Need Help finding Asscher

[qqq]

Ok, so here's the deal. First off, I would like to say hello to everyone. I just found this site about a week ago (so glad that I did!). It seems that there is a wealth of information and knowledge on this forum. In fact, I've spent at least 5 hours a day searching through the forms, and reading up on stuff since I found it. I already feel 100 times more up to speed on engagement rings than I did a week ago. Anyway, I plan on proposing to my girlfriend in a couple months, so it's time to really start making some plans for the ring.

Here's my basic idea: I want to do a ~ 1.5 carat Asscher cut w/custom halo setting, a la the Daniel K "empress" (love that look), but I'm thinking about doing the halo with pink diamonds possibly.

So my first thing is... I need help picking out the Asscher. Just from reading what I have on the forums over the last few days, it seems like kind of a complicated cut as far as finding the "right" diamond. I was think along the lines of ~1.5 carat, G-H, VS1-VS2. I know there are many knowledgeable asscher peeps on this board, so any help that can be offered would be greatly appreciated. From what I have seen, it seems like DirtCheapDiamonds has the best price/selection of asschers.

Second, is the custom setting. What are some good places to do the type of work I am looking to do, and does anyone have a ballpark figure on what kind of price I would be looking at for this? Do you think doing the halo with pink diamonds would make a huge diff. in price? Again any help would be greatly appreciated.

qqq

 

[TxBlonde]

I''ve read on here that goodoldgold is great for finding asschers. I''m currently working on my own asscher engagement ring with whiteflash. My ring is being custom done. I actually saw the thread on all of their custom rings and I decided to go with them but there seem to be many impressive vendors around here.

 

[strmrdr]

The most important thing with asschers is that the vendor have it in stock or that they call it in and provide quality photos.

DCD aka www.jamesallen.com is a good outfit and can call asschers in and get some pictures for you.
Once you have the pictures we can help from there.

Pinks are more expensive than whites when it comes to melee.
$12 to $15k would likely be a good ballpark figure for the diamond and setting together.

 

[strmrdr]

Here is one that caught my eye as being one to have brought in for photos.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?item=748274&cid=131

 

[qqq]

Thanks for the replies. Here are a couple that I found on DCD that looked like a good deal. Do these sound worthy of taking a look at?
http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=6788059
http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=9157587

Also, I contacted them yesterday about getting some pics of the diamonds, but they said they would have to ship it in to their Maryland office to get some pics, and it will cost me $40 per diamond for them to do this. Is this normal practice?

Thanks,
qqq

 

[strmrdr]

second one is off square and the table is a little big.

First question on the first is which egl?
The better asschers that Iv ran into usualy have gia certs the worst ones seem to get sent to the various egl labs for the cheaper certs.
Not always but its often the case.

$40 call in fee is pretty standard, GOG at times will call a couple in for free depending on what they have in stock and what they need.

dcd and jamesallen.com are ran by the same people/same company.

 

[qqq]

Also, I''ve heard the names Leon Mege, Quest, Wink Jones, WF, GOG thrown around a lot on this forum as good places to go for custom settings. Does anybody have any opinion on which would be the best fit for the type of setting I want to do? Relative cost of each different place?

Thanks,
qqq

 

[qqq]

Date: 2/14/2006 11:49:53 AM
Author: strmrdr
second one is off square and the table is a little big.

First question on the first is which egl?
The better asschers that Iv ran into usualy have gia certs the worst ones seem to get sent to the various egl labs for the cheaper certs.
Not always but its often the case.

$40 call in fee is pretty standard, GOG at times will call a couple in for free depending on what they have in stock and what they need.

dcd and jamesallen.com are ran by the same people/same company.

What do you mean by "which egl?"

 

[strmrdr]

dcd/jamesallen can also handle custom work.
Out of the ones mentioned iv heard from happy customers from all of them.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 2/14/2006 11:54:48 AM
Author: qqq

Date: 2/14/2006 11:49:53 AM

Author: strmrdr

second one is off square and the table is a little big.


First question on the first is which egl?

The better asschers that Iv ran into usualy have gia certs the worst ones seem to get sent to the various egl labs for the cheaper certs.

Not always but its often the case.


$40 call in fee is pretty standard, GOG at times will call a couple in for free depending on what they have in stock and what they need.


dcd and jamesallen.com are ran by the same people/same company.

What do you mean by ''which egl?''

There is more than one egl
egl-usa is usualy pretty close to gia grading where the rest of the egl labs are known for soft grading.
1 to 2 color and 1 or 2 clarity grades off isnt uncommon compared to gia with the rest of them.

 

[Kaleigh]

qqq,
I bought my asscher from GOG and had Quest do a custom setting for me.

 

[dani13]

Kaleigh had a similar ring to your''s made by Quest...if u do a search I am sure you can pull it up. Also, Dazedland''s ring is an asscher with a halo- she had her''s made by Whiteflash..both are reputable vendors around here...but I think just for that kind of setting you are looking at $3-4,000 on average, depending on what you choose, and not including center stone. I have also heard good things about James Allen''s settings...

 

[qqq]

Thanks for all the comments everyone. Keep it comin''. And yeah, Kaleigh''s and Dazedland''s rings are amazing. Those settings are very similar to what I am looking for. Is there a way to pm members of this board?

 

[Kaleigh]

Better ask your questions here, PM''s are gone now.

 

[qqq]

What do you think is the minimum clarity grade to look for in an asscher...Is SI1 too low?

 

[qqq]

Date: 2/14/2006 12:18:55 PM
Author: kaleigh
Better ask your questions here, PM''s are gone now.

Ok, I just wanted to ask about the pricing on some of the settings I saw. Didn''t want to have to ask people to post that info publicly if they didn''t feel comfortable doing that.

 

[Kaleigh]

Yes I wouldn't go below a VS2. Mine is a VS1.

 

[qqq]

Date: 2/14/2006 12:22:10 PM
Author: kaleigh
Yes I wouldn''t go below a VS2. Mine is a VS1.

That''s what I was thinking. Just trying to find a way to get as good a value on the diamond as possible, and stay within budget.

 

[Kaleigh]

With any step cuts you have to have a better clarity. I''m afraid the inclusions would be too visible in a SI1.

 

[SquareCut]

It is expensive to ship the stones back and forth but not all of the vendors on this site charge you $40 to "call in the stone". Because many of the stones are located in the diamond district, the vendors there can simply pick up the stone from their neighbors on 47th street. If I had to pay for every stone I looked at, I''d be out hundreds of dollars.

 

[qqq]

Date: 2/14/2006 12:30:12 PM
Author: SquareCut
It is expensive to ship the stones back and forth but not all of the vendors on this site charge you $40 to ''call in the stone''. Because many of the stones are located in the diamond district, the vendors there can simply pick up the stone from their neighbors on 47th street. If I had to pay for every stone I looked at, I''d be out hundreds of dollars.

Yeah it seems like that would get a little pricey. I sent them an email and asked if they had any in-store that they could send me some pics of. I guess becasue the ones I asked about originally were EGL, they didn''t have them on hand.

 

[SquareCut]

Have you checked GOG and Whiteflash? i believe they have some in-house stock but the others vendors may not have any. A $40 charge to ship is a fair price because it actually costs more than that to ship and insure the diamond both ways, but obviously it''s cheaper and easier to not have to fedex the diamonds around.

 

[qqq]

Date: 2/14/2006 12:41:55 PM
Author: SquareCut
Have you checked GOG and Whiteflash? i believe they have some in-house stock but the others vendors may not have any. A $40 charge to ship is a fair price because it actually costs more than that to ship and insure the diamond both ways, but obviously it''s cheaper and easier to not have to fedex the diamonds around.

I''ll check it out. Thanks!

 

[qqq]

What do you all think about an I colored Asscher with Flourescence? Or stick to H and better?

 

[Kaleigh]

I''d stick with an H.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I'm with Kaleigh . . . I'd stick with H or above.

Also, my fiance just had WF source my stone and create my setting, and apparently the first stone they helped my fiance pick to bring in was the "one". You never can tell with numbers alone, but I definitely would trust WF to find any other future Asschers for us.

I think they did a fantastic job, although my setting is definitely the anti-thesis of your vision.

My Bezel Set Asscher

 

[qqq]

Ok, any winners in this bunch....?

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Compare_Diamonds.aspx?idnos=2001078,2169768,2143540,2219706,1746860

 

[qqq]

Date: 2/14/2006 1:09:46 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
I''m with Kaleigh . . . I''d stick with H or above.

Also, my fiance just had WF source my stone and create my setting, and apparently the first stone they helped my fiance pick to bring in was the ''one''. You never can tell with numbers alone, but I definitely would trust WF to find any other future Asschers for us.

I think they did a fantastic job, although my setting is definitely the anti-thesis of your vision.

My Bezel Set Asscher

Thanks Lauren. WF is definitely on my list of possibilities. It''s good to hear you had a very positive experience with them.

 

[littlelysser]

My asscher is an I, and I am very happy with the color...but I may have gotten a little lucky on that one...

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 2/14/2006 1:23:50 PM
Author: qqq
Ok, any winners in this bunch....?


http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Compare_Diamonds.aspx?idnos=2001078,2169768,2143540,2219706,1746860

not by the numbers
None of em are in stock so no pictures without calling them in.