Do you ever wish you had a brilliant instead of step-cut?

[vespergirl]

This thread goes out to my fellow step-cut wearers. Even though I love my asscher for its uniqueness and the symmetry of the patterns, sometimes I really miss the sparkle of a brilliant cut. My first engagement ring (previous marriage) was an RB, but I prefer square cut stones.

When my current (and forever to come) husband took me ring shopping, I knew I wanted a sqaure cut, so we looked at asschers, princesses and luceres (a type of square radiant). My husband just doesn''t like the pointy corners on princesses, so those were out, even though I really liked them. But, I also have several friends with princesses, so I wanted something a little different. The luceres we looked at faced up even smaller than asschers for their carat weight, so even though I liked the look, we saw a 2 ct lucere that looked like a 1.25 RB, and for the amount of money they were asking, it just looked too small.

So we went to the final jeweler where I ultimately picked my ring to look at asschers & square radiants. She didn''t have any square radiants in stock & I fell in love with an asscher there, so that was that, & he bought it that day.

However, as great as my ring looked under the "magic lights" in the jewelery store, & as sparkly as it looks in mall or shop lighting, I feel like I miss the sparkly brilliance you would get from a brilliant-cut stone under regular lighting. I have a 1/2 ct RB pendant that looks like a little light next to my face, and my asscher just doesn''t look as sparkly when I hold them together. And, as much as I love the asscher pattern, it''s not something that catches your eye or creates light from afar.

Anyway, I know that this is kind of rambling, but I just wanted to see if I''m the only asscher or emerald cut owner who feels that way. Anyone else share this opinion? Have any of you traded in your step-cut for a brilliant cut? Just wanted to start a conversation about this ...

 

[indecisive]

Nope, I would want a RB in addition to my asscher but not instead of. If it is really bothering you do you have a trade-up policy? Would your DH mind?

 

[asscherisme]

Hi,
I totally get what you are saying. I was engaged with a .82ct diamond and my husband offered to upgrade me for our 12 anniversary (it was last year, it just took me a while to do it!). I was SO sure I wanted an emerald cut. I liked the steps and uniqueness. My grandma had an emerald cut that I thoght I would inherit and when she left it to my cousin I was dissapointed and decided one day I would own one.

When I went shopping and tried them on, yes they were magic in the store lighting but I realized in my day to day life, iwould miss the sparkle of a round. Even in low lights, the rounds just dance and sparkle.

I was very close to getting a step cut and maybe one day I''ll own one for my right hand. I hope so.

I read on your other thread you want to make your asscher into a 3 stone one day. Here is another idea, if you miss round brilliant maybe get a whole new ring, a 3 stone round for an anniversary gift one day. A whole new ring.

That way, you won''t hurt your husbands feelings by trading in or exchanging your engagement ring. You will still have it and wear it. But you can also have that 3 stone look with a round brilliant ring. A whole new ring for annviersary. Just an idea

 

[vespergirl]

Hi indecisive,

I''ve thought about talking to my husband about trading the asscher for a square radiant, but I''m not sure how he''d feel about it, so I haven''t brought it up. The jeweler we bought from has a 100% tradeup policy, so I could do it, but I''m not even totally sure that I want to ... sometimes I love my asscher, but sometimes I miss the brilliant look ... I guess I still need to decide!

Amylikesrocks,

That''s a great idea. I would like to wear my 3-stone as an e-ring, though - that''s what I had originally planned, but we decided to put all of our funds toward the center stone at first, and then add sidestones later. I have a friend who has an asscher with princess sidestones that looks really pretty, so I''m thinking about maybe adding square radiant sidestones when the time comes - not sure how it will look though ...

I''m thinking that maybe when I add 2 asscher sidestones, it will have more flashes and impact - I love this ring, and it''s even shown with my band - what do you think?

 

[vespergirl]

But then I see this one and can''t decide which one I like better!

 

[NYCsparkle]

wow!! i LOVE the ring with asscher sidestones.

the 2nd one is nice, but the 1st has the WOW factor.

 

[vespergirl]

Thanks NYC! I guess I still an partial to the asscher too - it funny though, I always prefer them in pics, but when I see a brilliant-cut in person, I love the sparkle!

I think the 3-stone asscher would probably have more of the impact I''m looking for ...

 

[widget]

I personallly can''t imagine wanting to trade in an asscher for an RB or radiant...to me asschers are so much more unusual, elegant, classy, mysterious....I could go on and on...

....but I know many do prefer more sparkly cuts. I guess it''s just a matter of taste and priorities.

Remounting your asscher with sides someday would greatly help increase the brightness, bling, etc. If it were me, I''d do that...and satisfy any sparkle cravings in a RHR.

widget

 

[littlelysser]

Date: 4/25/2007 12:20:52 PM
Author: widget
I personallly can''t imagine wanting to trade in an asscher for an RB or radiant...to me asschers are so much more unusual, elegant, classy, mysterious....I could go on and on...

....but I know many do prefer more sparkly cuts. I guess it''s just a matter of taste and priorities.

Remounting your asscher with sides someday would greatly help increase the brightness, bling, etc. If it were me, I''d do that...and satisfy any sparkle cravings in a RHR.

widget

Ditto. Love my asscher.

 

[decodelighted]

It''s funny ... I like square cuts too -- but DON''T really like princesses or radiants. No matter how much they sparkle they''re just too busy & squibilly for me. (Squibilly is not a real word - HA!)---

HOWEVER, as a fellow Asscher e-ring haver, I''ve been absolutley ACHING for a Tiffany Lucida bezel set pendant of late. I''ve visted them three times now & nearly break into a sweat/hives when they come into view. Same depth problem as Luceres, but they have that step cut crown that makes the brillianty-cut pavillion not only bearable to me - but EXQUISITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now - I wouldn''t want to switch e-rings. I

my Asscher & e-ring setting & wband just exactly as it is (now, after the widdle fixies). But I probably won''t rest easy until I have that Lucida pendant.

Seriously -- I''m plotting about persuing LIFE GOALS (that involve high paychecks) just to get that little sucker. If that''s not Kakakrazie I don''t know what is. (Meaning - I should be trying my hardest in life ANYWAY -- not just in pursuit of BLING

) But - hey, other people work hard for vacation homes or fancy cars or boats: I want me THAT PENDANT!!!!!

p.s. -- I also try to remind myself that a few months ago I was ga-ga over pink diamond eternity bands ... and that "passed". A year ago: Jaeger watches ... also passed. So maybe your desire to switch up your e-ring stone will pass too??? Lucida pendant -- NOT GONNA PASS EVER. (Okay - maybe it will)

 

[staci76]

Your idea of a three stone asscher diamond ring sounds perfect. I love the set in the picture you attached above...it looks gorgeous!

I have an emerald cut diamond and I wouldn''t trade it for a round no matter what. The broad flashes that come from step cuts have always attracted me more than the sparkle of a round and I don''t think rounds look as good on my hand. I think the idea of getting a RHR with a round diamond for the sparkle is a wonderful idea. Best of both worlds...

 

[Cehrabehra]

I think this is one of the things that cushions (the old cut type) really are cool about... they kinda bridge between brilliants and asschers. They aren''t step cuts, they are brilliants, but with the culets that draw and focus your eye into the center of the stone, and the large facets that create patterns (albeit more chaotic than an asscher) and have huge patches of refraction, but also have sparkles. My stone has huge sparkles, bigger than emeralds and asschers get, medium sparkles like a round, and little bitty sparkles like a princess. It needs clarity like an asscher, it shows color like an asscher, it has a falling in quality like an asscher, but it looks more like you threw a handful of different sized stones into the well rather than just one that is falling straight down. When I hear asscher owners talk about their stones I find myself thinking, wow, that reminds me of my stone, much more than when I hear people talking about rounds. Kenny once said that his stone was like Opera and I responded that my stone was like Jazz. Anyway, I think mine is the best of all worlds, but given the opportunity I want one of each anyway

 

[widget]

Hee hee Cehra....while I was waxing elequent about asschers above, a teeny voice inside me was saying: "an old- cut cushion wouldn''t be bad, either..."

Great minds...

widget

 

[musey]

Date: 4/25/2007 12:36:15 PM
Author: decodelighted
It''s funny ... I like square cuts too -- but DON''T really like princesses or radiants. No matter how much they sparkle they''re just too busy & squibilly for me. (Squibilly is not a real word - HA!)---

Yes! Squibilly! That''s exactly how I feel! I love that in some lighting my asscher sparkles and in some lighting it simply shines (like the pic in my avatar). That''s why I covet rainy days for picture-taking

I never liked princesses, but spent a long time considering radiants. I couldn''t decide until I saw both asschers & radiants in person and on my hand... then I just knew. It''s only been on my hand for 3 monthsish now, but I haven''t for a second wished I had a different cut.

I''d imagine this is how it is for most people...? Regardless of the cut. If you aren''t totally in love with your asscher, maybe you just haven''t found the right cut for you. Like Cehrabehra suggested, maybe you need something that bridges the gap.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 4/25/2007 1:15:46 PM
Author: widget
Hee hee Cehra....while I was waxing elequent about asschers above, a teeny voice inside me was saying: ''an old- cut cushion wouldn''t be bad, either...''

Great minds...

widget

as soon as I hit send I saw the first sentence in the OP and went oh man, I''m not a fellow step cut owner!! But for many of the issues they share I feel like a close cousin!!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 4/25/2007 1:22:36 PM
Author: musey

Yes! Squibilly! That''s exactly how I feel! I love that in some lighting my asscher sparkles and in some lighting it simply shines (like the pic in my avatar). That''s why I covet rainy days for picture-taking

I never liked princesses, but spent a long time considering radiants. I couldn''t decide until I saw both asschers & radiants in person and on my hand... then I just knew. It''s only been on my hand for 3 monthsish now, but I haven''t for a second wished I had a different cut.

I''d imagine this is how it is for most people...? Regardless of the cut. If you aren''t totally in love with your asscher, maybe you just haven''t found the right cut for you. Like Cehrabehra suggested, maybe you need something that bridges the gap.

First of all I love that word squibilly LOL monthsish is a close second LOL You''re in england, right? I hear the weather there and here in oregon is very similar. I am so sick of this weather I cannot appreciate the shades of white and grey in my stone. I almost did once after a week of sun, but then a week of clouds came and I was like uggggghhhhhhhh LOL! I bet asschers are awesome in it with their contrast patterns!

 

[vespergirl]

Hey everyone, thanks for the feedback!

Widget, I think you''re right about turning it into a 3-stone. Your 3-stone asscher is the most gorgeous ring I''ve ever seen - I actually want that same design for a 3-stone. But I think it will make a bigger impact having some sidestones.

Cehra, I do love cushions too, espectially yours! When we went diamond shopping, we wanted to look at squarish cushions, but they didn''t have any .. but I still think the cut corner square shape is a little more "me."

Deco, I know what you mean about the Ludica! I think the lucere I liked is sort of a Lucida knock-off - we may have actually gone with one of the luceres, but they didn''t have any in stock that we liked, and I still loved the asscher pattern in the ring - plus, I had decided years before that asschers were my favorite, so I was kind of having a one-track mind when we went shopping, and didn''t pay much attention to anything else.

Musey, after seeing your ring, maybe what I need to do is trade mine for a royal asscher! I still prefer the lines of step cuts, but I bet the RA is sparklier because of the extra facets.

I think part of my problem is that when we went shopping, we originally picked out a different stone, G color, but that was VERY deep & faced up very small (We were looking for something at least 7 x 7 mm, and the one we picked was 6.2 x 6.3). Then we went home, did research, found out the numbers weren''t quite right for an asscher, and traded it for my current stone. To go up in size, I went down to H in color, which still looks great in an RB, but in some lighting I can see the color, and now it bugs me. Plus, I think the step sizes aren''t quite as even in this one as in my smaller stone, but I didn''t notice any of that we we traded it, all I could look at was the bigger spread. Maybe when we go to add the sidestones we can trade the center for a G color ... we were just impatient to get something on my hand before the wedding, and after finding PS, sometimes I wish I had done more research earlier ... well, the store where we purchased has a lifetime 100% tradeup policy, so maybe when we add the sidestones I''ll put my newly-acquired PS knowledge to use & try to find a more "perfect" center stone ... but when it comes down to it, every time I''ve tried on a different diamond, I end up missing my asscher!

 

[musey]

Date: 4/25/2007 1:40:37 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
You're in england, right? I hear the weather there and here in oregon is very similar. I am so sick of this weather I cannot appreciate the shades of white and grey in my stone. I almost did once after a week of sun, but then a week of clouds came and I was like uggggghhhhhhhh LOL! I bet asschers are awesome in it with their contrast patterns!

Me? England? I wish! I've never been. Grew up in a midwestern farm town and now live in Los Angeles

Date: 4/25/2007 1:42:53 PM
Author: vespergirl

Musey, after seeing your ring, maybe what I need to do is trade mine for a royal asscher! I still prefer the lines of step cuts, but I bet the RA is sparklier because of the extra facets.

Vesper, it's so funny, yours continues to be my FAVORITE asscher on PS. Maybe the RA's are a little sparklier, but if there's anything I don't like about my asscher it's that the skinny skinny steps don't achieve the same mile-deep look as the wider-step non-royals. In some lighting it falls flat because of that. I guess it's a trade-off!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 4/25/2007 1:43:49 PM
Author: musey

Date: 4/25/2007 1:40:37 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
You''re in england, right? I hear the weather there and here in oregon is very similar. I am so sick of this weather I cannot appreciate the shades of white and grey in my stone. I almost did once after a week of sun, but then a week of clouds came and I was like uggggghhhhhhhh LOL! I bet asschers are awesome in it with their contrast patterns!

Me? England? I wish! I''ve never been. Grew up in a midwestern farm town and now live in Los Angeles

now WHY was I thinking that??????? LOL!!!!!!! LA is a far cry from england!! lol!

 

[musey]

Date: 4/25/2007 1:46:20 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 4/25/2007 1:43:49 PM

Author: musey

Me? England? I wish! I've never been. Grew up in a midwestern farm town and now live in Los Angeles

now WHY was I thinking that??????? LOL!!!!!!! LA is a far cry from england!! lol!

Maybe it's my super-refined vocabulary

heehee

 

[vespergirl]

Oh my gosh, thanks Musey! I have spent a lot of time on here coveting your RA, but one that size would be WAY out of reach for us I was really admiring your setting (are those bead set diamonds? I love that vintage look - especially the tapered sides) when I was thinking about how to jazz up my solitaire, but since my band is asschers & kind of modern looking, I wasn''t sure if it would look right unless I got a different band (I can''t though - I''m actually kind of sentimental about the band

Have you picked out your wedding band yet? Can''t wait to see the final set after the big day!

 

[musey]

Date: 4/25/2007 2:13:42 PM
Author: vespergirl
Oh my gosh, thanks Musey! I have spent a lot of time on here coveting your RA, but one that size would be WAY out of reach for us I was really admiring your setting (are those bead set diamonds? I love that vintage look - especially the tapered sides) when I was thinking about how to jazz up my solitaire, but since my band is asschers & kind of modern looking, I wasn't sure if it would look right unless I got a different band (I can't though - I'm actually kind of sentimental about the band


Have you picked out your wedding band yet? Can't wait to see the final set after the big day!

The whole RA thing is crazy--I thought I could never get one (um, REEEEEdiculous prices) but a lot of things just kind of fell into place with it I guess. Anyway!! Yes, bead set--it's a Vatche setting, most of the PS'ers told me it wouldn't go with an asscher but I'm glad I didn't listen

I actually want a plain band and later an anniversary ring w/ mixed shapes to stack allll together.

I absolutely adore your set, and wouldn't change it. If it's not making you happy though, you know we'll all still be cheering you on! It's all about what you love, what makes you happy

 

[Gypsy]

Yes, I definitely do. I would love to have a square cushion, a lucida, a flanders or other similar cut diamond. No a princess or a radiant though. If I had the chance to do it all over again though? I''d go for an oval. Not common, great spread and looks great E/W.

 

[asscherisme]

I love the three stone asscher you posted. If you do go 3 stone, I would not mix shapes. I would keep asscher with asscher. OR keep it as a solitaire and get a 3 stone round.

 

[february2003bride]

VG- I adore square and rectangular cuts (brillant and step-cuts) but I understand what you are saying. When I see a stunning RB IRL or here on PS (where rounds rule!), if it''s in the right setting (like Belle''s or JCrow''s) I do think how fab it would be to own a RB. However, I own a gorgeous (IMO) princess that is being reset into a three stone through WhiteFlash, so I can''t complain!!

If you changed to a round, wouldn''t you have to change your gorgeous wedding band as well??

Someday I''d like to own an emerald cut in a pave setting or a three stone emerald RHR. But for now, I have mixed shapes; my e-ring will be a three stone princess, my new wedding band is round eternity, and my earrings are bezel set rounds. I appreciate ALL diamond shapes and personally think your set is stunning!!

 

[february2003bride]

Date: 4/25/2007 12:13:54 PM
Author: vespergirl
Thanks NYC! I guess I still an partial to the asscher too - it funny though, I always prefer them in pics, but when I see a brilliant-cut in person, I love the sparkle!

I think the 3-stone asscher would probably have more of the impact I''m looking for ...

Which is one of the reasons I''m having mine turned into a three stone. I like my center stone size (1.06) but wanted something "extra" on the setting, and enough of a change to justify the cost! Would your DH be ok with you changing to a three stone asscher?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I really LOVE having a step cut. They are more rare where I live and I love that people are always asking about the cut. I get tons of sparkle from my EC and I love the way it compliments my setting. I agree, I would love to add to my collection but I would never replace my EC.

 

[Allisonfaye]

I started off with a Lucere and I wasn''t thrilled with it either so I upgraded to a Regent. I love the cushion cuts but I am planning to upgrade again in a few years and I will either get a RB or a larger cushion but I am not sure yet.

It''s hard to pick something that you will love for the rest of your life. Plus, if you are a diamond lover, you find it hard to settle on one style.

 

[vespergirl]

Hi everyone, thanks for your feedback! I think that I''m probably going to turn the solitaire into a 3-stone in a couple of years. Taking another peek at Widget''s ring helped me make the decision

Alison, thanks for your comment about the lucere - it makes me feel a little better about passing it up. I do also love the flanders cuts, but they are so hard to find!

February, I love your ring as it is but it''s going to be incredible as a 3 stone!

I also really like the idea of getting a RHR with a brilliant cut - that will give me something to look forward to for another anniversary!