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The Great Asscher (EC) Hunt - Newbie

C

cjrockman

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
9
Hello All,

First of all, I have grown to enjoy coming and reading about Diamonds here. A few weeks ago I finally got serious about buying an engagement ring for my girlfriend of 5 years (on New Years). She has no clue that I'm shopping this serious or no clue I have the money to buy her a ring. Should make out to be a great surprise! Looking and reading about diamonds has become obsessive to me and I really enjoy it.

Since i could remember she has stated she wants an Asscher cut or as I now know, this would be a Squared Emerald Cut. I have grown to love this cut of diamond and I feel i'm out to find the perfect diamond even though I know I will have to settle for the best I believe i can find at the price I can afford. We looked at Pear, Oval, and Asscher cuts and I really know that she wants an Asscher.

I have a local Jeweler who has been a big help to me, bringing in diamonds for me to look at as well as settings. I spent some time at Shane Co. since my girlfriend has some history buying form them in the past but I have found the selection to be slim and it's hard to get them to bring in other stones to look at without putting money down.

What do you all think about the following selection? The first 3 are the latest diamonds that I will be viewing this week since I have been on an around the world business trip. The 2 larger stones are something I saw in my first visit. The larger stones have intrigued me, especially the 1.01 but the quality is not as nice as the new 3 I get to look at.

i know everyone likes pictures so enjoy! I feel like one of these stones could be a part of our engagement soon!

I like the look and size of the 1.01 but need to look at it again. It also feels dead in the center.

Probably my favorite just from the picture is the .76

ENJOY! I look forward to hearing some comments.

CJ
 
Images

diamonds_4.jpg
018_3.jpg
014_6.jpg
 
Definitely toss out the 1.01. No other pictures except these 2 (I think picture 1 and 2 are the same)? None of these are really jumping out at me. Nice but...
 
Measurements on the 90 pointer are wrong, right? I kinda like that one. That 1.01 is a dog though, I'd throw that out.
 
The .71 and .73 are most appealing to me, especially the .73. I think a small table is essential to it not looking glassy. Ideally I'd want a depth of 67-69 and a table of under 64, smaller is usually better to my eye.
 
I don't know anything about fancies, but based solely on the pics, I like the 0.71 and 0.90. I agree with Gypsy that the measurements on the 0.90 are probably wrong. Idk how fancies are measured, though.
 
Gypsy - I'm not sure about the measurements, since it is not certified that was the specifications that were given to me.

The .7 ct range is definitely where i thought I would end up for the price, but the more I look at the .9 and 1.01 the more I want to go bigger. Funny how that works.

I agree with everyone, the 1.01 is a dog. It is definitely bigger looking than most as it is pretty shallow when it comes to depth.

The images were taken by the jeweler as I have been out on business traveling. I will take more photo's myself Friday, maybe even with some settings and post more photo's.

I'm nervous about buying on line and have enjoyed the experience of seeing these in person. I'm going to see if they can get the pricing down as they are much higher than what is found online. Anybody know typically how flexible local dealers are?

I appreciate the feedback! I know everyone likes photo's so I will try to post more pictures as soon as I get them.

CJ
 
Do your own price comparisons with online diamonds and you might have some negotiation leverage if price differences are huge.
 
It's not certed? Ask them to send it to GIA. And to send you a SARIN if they have the capability.
 
I think you can go bigger if your jeweler were matching online prices. I think you could at least get a .8, and 1 ct is totally doable if you look at H/I
 
I agree with Julie. I'd drop to H VS2 in a heartbeat to eek out some size.
 
Hello All, The Hunt Continues.

I got into see all the above Diamonds and I'm just not feeling them. I do like the .71 and the .9 but there are many things that concern me about them. Cost, Cut, and the .9 not being certified. I've decided I was going to move on and look mostly online as it seems I can control the Cost, Cut, Certifications and filter in all the things I'm looking at. Cut, L/W ratio are important to me. So I started a big search online.

Here are 4 diamonds I'm looking at and I need to chose 3 for an Asset image from James Allen. I have 3 on hold but it's toss up between the .74 and the .8. I'm leaning toward the .8.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.80-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-268711

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.74-carat-f-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-268710 (this diamond looks very dark straight on at the table)

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.85-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-265605

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.96-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-269874


Obviously these aren't the 1+ sized asschers I see a lot of people buying, but this fits my budget, the larger being a little over what i had initially planned on spending but I like it and can do it. But on this size of diamond, what type of setting do people like?

Kite?
Split Prong?

Thanks again for all of the feedback.

I'll surely post pictures of the final ring when all is done.

CJ
 
Looks like your choices have potential, good luck!

I don't like kite, and I only like split prongs when tapered to a finely pointed claw.
 
JulieN,

Thanks - I've been putting in some time and the local in house jewelers aren't working out and I always had that feeling. I've asked for specific Depths etc. and they keep coming back with non-certified, deeper cut diamonds that cost substantially higher amounts.

I agree with you, not a big fan of the Kite the more I look at it.

I do like the double pronged, but as you said like the finer pointed split prong. Anything more than that it starts to look blobbish on those ends.

CJ
 
I would toss out the 0.96 due to the huge table and almost non-existant shoulders. Is there anyway you will consider dropping the clarity down from VVS or you've looked but the pickings are slim? I also prefer much smaller tables for asschers.
 
I have a 5.8 square asscher-- which is larger than what your stone will end up with. And I had my setting done by a prong expert. And STILL double claw prongs were out... stone is too small and can't support that much 'prong-age'. A lovely single claw is what you want to go for in an asscher this size. Or alternately a well done tab prong. But I don't think JA is the vendor to get a tab prong from.
 
Halo setting for a stone that size. Gypsy reset hers into a halo and it made a big difference. I have a 1 ct asscher in a halo right hand ring as well. Asschers face up small, so a halo really gives a size boost.
 
I appreciate the advice on the settings!

I received tonight the ASET images of the diamonds from James Allen. What do you all think?

269874.jpg .96ct
265605.jpg .85ct
268711.jpg .80ct

According to JA, the

.96 - was the "liveliest" performer, it has very good amount of brilliance, fire and sparkle that is well balanced and symmetrical. Has perfect alternating pattern of light and dark. Has a beautiful white color and perfect shape.

.80 - Second best performer, very close second. It has a great amount of fire, brilliance and sparkle. It just wasn't as lively as the .96. it too is a beautiful white color and faces up "eye" clean.

.85 - was not recommended because ti has a slight light leakage near the cutlet when viewing it from the face up position. It also has wide corners giving it a more octagon shape (A lot of people I read like this shape!) but the gemologist found it displeasing. But is very well colored and face sup "eye clean".

To me, the .85 asscher has the most red and the least black color, but see in the center how there is some definition lost which could relate to the cutlet issue.

The .80 has the least amount of black, great patterning, and great symmetry and definition throughout and has a good amount of red showing.

The .96 I kinda feel has a lot of Black in the middle and feel because it is the largest and the most expensive maybe they are pushing that on me as the choice they would like me to buy.

After reading more and looking at more diamonds, I do like the smaller tables and I can see that in these images.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Cj
 
The .85 has the widest windmills but the ASET with the widest windmills is labeled .80. Please double check.
 
JulieN,

You were correct, I mis labeled the images. I have corrected above.
 
I like the .85. Smallest table, widest windmills. If you are able, consider buying both the .85 and .96 to see for yourself.
 
JulieN

Thanks, I do like the .85, it doesn't seem like in the images I see on the website that the light loss is that substantial in the diamond, Is it really something that the naked eye can pick out?!

I won't be able to buy both and check them out for myself, that's the downside to buying on line.

I do like the.85's windmills, smaller table, seems like it really has that sparkle and variation to it as it rotates.

I know I can only listen to the Gemologist so much.

Chris
 
JulieN|1386040128|3566438 said:
The three you picked, I can't pick out the leakage in the video. Sometimes it is easier to see. Like these, I would expect them to be leaky, especially right in the middle
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.80-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-260879
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/asscher-cut/0.71-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-242768
Click to expand...
yep bad p3 angles, the first is really really bad.
The tilt can hide moderate bad p3 angles so both are pretty bad.
 
I read about the bad P3 cutlets on Pricescope, and I can really see it in those 2 diamonds.

But when I picked out the 3 I got assets on I for sure looked for this, I was very picky.

If there is any leakage in the .85 I would say that it's very small and unnoticeable to my eye. The Video looks great, and the ASET does have a lot of RED. They will probably think I'm crazy for going against the gemologist and picking what she thinks is the worst of the 3.
 
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