Asscher Cut Moissanite Milgrain Twisted Pave Ring in Silver, 10K, 14K and 18K Gold

An asscher cut moissanite in four claws on a band whose shoulders twist as two ribbons of micropave, each ribbon bordered along both edges with fine milgrain beading. The strands stay closed against one another rather than opening, so the shoulder reads as a single braided rope of light rather than two separate strands.

We make it to order in our workshop in Surat, India. Family run, every ring finished and checked by hand.

A closed twist, not an open one

This matters more than it sounds. In an open crossover the strands separate and you see daylight through the shoulder, which reads as organic and modern. Here the two pave ribbons stay in contact the whole way, winding around each other with no gaps, so the eye reads a continuous rope.

A closed twist is the older treatment. It belongs to the same tradition as a rope band or a braided shank, and combined with the milgrain it puts this ring firmly in antique territory rather than nature inspired territory.

What the milgrain does here

Milgrain is a row of tiny beads raised along an edge with a knurled wheel, from the French for a thousand grains. On this ring it runs along both edges of both twisting ribbons, which is a great deal of beading on a surface that is constantly curving away from you.

Its job is to frame the pave. Without it, two twisting rows of stones tend to blur into one another and the shoulder loses its structure. The beaded borders draw a line either side of each ribbon so you can see where one ends and the next begins, even at arm's length.

It also softens the whole shoulder. Pave alone is bright and slightly hard. Beading gives the light somewhere to break up.

How this compares with our other twisted asscher rings

We make six rings on a crossing or twisting shank and they are genuinely different.

The Twisted Vine Pave ring is an OPEN split shank with pave along both strands and a cathedral head. No milgrain, and you see through the shoulder. It reads organic.

The Plain Crossover ring has no stones on the band at all, just polished metal.

The Open Crossover ring carries a short run of pave near the head only.

This one is the only closed twist and the only one with milgrain. If you like the twisted shape but want it to look antique rather than botanical, this is the one that does that, and the others will not.

The stone

An asscher is a square step cut with cropped corners, so its outline is an octagon that reads as a square. The facets are cut in concentric squares that draw the eye down into the stone, an effect jewellers call the hall of mirrors. It flashes in broad clean blocks rather than sparkling, which is exactly why a busy shoulder works beneath it: the centre stays still while the band moves.

The cut was patented by the Asscher brothers of Amsterdam in 1902, the same period this beaded, twisted shank belongs to.

Every centre stone is Colorless in body colour and VVS in clarity, and every accent is Colorless and VVS too.

Moissanite has a higher refractive index than diamond, which in a step cut shows as depth rather than fire, and at 9.25 on the Mohs scale it stands up to daily wear.

Choose the centre from 2 carat up to 5 carat. The shoulders are decorated but slim, so the centre stays dominant at any size.

Metals

Choose 925 sterling silver, or 10K, 14K or 18K gold in yellow, rose or white. Shown in yellow gold, which is the strongest choice because milgrain depends on shadow and gold gives the deepest shadow, so every beaded border reads clearly against the white stones. White gold is more period accurate, since originals were platinum, but the beading is subtler because a bright white surface reflects more evenly. Rose gold is warm and unusual. Silver is the most affordable route and takes milgrain well. 10K is the hardest and keeps fine beading sharp longest, which matters on a ring with this much of it. 14K is the everyday balance. 18K is the richest but softest and the beading will soften soonest. White gold is rhodium plated and needs replating every one to two years.

Made to order

Nothing is taken off a shelf. We cast the twisting shank, set each accent along surfaces that curve in two directions, then raise the milgrain along four separate edges by hand before setting the centre and polishing for your metal, centre size and finger size. Applying even beading to a twisting edge is the slowest part of this ring, because the wheel has to follow a line that is turning as it travels. That is how we offer twenty one ring sizes and forty combinations.

Care

Warm water, a drop of mild washing up liquid and a soft toothbrush. Work the brush along the twist rather than across it, and pay attention to the beaded borders, which trap hand cream and stop reading once filled. Clean under the centre too, since a step cut shows anything trapped below. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth. Do not use abrasive polish, which flattens milgrain. Take it off for the gym, gardening and swimming pools, and keep it away from bleach.

Also in this family

Other crossover and twisted band designs we make, so you can see the whole choice in one place:

• Twisted Vine Hidden Halo, one strand paved and one plain, shoulder length, with a hidden halo
• Full Circumference Twist, one strand paved and one plain, running the whole way round, no hidden halo

We would rather point you to a different ring of ours than sell you the wrong one. If none of these is quite right, tell us what you are after and we will say so plainly.

Questions we are asked

Will a wedding band sit flush? Reasonably. A closed twist keeps a more even lower profile than an open one, so a straight band sits better here than beside our open crossover designs, though a contoured band is still the best fit.

Can it be resized? Within a limited range. The pave and beading run well down the shoulders, so there is less plain metal to work with. Please tell us your size carefully.

Does milgrain wear away? Slowly, over many years, on the points that rub. It can be recut by any competent jeweller. Choosing 10K or 14K rather than 18K slows it considerably.

Will inclusions show in a step cut? Not at VVS. That grade is what makes a step cut worth doing.

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