Asscher Cut Diamonds

The distinctive Asscher diamond cut was developed in 1902 by the Asscher Brothers of Amsterdam. The Asschers are also famous for having worked on one of the largest diamonds ever found, the Cullinan diamond.

What Is The Asscher Cut?

An Asscher cut diamond is essentially a square version of the emerald cut. As with the emerald cut, the corners of the stone are clipped to give an eight sided diamond. The stone also has a number of parallel steps cut into the pavillion giving a fascinating optical effect that has been described as like a "hall of mirrors".

Within this basic framework the exact details of the cut vary from stone to stone. Modern tools and techniques mean that it is possible to buy Asscher cut diamonds today that have more facets than the earlier antiques. The Royal Asscher is a patented cut developed in 2001. The Royal Asscher has 74 facets and wider corners than the traditional version.

Asscher cut diamonds are often set in a four-prong arrangement. This maximises the amount of light available by elevating the stone.

Asscher cut diamonds hit the peak of their popularity during the 1920s, however they then went out of fashion and for many years were not easy to obtain. Today the cut is coming back in style and you can buy them from many stores. This increase in popularity is probably connected with a number of high profile celebrities wearing Asscher cut diamonds in public. These include Reese Wetherspoon's engagement ring, Julia Roberts' earrings at the Academy Awards and Sarah Jessica Parker's character Carrie in Sex and the City.