating though because I still don''t know whether I''ll miss having an asscher too much to go to a round shape ...

Overall, I would say that if it''s at all possible, try to get a Royal Asscher - I wish that I had. They''re all cut perfectly and are super-sparkly - I haven''t seen Bijoux''s but Musey''s is gorgeous.

Good luck!

 

[Gypsy]

I''ve had my asscher since 2003. Before I was on Pricescope, and we bought it out of state, though not sight un-seen. We asked the jeweler to bring in six stones for our consideration, 3 of them were asschers. All had the specs I had specified, at that time, which were:
57-61 table
depth under 66% but larger than table.
Ex sym/ EX polish
F-G VS

Despite all three being the same spec range mine stood out as brighter and lovelier than the other two. Our jeweler (in Delaware, also highly recommend him Will at Minster''s Jewelers) had a fabulous eye, and really helped us out. I recently had it appraised and my appraiser (Neil Beaty, he''s a PS Independant Appraiser... cannot reccomend him HIGHLY enough) said I have an exceptionally cut stone. So I was very happy to hear that even without the fancy technology (we didn''t have an ASET, an Sarin, didn''t know the crown height, which I think is around 15% on my diamond) our eyes and our jewelers eyes were able to pic a winner.

My diamond is a 1.09 carat, spread is 5.87 x 5.86 and the depth is right around 65%. (it''s got numbers after the decimal and I don''t recall exactly what they are).

I did think it was too small. It faces up like a .8 round, PLUS it''s a step cut so it draws your eyes IN instead of OUT so it really looks smaller than it is. But I just got my diamond re-set in a very delicate halo and it has made a HUGE difference. I''m thrilled with the size of it now, and it''s just right on my hand. Any bigger, and I think it would look fake on me, given my age.

I LOVE my F VS1 it''s completely mind clean for me, and so WHITE the way it''s set now, it blows me away.
I would easily go down to a G VS2. And even an H, if it was a high H and everything else was just right on it. But I love my F.
Things I would sacrifice for spread:
I would NEVER compromise on Cut with any diamond, but PARTICULARLY a step cut.
I would compromise on clarity a bit... Asschergirl has an SI1 that I''ve seen in person. It''s got a TINY little barely eye-visible birthmark, but she got great spread for that little speck, and it''s a great and easy way to know if the stone is yours.
I would compromise on color, if I saw it in person (if online, though a vendor with a great return policy) and was comfortable with it.

The thing I would sacrifice the easiest...and it''s not a sacrifice is depth. I would personally shoot for a depth of about 63% to get spread... coupled with a high crown and small table. Kaleigh''s asscher has almost the same spread mine does, is STUNNING, and is somewhere around .9 carats!!!

I think the setting makes a HUGE difference with asschers. I had an X-prong and now I have a small halo on a dainty band... and my LORD you would not believe the difference in visual size... I''ll show you here:

Before:

After:

Best of Luck!

 

[LadyAmythyst69]

Step cuts of any kind are the most difficult of stones....and I love them madly!

In my opinion you will always see color way more in a step cut. You will also see any inclusions far more easily. They also face up smaller than their carat weight in general.

So - given all of that - it is much more difficult to compromise to save $$ on a step cut. There just isn''t any room for compromise. You can''t go down on color or clarity and you will have to spend more $$ to get a stone that is more than 1 carat in order for it to look like it is even 1 ct.

So why would people buy these crazy stones? They are simply the most gorgeous things you will ever see - that''s why. The windmill pattern of an asscher will have you literally falling into and in love with it for the rest of your life. Your eye is drawn in endlessly. Meeting that perfect asscher cut and falling in love for the first time is something you will never forget. I still remember the first asscher I ever saw in person!

This rhapsody brought to you buy the proud/obsessed owner of an asscher.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I have an eternity ring with many asschers--and I am continually amazed at the tremendous amount of rainbow flash that eminates from that ring! I bought it locally at a B & M and would buy it again today--over one with rb''s of the same carat weight.......

cheers--Sharon