Asscher Cut Lab Grown Diamond Half Bezel Split Shank Engagement Ring in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An Asscher cut laboratory grown diamond gripped along two sides by flat bezel rails, with the corners left open, on a fine band that splits into a V as it rises. Nothing on this ring is decorative. The metal does one job, which is to hold a square step cut stone square, and then it gets out of the way.

At a glance

• Centre stone: Asscher cut laboratory grown diamond
• Carat options: 2, 3, 4 and 5 carat
• Colour and clarity: E colour, VVS2 clarity
• Certificate: IGI, included free
• Setting: Half bezel with open corners on a thin split shank
• Accent stones: None, this is a true solitaire
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

What an Asscher is

An Asscher is a square step cut with the corners cut off, so the outline is really an octagon that reads as a square. Its facets run in concentric rectangular steps down to a small table. Look into one straight on and you see a series of squares receding into the stone, the effect jewellers call the hall of mirrors. It was patented by the Asscher brothers in Amsterdam in 1902 and became the signature stone of the art deco years.

The half bezel

Two rails of metal fold over the girdle on the left and right, and the four cut corners are left completely open. The stone is held as securely as in a full bezel, but far more of it is visible, and light reaches the pavilion from the corners where a full bezel would block it. On a step cut, where the whole appeal is depth of reflection, that matters.

The split shank

The band is thin, and it divides into a narrow V where it meets the setting. There is daylight under the stone rather than a solid block of gold, which lifts the Asscher visually and keeps a heavy looking square from sitting like a paperweight on the finger.

Why clarity matters on a step cut

Step cut facets are large, flat and open. There is no scattered sparkle to hide behind, so any inclusion sits in plain view. Our Asschers are VVS2, which is clean under ten times magnification, let alone to the eye. This is the main reason we do not offer lower clarity grades on this shape.

What laboratory grown means here

A laboratory grown diamond is a diamond. It is crystallised carbon with the same cubic structure, the same 10 on the Mohs scale, the same refractive index of 2.42 and the same dispersion as a mined stone. Ours are grown by chemical vapour deposition and high pressure high temperature methods, then cut and polished by hand. This is not moissanite, not cubic zirconia and not a simulant. A gemmologist testing it will read diamond, because it is diamond.

Metals

Choose 925 sterling silver, or 10K, 14K or 18K gold in yellow, rose or white. Yellow gold is photographed here, and the warm rails against a colourless step cut give the ring its slightly vintage feel. In white gold the same design reads purely modern. White gold is rhodium plated and will want replating every one to two years.

Every centre stone arrives IGI certified

The centre diamond is graded by IGI, the International Gemological Institute, and the certificate comes with the ring at no extra charge. It states the carat weight, the E colour grade, the VVS2 clarity grade, the measurements and the girdle inscription, and confirms in writing that the stone is laboratory grown.

Made to order in our own workshop

Mapple Gems is a family run workshop in Surat, India, where most of the world's diamonds are cut and polished. The two rails are cut to the exact length of your stone's sides, because on a square a rail that runs even slightly long or short is obvious from every angle. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Clean the open corners and the underside of the stone, since a step cut shows any film straight away. Take it off for the gym, gardening and swimming.

Questions we are asked

What colour and clarity is the diamond? Every centre stone is E colour and VVS2 clarity, on every metal and every carat weight.

Does an Asscher sparkle less than a round? It sparkles differently. A round brilliant gives fast, small flashes. An Asscher gives long, broad returns of light and dark. Neither is brighter, they are two different effects.

Is the certificate really free? Yes. The IGI report for the centre stone is included in the price on every variant.

Will a wedding band sit flush against it? Yes. The split is at the front and the setting sits low, so a straight band meets the shank cleanly on both sides.

Can it be resized? Yes. The shank carries no stones, so it resizes like a plain band.

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