Asscher Cut Lab Grown Diamond Hidden Halo Engagement Ring with Pave Band in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An Asscher cut laboratory grown diamond in four claws, with a second row of small diamonds set around the basket underneath where nobody sees them from above, and a line of pave running down both shoulders. Looked at straight on it is a square step cut solitaire. Turned to the side it is covered in diamonds.

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: Four claw Asscher with a hidden halo beneath the stone and a pave set band
• Accent stones: Round laboratory grown diamonds, E colour, VVS2
• Metals: 925 silver, 10K, 14K and 18K gold in yellow, rose and white
• Made: To order in Surat, India

What a hidden halo does

A traditional halo circles the stone on the top surface, which makes the centre look bigger but also puts a ring of small diamonds in the way of its outline. A hidden halo is set on the outside of the basket, below the girdle, facing sideways. From above you see only the Asscher, with its outline intact. From the side you see a bright band of light under the stone, and the whole head appears to float rather than sit on a lump of metal.

Why it suits an Asscher especially well

An Asscher is a step cut, which means broad, calm reflections rather than fast sparkle. The hidden halo and the pave shank add the small, quick flashes the centre stone deliberately does not produce, so the ring has both kinds of light without anything crowding the square.

The pave band

Round diamonds run down each shoulder, held by shared claws so almost no metal shows between them. The band tapers slightly as it goes, which makes the finger look longer and the centre stone look larger.

Why clarity matters on a step cut

Step cut facets are large and open, with nowhere for an inclusion to hide. Our Asschers are VVS2, clean under ten times magnification. On this shape the grade is not a technicality, it is what you actually see.

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. White gold is photographed here, which keeps the pave invisible as metal and visible only as light. In yellow or rose gold the hidden halo shows up as a sharper contrast under the stone. 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. The halo and pave diamonds are matched to the same E and VVS2 grade.

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 hidden halo is built to the exact footprint of your Asscher, since a halo even half a millimetre too wide shows from above and spoils the whole point of it. Allow two to three weeks for making, plus shipping.

Looking after it

Warm water, mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Brush up into the basket from underneath, because the hidden halo is where dust settles and it is the one part you will not notice getting dull. 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. The halo and pave stones are matched to the same grade.

Does the hidden halo make the centre stone look bigger? Not in the way a visible halo does. It makes the setting look lighter and the stone look lifted, which reads as elegance rather than size.

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? Very nearly. The head is raised, so a straight band tucks under the hidden halo with only a small gap on most fingers.

Can it be resized? Within about one size. The pave runs part way down the shoulders and the back of the shank is plain metal.

• All payments are processed securely through PayPal, one of the world's most trusted payment gateways
• Pay with your PayPal balance, or with any major credit or debit card through PayPal's secure checkout
• No PayPal account required — guest checkout available
• PayPal Purchase Protection applies to eligible orders