My first Asscher...what do you think?

[dolphingirl22]

I just received my first asscher (or square emerald) from angara.com. I think I''m going to keep it but just want to know if everyone thinks I got a good deal. It was very hard to get pics...so please excuse my amature photography skills

Also, it will be set in a right hand ring so any setting ideas would be great too!

Specs:

Report Type: GIA Diamond Dossier®

Date of Issue: January 16, 2004

Laser Inscription Registry: GIA 13128700

Square Emerald Cut

Measurements: 4.97 x 4.97 x 3.43 mm

Carat Weight: 0.72

Color Grade: I

Clarity Grade: VS2

Proportions:

Depth: 69.0 %

Table: 58 %

Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick

Culet: None

Finish:

Polish: Excellent

Symmetry: Good

Fluorescence: Strong Blue

Clarity Characteristics: Crystal, Cloud

price: $1257

 

[dolphingirl22]

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[dolphingirl22]

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[dolphingirl22]

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[dolphingirl22]

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[dolphingirl22]

wow...no replies...is it really that bad?

 

[milton333]

I think the important question is whether you''re happy with it. Since you''re soliciting opinions, though, it appears that the symmetry is off. In a stepped cut, it would bother me. If it doesn''t bother you, no problem. If you think it might bother you in the future, and you''re within the return period . . .

 

[dolphingirl22]

could it look like that because I couldn''t get a good picture of it. It was really hard to get a shot that was striaght on..it kept wanting to tilt to the side.

 

[milton333]

It could be that. I notice that the grading report has symmetry as "good" rather than "very good," "excellent," or "ideal," though. Like I said, you''ve seen it in person, and have a better sense of whether that symmetry is an issue with your stone.

 

[Nicrez]

Dolphingirl22,

The stone may be fine, but the pictures are fuzzy or crooked, and even a photograph perfectly done can not show a stone's true life in my opinion, so I am sure it's lovelier in person...

Try photographing it by this method.

1. Make a boat out of white paper where you fold a small paper in half, then folding each half again, but in the opposite direction to allow the boat to stand on its own. In profile it would look like an "M"

2. Get good outside lighting, but not direct into the stone. Maybe a sunny day, by the window, or if not under a fluorescent lamp if you can?

3. Get a camera with a macro setting and make sure it is on. The macro button is usually a little flower shaped button or option. If not, put a magnifying lense over the camera lens and when looking through the viewfinder or screen (if digital) then make sure the stone is in focus before taking the picture.

That should help. If not, it's your stone to enjoy. I think it could be lovely, but I can't tell from the pictures. To me, sometimes a SB fluorescence is a good deal, but it depends on the properties of each stone. On an I color it may face up whiter, and just be part of the stone's identifying characteristics, OR it could have a haziness to it, based on HOW strong the fluorescence is...

 

[Nicrez]

Date: 11/28/2007 11:06:37 AM
Author: milton333
It could be that. I notice that the grading report has symmetry as ''good'' rather than ''very good,'' ''excellent,'' or ''ideal,'' though. Like I said, you''ve seen it in person, and have a better sense of whether that symmetry is an issue with your stone.

This is often the case for a stone that in general has less than stellar symmetry, but any step cut you will not easily find excellent. Premium for that if you do. Ideal does not exist in GIA, so I am not sure IDEAL is used on anything outside of rounds on the more popular labs besides GIA.

Also, since grading is subjective I have seen better "Goods" than some "VG"s so I always take those with a grain of salt. I have seen stones that are not visually too bad in symmetry at Good. It''s still fine. "Fair" or "Poor" are the grades to REALLY run from...

 

[dolphingirl22]

Thank you so much for the advice. I haven''t been able to see it in sunlight yet since it has been snowing here. From what I can tell it doesn''t look hazy at all and faces up white. You can see a tinge of yellow when looking through the side, but it doesn''t bother me. The stone in my engagement ring is a J color and I love it. I will have to try the paper "boat" trick. I have a niikon D50 with a macro lens...so I don''t think its the camera, its the operator

 

[chrono]

It really is so hard to comment from those pictures. Natural light is best and if you have calipers or something to hold the stone straight, it would help a lot.

 

[gtn]

Date: 11/28/2007 11:16:01 AM
Author: Nicrez
Dolphingirl22,


The stone may be fine, but the pictures are fuzzy or crooked, and even a photograph perfectly done can not show a stone''s true life in my opinion, so I am sure it''s lovelier in person...


Try photographing it by this method.


1. Make a boat out of white paper where you fold a small paper in half, then folding each half again, but in the opposite direction to allow the boat to stand on its own. In profile it would look like an ''M''


2. Get good outside lighting, but not direct into the stone. Maybe a sunny day, by the window, or if not under a fluorescent lamp if you can?


3. Get a camera with a macro setting and make sure it is on. The macro button is usually a little flower shaped button or option. If not, put a magnifying lense over the camera lens and when looking through the viewfinder or screen (if digital) then make sure the stone is in focus before taking the picture.


That should help. If not, it''s your stone to enjoy. I think it could be lovely, but I can''t tell from the pictures. To me, sometimes a SB fluorescence is a good deal, but it depends on the properties of each stone. On an I color it may face up whiter, and just be part of the stone''s identifying characteristics, OR it could have a haziness to it, based on HOW strong the fluorescence is...

Nicrez - OMG, I''m going to try that "boat" technique. I have been taking pictures of my asscher, non of them good.

Dolphingirl - if you like the diamond, than go for it.