What's your favorite square step-cut style for a CS?

[endless_summer]

There are so many different varieties of square step cuts, that I'm curious as to what your favorite square step-cut style might be!

If you have any reason for your preferences, I'd love to hear them, in particular if the type of CS influences which you like the best. I'm thinking the majority of folks go for the straight-up asscher, but what about the more simple step cuts or the in between square EC/modified asschers (e.g., my best understanding is that this means the pavilion diagonal facets stop short of meeting at the point in the middle of the pavilion - if I'm wrong, I welcome education as to how to refer to these)?

Example pics attached of course!

 

[mochiko42]

Throwing in a step cut ametrine that I recently purchased. My ideal is an ametrine asscher but while I'm waiting for that, I got this for a nice price to "fill the gap" for now. Still, I find I prefer the look of asschers for CS because it helps low RI gems better than a simple step cut. This one is pretty but it's not the same as the asscher I'm waiting / searching for...

 

[endless_summer]

That's a really good point Mochiko, and I think you're ametrine is really very pretty - even if its a stop-gap for you - it's quite a nice one!

 

[FrekeChild]

I'm sure there is a technical term for it, but I'd amend your description to:

Corner pavilion facets stop short of meeting at the culet.

I prefer a true asscher, but stop short of Royal Asschers. Kelpie has one of the only Colored Stones that I know of that's cut in the same pattern as a Royal Asscher (cut by Gene, it's a HUGE pink tourmaline) and the only Royal Asscher diamond I know of belongs to Musey, who no longer posts to PS.

The signature cut of Royal Asscher, the inimitable, patent protected Royal Asscher Cut is considered to be one of the most beautiful diamond cuts ever created. It now features in a series of collections designed by Lita Asscher, sixth generation Asscher diamantaire.

http://www.royalasscher.com/

I don't get it either. But apparently they are very protective over their patented name and cut! I do think that it's limited to diamonds, since other gems have different ideal angles. But perhaps someone who knows better than I can step in.

Also, check out LaurenThePartier for an amazing collection of asschers!

Oh, and I really love carre cut stones, but you don't see a lot of square cut stones in general in colored stones, so carres (step cut squares with corners intact) are pretty rare.

 

[endless_summer]

FrekeChild - I appreciate your helping with the description, and I think Kelpie's stone is amazing (as are yours!)!

I really like the honest-to-goodness asschers too, but sometimes they make me dizzy to look at them. I feel like a lot of folks put examples of the third pic into the asscher bucket, but they are different - it's just figuring out how to call them. For example, one of swissmiss's lovely choices (attached) when she was picking out her e-ring stone had cut-corner facets that didn't quite come to the culet, and the cut corners themselves weren't quite as exaggerated and wide of some examples I've seen (another thing that I like) - that said, it was still quite mesmerizing! Do you/most people put this in between example in the asscher bucket?

 

[endless_summer]

Here's another example of an in between where you can really see where the cut corner facets stop - at the very last square rather than the culet, which is my favorite. I know the color is on the darker side, so you can see all of the other faceting, but for the diagonals, this one is one of the easier IRL photos I've seen that show it well. Square EC bucket? Asscher bucket?

 

[LoversKites]

I chose asscher.

In general I prefer asscher but with rubies (and emeralds, but not as much) I have a strange affinity with step cuts - they're hard to find though!

 

[endless_summer]

+1, yes they are - extraordinarily so!!!

 

[pregcurious]

I am going over to Doug Menadue's website to figure out the different Asscher cuts

 

[endless_summer]

I am going over to Doug Menadue's website to figure out the different Asscher cuts

Yes, please - I didn't know that such a site explaining it existed! I looked but sadly did not find. And...I'm sure the reason for this post is quite apparent now

 

[chrono]

Wide windmills and a perfect octagonal outline is the sweet spot for me.

 

[endless_summer]

Wide windmills and a perfect octagonal outline is the sweet spot for me.

They are beautiful - I love your pink spinel from Jeff and FrekeChild's as well. One day, I would love to have one; I really like the way that they look in the lighter pastels like you & FrekeChild's pink and the couple of minty-green examples I've seen on the forum as well

 

[FrekeChild]

Bah. I love step cuts but they are complicated with terminology. I'm a bit stodgy in that I would only call a cut that has cut corners and the windmills all the way down to the culet an asscher. The others, to me, are square stepcut emeralds to some degree.

I've also seen square stepcut octagon used as well when describing the cuts.

Carres have no windmill at all, so it's just a step cut square.

I'm a bit picky about outlines more than anything else. I don't like the octagonal stop sign shape - I like my windmills to have a shorter length than the NSEW sides.

And thank you for your kind words about my stones. I love step cut stones very much.

 

[endless_summer]

Bah. I love step cuts but they are complicated with terminology. I'm a bit stodgy in that I would only call a cut that has cut corners and the windmills all the way down to the culet an asscher. The others, to me, are square stepcut emeralds to some degree.

I've also seen square stepcut octagon used as well when describing the cuts.

Carres have no windmill at all, so it's just a step cut square.

I'm a bit picky about outlines more than anything else. I don't like the octagonal stop sign shape - I like my windmills to have a shorter length than the NSEW sides.

And thank you for your kind words about my stones. I love step cut stones very much.

The terminology is very confusing - I feel like there are a lot of name to call a range of cuts, but no particular names that describe the variations. And, of course I have kind words for your stones - they're gorgeous!!!

 

[NKOTB]

This is probably my favourite step cut square. This is a mint garnet from Peter Torraca.

 

[endless_summer]

This is probably my favourite step cut square. This is a mint garnet from Peter Torraca.

That is really beautiful! I don't think I've ever seen such a pretty straight square step cut, and the color is quite stunning as well!

 

[FrekeChild]

I love that thing.