Truth About Diamonds » Asscher Cut

Q&A: Best Asscher Cut under $8000. James Allen vs. Blue Nile vs. Bricks & Mortar

Ira Weissman — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 10:43:46 +0000

Q: Dear Ira, I was wondering if you could give me your thoughts on the following Asscher Cut Diamonds from Bluenile:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?filter_id=0&track=head#diamonds_pid=LD01788438

http://www.bluenile.com/asscher-cut-diamond-1-carat-very-good-cut-f-color-si2-clarity_LD00439308

I am looking for the best Asscher Cut for less than $8,000 US. I would like a color grade of D-G I would like the best clarity possible and am very open to SI2 as long as it is eye clean and the inclusions are not too bad. Simply put, I would like the biggest bang for my buck. Please advise me. This has been very stressful for me and I have been to many brick & mortar jewelers in Southern California (where I am from) that have trying to persuade me to buy their diamonds. Thanks in advance!! Budget Anything else you might feel is relevant

A: Thanks for writing. Buying a diamond can most definitely be a very stressful experience. Especially going door to door in B&M jewelry stores and getting haggled by annoying salespeople whom you never know if you can trust or not.

I would be very hesitant to recommend buying an SI asscher cut from BN. The reason is simply that the large majority of SI1 and especially SI2 Asscher and Emerald cuts are NOT eye clean.

Take a look at the pic on this stone, and it’s a VS2!!

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Asscher-Diamond-1295751.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

So you see, you need to be REALLY careful with Emerald Cuts and Asscher Cuts because they really show off their inclusions strongly.

I really like this stone, but it’s an H Color (which, btw, I think is totally fine to get in an asscher cut):

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Asscher-Diamond-1304654.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – it’s 100% eye clean and a really really nice cut.

Here’s another one, but a bit on the expensive side:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Asscher-Diamond-1294903.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

One more, a G color. Well under your budget, and a little smaller than you were hoping to get, but has a favorable depth that makes it look bigger than it is:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Asscher-Diamond-1244863.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Have a look at these and let me know what you think!

Q: Thank you Ira for the quick response. When I talked to someone on the phone from Blue Nile, they had their Gemologist look at them. The 1.5C was eye clean according to them, while the 1.42 was not eye clean but the inclusions were white. The person on the phone said that while the 1.42C could present a great value due to this. I am hesitant but it does appear to be a great value for what seems to be a nice diamond. Do you have an opinion on buying SI1 and SI2 Asscher Cuts from Blue Nile that are said to be “eye-clean”?

I know you favor James Allen because of their pictures and it’s funny that you suggested the 1.53C because I was attracted to that diamond as well.

Also, I went to a B&M store yesterday and they attacked the Blue Nile diamonds I linked you basically questioning why a diamond that seems to be of such great value (the 1.42C) was still available even though the GIA report was done in 2006. It seems to me like a credible question. In your opinion, does that give consumers a hint of whether a diamond is a great deal or not if it’s still available long after the GIA report? Or can GIA reports be updated to reflect a more recent date?

Sorry for the long email but it seems as though that as I read more about diamonds and especially this Asscher cuts, I come up with more questions than answers. BTW: your website has been absolutely helpful. If not for it, this email would probably be twice as long.

A: The problem with the gemologists at BN is that they’re not really looking at the diamonds. BN doesn’t own any diamonds. They work with major wholesalers all over the world and just list their diamonds “virtually.” So when someone like you calls, they make a phone call to the vendor that owns the diamond in question and ask the owner their opinion of the diamond. The problem with that is the guy who owns the diamond is incredibly biased. Their stone is in competition with hundreds of others on BN, and they want THEIR stone to sell.

JA on the other hand only works with vendors within walking distance to their NY office. When someone like you calls JA, they go and get the stone and see it for themselves. The difference is clear – JA doesn’t care if you buy a stone that’s owned from their vendor X or vendor Y, they just want you to buy a stone from them that you’re going to be happy with. So it’s totally in their interest to be completely honest with you.

As far as the old cert goes, it’s the kind of thing that CAN be a bad sign, but certainly doesn’t necessarily mean it is. It could be a stone that the vendor bought off the street from a divorce or broken engagement.

And yes, GIA reports can definitely be updated. All you have to do is throw away the old cert and send the stone in again for certification. The only downside to this is that GIA certs are very expensive. I think about $100 per carat.

Tags: $8000 Budget, 1.50 Carats, Asscher Cut, Buying Help, eye-clean, James Allen, James Allen vs. Blue Nile

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $2000: 0.56 Carat D Color VS1 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:00:45 +0000

Following yesterday’s best Asscher Cut Diamond for $2500, today we conclude our series of best Asscher Cut Diamond picks with the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $2000.

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 0.56

Diamond Color: D

Diamond Clarity: VS1

Measurements: 4.76*4.58*2.95

Depth: 64.4%

Table: 56%

Diamond Polish: Very Good

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $1,720

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Tags: $2000 Budget, Asscher Cut, D Color, GIA, Square, Very Good Polish, Very Good Symmetry, VS1 Clarity

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $2500: 0.72 Carat D Color VS2 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:04:49 +0000

Following on the heels of yesterday’s best Asscher Cut Diamond for $3000, today we present you with the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $2500.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 0.72

Diamond Color: D

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 4.98*4.72*3.33

Length/Width Ratio: 1.06

Depth: 70.6%

Table: 61%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $2,510

I recognize that the Length/Width ratio on this stone is really pushing the bounds of what is considered square. GIA defines square as having a l/w ratio of 1.00 to 1.05. This stone has a l/w ratio of 1.06. So I would recommend for anyone considering buying this stone to look carefully at the picture above to ascertain for his or herself whether or not the stone looks square to you. If so, then go for it! If it looks off-square to you, then it’s better to pass on it.

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Tags: $2500 Budget, 0.70 ct, Asscher Cut, D Color, Excellent Polish, GIA, Square, Very Good Symmetry, VS2 Clarity

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $3000: 0.92 Carat F Color VVS2 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:58:19 +0000

Following yesterday’s best Asscher Cut Diamond for $3500, we move today along to the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $3000.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Carats: 0.92

Diamond Color: F

Diamond Clarity: VVS2

Measurements: 5.30*5.29*3.67

Depth: 69.4%

Table: 67%

Diamond Polish: Good

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $3,220

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Tags: $3000 Budget, 0.90 ct, Asscher Cut, F Color, GIA, Good Polish, Good Symmetry, Square, VVS2 Clarity

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $3500: 0.96 Carat D Color VS1 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:58:03 +0000

Follow our last pick of the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $4000, we move on today to the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $3500.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for the GIA Report Check):

Carats: 0.96

Diamond Color: D

Diamond Clarity: VS1

Measurements: 5.38*5.37*3.72

Length/Width Ratio: 1.00

Depth: 69.3%

Table: 65%

Diamond Polish: Good

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $3,590

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Tags: $3500 Budget, Asscher Cut, D Color, Good Polish, Square, Very Good Symmetry, VS1 Clarity

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $4000: 1.14 Carat F Color VS2 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:53:54 +0000

Following yesterday’s break from protocol recommending the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $5000, today we continue in the same vain recommending the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $4000 from DiamondsOnWeb.com. As you can see, with this new price point, we are quickly sliding out of the 1.25 carat range. Today’s stone has a truly beautiful cut, and is rated “Signature Ideal” according to DiamondsOnWeb’s internal gradings.

Here’s the Stats (Click Here for the GIA Certificate Details from GIA.edu):

Carats: 1.14

Diamond Color: F

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 5.75 – 5.57 x 3.69

Length/Width Ratio: 1.03

Depth: 66.2%

Table: 64%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $4,375

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on DiamondsOnWeb.com

Tags: $4000 Budget, 1 carat, Asscher Cut, DiamondsOnWeb.com, Excellent Polish, F Color, GIA, Square, Very Good Symmetry, VS2 Clarity

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $5000: 1.22 Carat H Color VVS2 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:15:16 +0000

Following yesterday’s pick for the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $6000, today we present you with the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $5000. As you’ve probably noticed by now, my daily diamond recommendations are almost always from James Allen. Today, however, we present the daily diamond recommendation from Blue Nile. The best few stones from James Allen today at this price level didn’t have a picture, so I figured why not mix things up a bit today.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Carats: 1.22

Diamond Color: H

Diamond Clarity: VVS2

Measurements: 5.88 x 5.76 x 3.93 mm

Length/Width Ratio: 1.02

Depth: 68.2%

Table: 68%

Diamond Polish: Very Good

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: Faint

Diamond Price: $5,370

Click Here to Be Brought to the Diamond on Blue Nile

Tags: $5000 Budget, 1.20 Carats, Asscher Cut, Blue Nile, GIA, Good Symmetry, H Color, Square, Very Good Polish, VVS2 Clarity

Best Asscher Cut Diamond for $6000: 1.20 Carat G Color VS1 Clarity GIA Certified

Ira Weissman — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:13:37 +0000

Following yesterday’s best Asscher Cut Diamond for $7000, today we present you the best Asscher Cut Diamond for $6000. Today’s stone is a great pick for those who like their Asscher cuts with high crowns and small tables.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 1.20

Diamond Color: G

Diamond Clarity: VS1

Measurements: 5.76*5.65*4.03

Length/Width Ratio: 1.02

Depth: 71.3%

Table: 62%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None