Opinion on this lab diamond

[swaye2010]

Hi everyone...

I have been looking for an affordable lab square emerald for awhile now and I saw a few posted through Tianyu Gems. I put a deposit down during one of their sales as I had seen 2 other purchases of their square emerald’s/Asscher style lab diamonds. The video below is the first one they did and we were shooting for around 8.5 mm in my budget and G or F/G range VS quality. I don’t like my diamonds too white although since this is CVD, I don’t want to go down too far down in color or it might have a lot of brown tint. I do love my Asscher gemstone halo (avatar) that I did about a year ago and I plan on making another bezel halo but with a few changes to the size of the halo stones and a couple of design changes on the shank.

They do have a 2nd lab diamond coming in from from IGI that they will show me to compare. I know they were disappointed that this one was an H and they are trying to please me with what I asked for. I don’t want to go below an H but center size is still important to me. I need some opinions on the cut though. I showed it to my jeweler and he thought he could see a window when watching the first video. He hasn’t seen the 2nd as it was too late and I won’t talk to him again until Monday.

https://imgur.com/a/ham2Fyp

https://imgur.com/a/fPE1FRa

This isn’t an e-ring but a secondary ring of a cut and style that I love.

TIA!

 

[123ducklings]

Swaye you are such a fountain of knowledge! I’m hoping some asscher ladies can chime in, @monipod @diamondhoarder @whitewave

 

[swaye2010]

Swaye you are such a fountain of knowledge! I’m hoping some asscher ladies can chime in, @monipod @diamondhoarder @whitewave

Thanks! I don’t know enough about diamond cuts though in this style which is why I hope someone else chimes in. They have a 2nd option coming so hopefully I will have 2 to compare.

 

[whitewave]

Its hard to tell because they may be holding the camera too close to the stone. I don’t see any steps lighting up.

 

[diamondhoarder]

In the video you can see the reflection of the pavilion in the mirrored turntable. It shows a bulge in the pavilion where the cutter has hidden extra weight. And the angle tapers right off towards the culet which can lead to light leakage in the centre of the diamond under the table if the angle is too shallow.

Part of the joy of an asscher is evenly spaced "steps" when viewing the diamond straight on, and those steps should flash on and off as the diamond turns.. I don't see that with this asscher (especially under the table) and I think that while it may be lively through the crown facets it may look a little lifeless under the table. I suspect that because of the bulged pavilion it will also face up small for the carat weight.

With lab diamonds it should be possible to get a better propotioned asscher, since there is less incentive for the cutter to cut for weight retention, due to the value of the rough material being far lower than for a natural diamond.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

This helped me from buying a couple pound puppies:
Go to BN or JA and pick out a narrow range of sizes and colors, ignoring the cut. Start with the most expensive in that range and stare at several videos. Then flip to the cheapest. You'll start to see the differences.

 

[monipod]

It’s a bit off in the centre with what looks like steps missing. I would keep looking. Asschers are very hard to judge but as @Ibrakeforpossums said, look as at many as you can until you get a feel for what you like personally as well as what looks right. Don’t rush it!

 

[swaye2010]

This helped me from buying a couple pound puppies:
Go to BN or JA and pick out a narrow range of sizes and colors, ignoring the cut. Start with the most expensive in that range and stare at several videos. Then flip to the cheapest. You'll start to see the differences.

They seem to skip the steps in the center. I like the style from Diamond Foundry.

I am trying to figure out if it is an Asscher or square emerald?

I am looking at the James Allen mined that are most expensive. They are all so different. The 2nd row right and the 4th row right are very pretty. I am having a hard time trying to figure out what mine looks like compared to these?

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I won’t be able to get the pricing from another vendor. I know they will sell any of the ones I don’t buy so I am not worried since this is no hurry.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Unless you have videos shot under identical conditions, comparison would be a challenge. Everything about these diamonds is a challenge, I guess.
I like that 1.91 F SI 1 in the 2nd row.

 

[monipod]

Finally on my laptop to be able to weight in properly. The stone in the original post is not very nice, now that I've reallylooked at it, though still really hard to judge. I don't think there are missing steps so much as the stone being cut badly that the steps aren't even, or the angle of the pavilions aren't quite right that you can't see the steps in the centre area? Either way, I think it's a hard pass.

Asschers... So so hard. I spent months looking for the perfect (and affordable) one. The reason why I turned to lab stones is that I needed a bigger pool to choose from. And given how small they face up, I realised that I needed at least 1.5 ct.

For me personally, I wanted the perfect 1:1 ratio as well as even steps. I didn't want tiny clipped corners but nor did I want an octagon lol. I wasn't actually fussed about colour but clarity was paramount for this purchase. I posted about my stone here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/lab-asscher-arrived-i-cant-even.259857

The videos probably show off the stone best. Fast forward a few months later and it's now set in a ring and I'm very happy. However! The one thing I realised with Asschers is that in all likelihood, unless you have a 5ct rock, the minor flaws may not be that obvious in real life. To be honest, there are moments out in the sun that my beauty may as well be a cushion or princess because it's blindingly sparkly that I can't make up the steps.

So my point? I think it's VERY important to view an Asscher at its actual size rather than the magnified views we first see (and judge the stone by) on vendor's sites. I shrunk the original video of my stone using my iPhone (see the two videos in my post) and it makes all the difference. I might poo poo half the stones listed on the JA link but they might actually look good at real size and real life.

 

[swaye2010]

Finally on my laptop to be able to weight in properly. The stone in the original post is not very nice, now that I've reallylooked at it, though still really hard to judge. I don't think there are missing steps so much as the stone being cut badly that the steps aren't even, or the angle of the pavilions aren't quite right that you can't see the steps in the centre area? Either way, I think it's a hard pass.

Asschers... So so hard. I spent months looking for the perfect (and affordable) one. The reason why I turned to lab stones is that I needed a bigger pool to choose from. And given how small they face up, I realised that I needed at least 1.5 ct.

For me personally, I wanted the perfect 1:1 ratio as well as even steps. I didn't want tiny clipped corners but nor did I want an octagon lol. I wasn't actually fussed about colour but clarity was paramount for this purchase. I posted about my stone here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/lab-asscher-arrived-i-cant-even.259857

The videos probably show off the stone best. Fast forward a few months later and it's now set in a ring and I'm very happy. However! The one thing I realised with Asschers is that in all likelihood, unless you have a 5ct rock, the minor flaws may not be that obvious in real life. To be honest, there are moments out in the sun that my beauty may as well be a cushion or princess because it's blindingly sparkly that I can't make up the steps.

So my point? I think it's VERY important to view an Asscher at its actual size rather than the magnified views we first see (and judge the stone by) on vendor's sites. I shrunk the original video of my stone using my iPhone (see the two videos in my post) and it makes all the difference. I might poo poo half the stones listed on the JA link but they might actually look good at real size and real life.

Thanks for all the additional info. I am going to see what the second one comes back looking like before I make a decision. In the meantime, I will look through your thread. I have a good idea about the size as I have more rings then finger’s these days and I will be putting it in a halo like my Avatar but with larger single cuts. The clarity and size are the most important to me. I am willing to go down to an H in color but need to be over 8mm. The cut is also very important so I am patient to find the right stone.

 

[monipod]

Thanks for all the additional info... I will be putting it in a halo like my Avatar but with larger single cuts. The clarity and size are the most important to me. I am willing to go down to an H in color but need to be over 8mm. The cut is also very important so I am patient to find the right stone.

And might I say what a gorgeous ring it is in your avatar! I do have a soft spot for coloured stones in Asscher cut too... Diamonds are so unforgiving where Asscher cuts are so your patience will be rewarded. So you're looking at a 3.2 - 3.5 ct stone? It will be a task to find her but you'll be so happy when you do.

 

[swaye2010]

And might I say what a gorgeous ring it is in your avatar! I do have a soft spot for coloured stones in Asscher cut too... Diamonds are so unforgiving where Asscher cuts are so your patience will be rewarded. So you're looking at a 3.2 - 3.5 ct stone? It will be a task to find her but you'll be so happy when you do.

My avatar is 9 mm. I want to be between 8-8.5 mm, which I think is around 3.5 carats. It is a bummer they face up so small. Someone sent me a photo of the Pippa Middleton’s ring and it looks similar to my aqua but with a diamond and I think single cuts. I just want to make it a little smaller then my aqua since that one is 14 grams of platinum weight. I like a heavy ring but it is a bit too big & heavy for everyday wear.

I do hope the next one they sent to IGI will be better cut. I can’t beat the prices they have so I will eventually have to pick something. It is not easy to find lab diamonds in these sizes and the lab’s can still get pretty expensive.