Introduction
Derived from the Emerald shape, the Asscher cut diamond is basically square in shape with chipped corners. This gives it an octagonal shape. It also features extra horizontal facets just like the emerald cut, the main difference being that this is squarer with more pronounced corners.
The Asscher cut was first made by JosephAsscher in 1902, which by then was famous for cutting the largest rough diamond of 3,106 carats. Until the 21st century, the diamond was primarily found in vintage shops but its popularity has since increased coming to the 2000s. This cut offers a distinctive appearance unlike princess or round cut diamonds because of its ability to return light, thanks to the extra facets also known as steps.
The cut has a smaller table and a higher crown, producing more brilliance than the emerald cut. When looked at from above, the diamond produces a kaleidoscopic image of squares especially when the pavilion facets are well aligned.
A classic Asscher cut has a length/width ratio of 1. However, anything between 1.00 and 1.05 is considered excellent since such a small difference cannot be noticed by the naked eye.
Summary
The cut grade of the Asscher cut diamond is determined by either:
- The Table – The table is the topmost flat part of a diamond. It’s the area that is most visible when a diamond is worn. This part determines in large part, the brilliance of a diamond. An overly large table will tend to let out a lot of the light reducing the brilliance of the diamond. An extremely small one, on the other hand, will restrain a lot of light from entering the diamond making it less brilliant. According to the Gemotology Institute of America, a table ratio of about 61-69% is considered to be perfect.
- The girdle – This is the outer most edge around the diamond that gives it its shape. It is where the crown and the pavilion meet. The girdle is classified as either thin, slightly thin, thick, or extremely thick. An extremely thin girdle will make the diamond susceptible to chipping. An extremely thick one only increases the carat weight of the diamond. The girdle can also be polished, bruted or faceted.
- The depth – The depth is the height of the diamond from top to bottom. The depth is divided by the width of the diamond’s girdle plane. Asscher cut diamond with a small depth percentage is preferred as it increases the size of the diamond when viewed from the top.
- The Culet – This is the furthest point at the bottom of the diamond. It may be pointed or faceted. A pointed culet is preferable as less light is let out to escape. Asscher cut diamonds have a large table because of their shape hence a smaller culet is preferred to retain most of the light so it can be reflected back.
The cut grade
The Gemology Institute of America is the largest and most trusted source of diamond grading. They determine the diamond’s quality by measuring and looking at the structure of the diamond at a microscopic level.
The cut grade of a diamond is basically how the diamond has been shaped taking into account the best measurements needed to achieve the most brilliance and most appealing look for a diamond.
When evaluating the cut grade of a diamond, there are several factors which must be taken into account. When well evaluated, they determine how brilliant and appealing the diamond will appear. Here are the five factors to be considered when determining the cut grade.
- Table
- Girdle
- Depth
- Culet
- Length/Width ratio
1. The Table
As stated earlier, the table is the uppermost flat part of the diamond. The length of the table is measured and divided with the width of the diamond (or the diameter of the girdle) to establish the table ratio.
The perfect table ratio for an excellent Asscher cut diamond is usually between 61% and 69%. This is the best ratio that maximizes the size of the surface area as well as the optimal length relative to the height of the diamond.
The table’s length is indirectly proportional to the height of the diamond’s crown. Asscher cut diamonds with large tables generally tend to be shorter in height. The advantage of having a shorter crown is the reduction in carat weight and increased surface area. This is important for visual perception as it portrays the diamond as being large. The depth will also not be visible to the eye while the diamond is set on a ring. However, most Asscher diamonds have taller crowns compared to other diamonds due to the extra step facets.
Avoid selecting diamonds with very large tables as this may reduce the brilliance of the diamond. A table ratio of more than 70% and less than 50% is considered to be of poor quality.
2. The Girdle
The girdle is the edge around the diamond where the crown meets the pavilion. The GIA classifies it as either faceted, rough, or smooth. A faceted girdle has facets around the diamond. A rough girdle has not been polished. A polished girdle is smoothly polished. This, however, does not affect the appearance of the diamond when viewed from the top.
The size of the girdle only affects the depth of the diamond. It also affects the carat weight. These only increase the value of the diamond with no visible increase in its size or quality.
According to the GIA standards, the girdle can be rated from extremely thin to extremely thick. A thick girdle will increase the carat weight of the diamond only with no added advantage on the quality. However, it makes the diamond stronger and less susceptible to chipping when setting on a ring, unlike an extremely thin one. You want to avoid that because chipping can leave your diamond looking formless and poorly cut.
3. The depth
The depth ratio of the diamond is the distance between the table and the culet. It is measured by dividing the width of the table with the height of the diamond. It is usually expressed as a percentage. A smaller depth percentage means that the diamond will have a large surface area to volume ratio.
The best depth ratio for an excellent Asscher cut diamond is considered to be 61% and 67%. Anything below 54% and anything above 79% is considered poor quality by the Gemotology Institute of America.
The depth of the diamond also has an effect on how large or small it appears when viewed from the top. In most instances, a short depth in an Asscher cut diamond increases the surface area of the diamond when viewed from the top. However, caution should be taken to avoid an overly shallow diamond as this may limit its brilliance. An overly tall diamond may look more brilliant but will have unnecessary extra weight which will add on to the value of the diamond. So be careful when checking the depth of the diamond to get the most optimal appearance.
4. Culet
Located at the bottom of the diamond is the culet. It’s usually a sharp point or may be faceted. The culet plays a major role when it comes to the diamond’s brilliance. According to the GIA, the culet can be classified as none, small, medium, and large. When the culet is only a sharp point, it is classified as none. A medium or large culet is usually a small flat surface. Due to this, the light may pass throughout of the diamond reducing its brilliance. This may also cause a dark area on the diamond.
However, most diamonds don’t have a large culet and its effect on the cut grade of the diamond is therefore minimized. To improve on your selection criteria, ensure that the culet is almost non-existent for the most brilliant Asscher cut diamond.
5. Length/width ratio
This aspect of a diamond is used to determine how perfectly square the Asscher is. Basically, the longest side length is divided by the shortest side measurement. Asscher cut diamonds are considered to be square and hence this ratio should be 1.00.
Depending on your preferences, the best L/W ratio for the Asscher cut diamond is considered to be 1.00 to 1.03. Greater than 1.08 is considered a poor cut grade for the Asscher cut diamond.
| Excellent | Very good | Good | Fair | Poor | |
| Table % | 61 – 69 | 57 – 60 or 70 – 72 | 54 – 56 or 73 – 74 | 51 – 53 or 75 – 79 | < 51 or > 79 |
| Depth % | 61 – 67 | 59 – 60.9 or 67.1 – 70 | 57 – 58.9 or 70.1 – 74 | 54 – 56.9 or 74.1 – 79 | < 54 or > 79 |
| Girdle | Very Thin – Slightly Thick
| Very Thin to Thick | Very Thin to Very Thick | Ex. Thin to Ex. Thick | |
| Culet | None
| Very Small | Small | Medium | > Medium |
| L/W ratio | 1.00 – 1.03 | 1.04 – 1.05 | 1.06 – 1.08 | > 1.08 | |
The Color
The color of a diamond is highly subjective and mostly dependent on the buyer’s preferences. Most buyers prefer the ever-cool colors of the diamonds (D-G) than the warm ones (J-M) because they perceive them to be more brilliant.
For the Asscher cut diamond, it’s easier to see the body color especially if the diamond is more than 1.5 carat because of the large open facets. Also, the sharp ends of the Asscher cut may appear slightly darker.
The Clarity
As with color, the clarity of a diamond is equally subjective. While some buyers may prefer a certain standard of clarity, others may be comfortable with small inclusions as long as they’re not visible.
Almost all diamonds have inclusions. Inclusions are small imperfections found within the diamond’s matter that was formed during its formation under extreme temperatures and pressure under the earth’s surface. As such, they cannot be easily removed. However, diamond cutters make every effort to ensure that they’re invisible once the diamond is cut.
However, inclusions are easier to see on Asscher cut diamonds because of the extra step facets that magnify them. While the best clarity that gives the best bang for your buck in most diamonds is SI2, clarity of VS2 in Asscher is a worthy comparison.
The Carat Weight
The main unit of measurement of the diamond’s weight is the carat. It is equivalent to 0.2 grams. It can be subdivided into 100 units. It can be used to determine the value of the diamond as the weight is the greatest determinant of the price.
That said, the carat only measures the weight. It does not measure the cut grade. This is because having a large diamond does not necessarily mean that it will be equally brilliant or is well-cut. In fact, the majority of the low priced diamonds with large carats have poor cut grade.
Asscher cut diamonds generally tend to appear smaller than they really are compared to round cut diamonds of the same carat. This is because of the taller crown due to the extra step facets that are mostly invisible when the diamond is set on a ring.
If you compare two diamonds of the same carat weight, the cut grade becomes the most important measure of quality and value for your money. However, large diamonds are rarer and larger carat weight will most likely be higher-priced compared to a smaller one. The carat weight becomes important depending on the jewelry you plan on using the diamond on.
4Tips to consider when buying Asscher cut diamond
- Price
Asscher cut diamonds tend to be pricier than other cut diamonds. This is especially so because they’re extremely hard to cut and therefore rare. In fact, only 2% of all cut diamonds are Asscher cut diamonds. If you’re really looking for this cut shape diamond, then you should be ready to part with an extra 10% more than the average diamond.
- Color
Asscher cut diamonds bent and refract light more than other brilliant cut diamonds. This is because of the extra step facets and the shape of the diamond. Therefore, finding an Asscherdiamond in the high spectrum of diamond color is very hard. Buying from the G-H color spectrum will give you the best bang for your bucks.
- Clarity
While most Asscher cut diamonds espouse a level of fiery, it is very hard to find one without inclusions. This is in contrast to the round cut diamonds. Select an Asscher cut diamond with a clarity grade of at least VS2 to get the best bang for your buck. Whatever the clarity level you select, it is important to select one step higher for an Asscher cut diamond of the same carat weight as round cut as they tend to have less clarity.
- Carat
Asscher cut diamonds have a smaller surface area to volume ratio compared to other diamonds. This is because of the larger height of the crown which is necessary in order to add the extra step facets along with the crown. As such, the diamond appears smaller when viewed from the top but bears a larger weight. When buying an Asscher cut diamond, you want to check the size of the diamond when viewing from the top rather than just the carat weight. Chances are, you’ll need a little bit extra weight to get the desired size you’re looking for.