Steptastic!!! - my new 1.59ct Asscher & Tapered Baguettes Ring

[Diamond Girl 21]

Gorgeous!!!❤

 

[Catmom]

There was a very long and winding route to acquiring this asscher I first discovered asschers a few years ago when I came across a stunning antique ring in a jewellery shop window. The diamond had intriguing steps and large clipped corners, and even though it was way out of budget and I was not in the market for a diamond ring at the time, I had to go into the store and find out all about it. This was beginning of my longing to find a beautiful asscher of my own, but at the time I had no idea about all of the factors that contribute to making a beautiful example of an asscher diamond.

Over the years I have not missed the opportunity to look in every jewellery shop window I passed, anywhere I went, in the hope of seeing more examples of asscher diamonds. My lovely long-suffering husband has accepted that jewellery window shopping will be a built-in element of days out and holidays annd he has even become quite the expert in what to look for, after listening to me banging on for hours about it all. But they are not a particularly common site here in the UK, and especially not in sizes large enough to appreciate all the details of the geometric patterns. Various threads on PS, along with online diamond vendor sites and IG have fuelled the obsession over the years.

I chose a round brilliant for my enagement ring because I wanted the classic sparkle for my everyday ring, and I have never regretted this decision. But a part of me has always been on the look out for a right hand ring asscher which ticks all my boxes and scratches the itch. It has been sooooo difficult finding exactly the right stone which is bright under the table as well as through the crown facets, has evenly spaced well defined steps that flash on and off, loads of fire, large clipped corners creating beautiful windmills which light up as much as the other facets. I wanted a white-facing stone which would also face up a good size for the carat weight, and be large enough for me to appreciate the beautiful step patterning. I also wanted a diamond that could hold its own against some of my other diamond rings without looking too "quiet"

I had a few near misses, and ended up ordering and returning a couple of "almost perfect" examples, until I found my 1.59ct H VVS1 on Bluenile.

Here are the specs:

Length/Width Ratio 1.00
Depth % 66.3%
Table % 61.0%
Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent
Girdle Medium to Slightly Thick
Culet None
Measurements 6.55 x 6.52 x 4.32 mm

I loved the video so much that I ordered the diamond without seeing an ASET image, and was very pleasantly surprised when I viewed it with my own ASET scope at home. Here it is loose:



Here is a previous thread with more photos/ video of the loose diamond:

Choosing an asscher is a little like choosing a husband..........

1) They come in all styles and sizes and it takes time to find the right one 2) You can't choose them by the numbers alone 2) You may swipe left on the vast majority you see 3) You may swipe right on a few, only discover below-par performance 3) Sometimes the right one turns up when you least...

www.pricescope.com

There was a lot of agonising over the design for the ring setting, but I eventually decided that I wanted to stick with something fairly simple with step cut side stones that would be easy to clean in a powerful ultrasonic without worrying about little diamonds coming loose. Asschers definitely need to be clean to get the maximum wow factor.

Anyway, here is the finished ring with 0.33cts tapered baguettes:

It's just gorgeous! There's just something about a step cut that gets me every time.

 

[Dr_Diesel]

I've never seen a Royal Asscher IRL but there's one on JBG that has similar "Oh my goodness!" quality that yours has. If anyone has more experience with RAs, I'd love to see a comment.

Good eye!

Side-by-Side ASET images of my old branded Royal Asscher and this Asscher

@diamondhoarder …nice work! And without paying the premium!!!

Moreover, I suspect this one may be brighter under the table than the RA.

Bravo!!!

 

[Ionysis]

That’s absolutely beautiful! The centre and the accents and the making. It’s suits you so well. I hope you enjoy it to the max!

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Beautiful! And the design of the ring is perfection!

Enjoy!

 

[diamondhoarder]

Good eye!

Side-by-Side ASET images of my old branded Royal Asscher and this Asscher

@diamondhoarder …nice work! And without paying the premium!!!

Moreover, I suspect this one may be brighter under the table than the RA.

Bravo!!!

Thanks for that side by side comparison, its amazing how similar they are! Although mine has a 3 step pavillion rather than a 5 step. It is generally very bright under the table. Sometimes in very low lighting its a bit less bright.

The table on mine is a little larger than yours was, I think, although it does seem to translate to little extra face-up size.

 

[Lisag103]

Thanks. I did agonise over the right shape and proportions for the side stones for a long time. Mine are: 4.6 x 2.7 x 1.9.

When working out stone layouts I have found it helpful to make a scaled up drawing of my centre stone and cut it out so that I can "try out" other shapes of side stones in different sizes next to it. And then I photograph the different layouts and compare the images side by side.

Thank you so much. I will need to chose carefully as I want good portions.

I am a little confused though and am having difficulty choosing a size. I have a ring with baguettes that are 3.5 x 2.5 x 2 but they look tiny compared to yours. Does the longer length make them larger and wider also? I am new to baguettes!

here is my ring and you can see how dainty the baguettes are. Ring size 6. I’d I want chunkier do I need to go longer or wider. I thought wider but I’m not so sure now! Any advice?

 

[diamondhoarder]

Thank you so much. I will need to chose carefully as I want good portions.

I am a little confused though and am having difficulty choosing a size. I have a ring with baguettes that are 3.5 x 2.5 x 2 but they look tiny compared to yours. Does the longer length make them larger and wider also? I am new to baguettes!

here is my ring and you can see how dainty the baguettes are. Ring size 6. I’d I want chunkier do I need to go longer or wider. I thought wider but I’m not so sure now! Any advice?

Its all relative to the dimensions of the centre diamond, and since yours has a halo that is adding additional mm to the overall look of the centre diamond. Also the appearance of side tapered baguettes does vary depending on the angle they are positioned at. If you look at my side view, mine are gently angled so you probably see more of the length when viewing the ring face on. But if you want chunkier sides then I would probably opt for longer AND wider.

 

[diamondhoarder]

Not even a week ago I was wondering about the Asscher you bought. I thought, surely she still has it. And here it is, the setting perfectly complementing the diamond but not competing with it. Lovely taste and restraint! I have two stepcuts set in this style but yours is done to the Nth degree.

You are too kind Your asscher ring is pretty eyecatching, if I remember rightly from the photo.

I've never seen a Royal Asscher IRL but there's one on JBG that has similar "Oh my goodness!" quality that yours has. If anyone has more experience with RAs, I'd love to see a comment.

There was a loose one on JBEG which sold a few years ago and I found it on the site just after it sold. I was gutted! So I think that the general RA look has been imprinted in my mind for some time as a template for what my ideal looking asscher would look like.

Diamondhoarder, just beautifully done. A classic ring for future generations.

My daughter already has her eye on it!

 

[KristyDarling]

This takes my breath away! The stone, the perfect baguettes, the setting!! Wow!!

 

[MiniMinerva]

Absolutely stunning! Looking at your Asscher feels like looking into a soul...captivating!

 

[Dr_Diesel]

Although mine has a 3 step pavillion rather than a 5 step.

The magic of virtual facets!

It is generally very bright under the table. Sometimes in very low lighting its a bit less bright.

The table on mine is a little larger than yours was, I think, although it does seem to translate to little extra face-up size.

This makes all the difference! This first bright “ring” makes the actual table size irrelevant…and significantly boosts performance under the table! The bigger face-up is a bonus! With no sacrifice in appearance!



Not to mention the nice bright windmill tips!



Gorgeous!!!!

 

[CSpan]

The magic of virtual facets!



This makes all the difference! This first bright “ring” makes the actual table size irrelevant…and significantly boosts performance under the table! The bigger face-up is a bonus! With no sacrifice in appearance!



Not to mention the nice bright windmill tips!



Gorgeous!!!!

This is super interesting and good to know for future dreaming!

Your ring is magnificent. Absolutely love it

 

[Cinders]

Fabulous!! I love asschers & yours is just brilliant!

 

[diamondhoarder]

The magic of virtual facets!



This makes all the difference! This first bright “ring” makes the actual table size irrelevant…and significantly boosts performance under the table! The bigger face-up is a bonus! With no sacrifice in appearance!

Yes that's true, those steps inside the table do flash brightly a lot. I had not thought about it as a way of offsetting the 61' table but I see what you mean. In my mind a smaller table would have introduced more brightness through increased area taken up by the crown facets, but looking at this ASET in more detail, you do get the optical illusion of a smaller table due that 1st bright ring.

Not to mention the nice bright windmill tips!



Gorgeous!!!!

Thanks - its always good to talk technicalities with a fellow enthusiast

 

[mrs-b]

Just gorgeous, @diamondhoarder - I love it!

 

[diamondhoarder]

I tried to get some more shots that would capture the fire of the asscher. It seems to be able to shoot all the colours of the rainbow at once, but its tricky getting the camera to capture it. These ones are in direct sunlight:

 

[diamondhoarder]

But in partial shade there is an effect where various of the step facets light up with a different colour. When the asscher moves the steps change colour as the stone moves.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

If I mail you my Asscher will you take a picture of it?

 

[diamondhoarder]

If I mail you my Asscher will you take a picture of it?

Mail it today! Are you expecting to get it back again afterwards?

 

[diamondhoarder]

Here it is with my 1.43ct round brilliant for size comparison. Bearing in mind the asscher is 0.16cts larger and also faces up reasonably large for its weight, the RB still looks bigger IMO.

 

[diamondhoarder]

I've never seen a Royal Asscher IRL but there's one on JBG that has similar "Oh my goodness!" quality that yours has. If anyone has more experience with RAs, I'd love to see a comment.

Actually I was thinking more about the Royal Asscher comparison, and forgot to mention that last year I had a great conversation with Mike Asscher (VP of the Royal Asscher brand) when I called to find out about RA availability and pricing. As @Dr_Diesel mentioned there is a huge premium for the branded RA stones over the cost of a generic, but he took some time to explain some of the features of the RA that gives it its distinctive appearance.

Apart from the 5 pavilion steps (Vs 3 or 4 for most generic asschers), they try to ensure that RA's have 3 evenly spaced stepped crown facets, with angles that gently curve towards the table. It was him that drew my attention to the issue of some generic asschers being cut for weight where the angle of the crown step facets closest to the table are flattened so they almost merge into the table, and how this negatively effects performance.

He also mentioned how he likes the "windmills" at the corner breaks to be a perfect wedge shape, whereas some can look more like an Eiffel Tower or a Christmas tree. One of my "near miss" asschers had the "Eiffel Tower" shaped windmills and it actually really bugged me because it meant that the windmill patterns under the table were not very satisfying, and it ended up being the reason I returned it.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

If you positioned them more precisely edge to edge - can't believe I'm saying this! - I think they would darned close. Darned close. What are the dimensions of the RB?

I should mail you that ring because if it did come back, I know it would be clean.

 

[diamondhoarder]

Simply perfect. Stunning!!

It is trully spectacular and will stand tall to the tests of time
What a beauty

oh lordyyyyyyyyyyyy! So pretty!

PERFECTION!! Love everything about this -- very well done!!!

Wow!!! M
Stunning result!!! Congrats!!!

HI:

Classic. And OHHHHHHLALAAAAAA

cheers--Sharon

Absolute perfection.

This ring literally took my breath away. It's perfect in every way

Thanks so much everyone

Your ring could turn me into a step cut lover! So perfect!

When are you starting the search? Everyone needs a step cut in their collection

Gorgeous!!! The baguettes look perfect with your stunning Asscher

Thanks - I prefer the look of stepped sides with a step cut centre

What a beautiful asscher! Your "pickiness" paid off!

I got there in the end But it was painful at times during the search (just ask my long-suffering husband )

I love it.
It's all really so beautiful, both the Asscher and the setting!!!

Thanks Kenny - your photos of your amazing asscher were a big contributer to my obsession!

It’s perfection.

Mmmm gorgeous! Lovely asscher and the setting is perfection

Gorgeous!!!❤

It's just gorgeous! There's just something about a step cut that gets me every time.

That’s absolutely beautiful! The centre and the accents and the making. It’s suits you so well. I hope you enjoy it to the max!

Beautiful! And the design of the ring is perfection!

Enjoy!

This takes my breath away! The stone, the perfect baguettes, the setting!! Wow!!

Thanks everyone

Absolutely stunning! Looking at your Asscher feels like looking into a soul...captivating!

I love that description!

This is super interesting and good to know for future dreaming!

Your ring is magnificent. Absolutely love it

Fabulous!! I love asschers & yours is just brilliant!

Just gorgeous, @diamondhoarder - I love it!

Thanks, my asscher is definitely feeling the love

 

[diamondhoarder]

If you positioned them more precisely edge to edge - can't believe I'm saying this! - I think they would darned close. Darned close. What are the dimensions of the RB?

The RB is 7.4mm. And on checking the cert its 1.46ct not 1.43cts. So theres just 0.13ct between the 2 stones, and nearly 1mm in diameter, although comparing sqaures with rounds is tricky.

Stonealgo.com had the face-up "visual carat" size of my 1.59ct asscher as equivalent to a 1.66ct asscher, although I dont know how they calculate the visual carat. Its quite interesting though if you have the GIA cert number for your stones they give you a current market price estimate as well as visual carat weight comparison.

I should mail you that ring because if it did come back, I know it would be clean.

My ulstrasonic is my best buddy ATM

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Nice! Pretty diamond and the setting is classic.

 

[Calliecake]

It’s beautiful!!

 

[diamondhoarder]

Nice! Pretty diamond and the setting is classic.

It’s beautiful!!

Thank you!

I cant seem to stop taking photos. Here are a couple more from today, showing more of the white light light return, and how sometimes the virtual facets make it look like there are more steps, sometime the steps look fewer and chunkier:



Asschers seem to have so many different moods and looks all within the same diamond, which is part of what intrigues me about them.

 

[Simple and Sparkly]

Thank you!

I cant seem to stop taking photos. Here are a couple more from today, showing more of the white light light return, and how sometimes the virtual facets make it look like there are more steps, sometime the steps look fewer and chunkier:



Asschers seem to have so many different moods and looks all within the same diamond, which is part of what intrigues me about them.

So so gorgeous!!! Asschers are my favorite too, and yours is stunning! Enjoy the sparkles!

 

[diamondhoarder]

So so gorgeous!!! Asschers are my favorite too, and yours is stunning! Enjoy the sparkles!

Thank you. I have to confess to having ogled your amazing Octavia extensively Its in a league of its own.