Asscher Cut

Asscher cuts (also known as Square Emerald Cuts) are arguably the most elegant of all the Diamond cuts, first invented by a third generation Diamond cutter in 1902. The term master craftsman gets bandied about, but young Joseph Asscher was a true virtuoso, raised in the most prestigious Diamond cutting family in the world, he learnt at his grandfathers, then fathers knee, and went on to create a groundbreaking new cut of Diamond.

Asscher cuts captured the spirit of the day, and were perfect for the crisp clean lines of the Art Deco movement, they quickly became incredibly desirable. Pieces set with Asschers from the period remain exceptionally sought after today, and despite being over 100 years old, they still look almost futuristic.

Asscher cuts are not the most sparkly, they don’t have the biggest spread, but there is something incredibly special about an Asscher. The light bounces around within, creating what has been described as a hall of mirrors effect.

Because they don’t have the biggest spread, they can look small on the finger compared to a Round Brilliant of the same carat weight, and they tend to be a little more expensive like for like per carat than a Round Brilliant, and being step cut, full of sharp clean edges, they are not forgiving of inclusions, you couldn't get away with an SI stone in the same way as you could with a brilliant, all combined to mean they became a refined and elegant choice. Or, you went big a la Elizabeth Taylor, patron saint of epic jewellery. She knew and loved jewellery, and her iconic engagement ring was a 33.19 carat Asscher cut.

The advent of Lab Growns has made opting for an Asscher cut way easier, you can go bigger within budget, and really get that wow factor. When choosing a your Asscher Diamond, we recommend going for at least 1.00 carat total weight, and as with all step cuts stones, clarity is very important, so all our Asscher Cuts are at least VVS clarity.