Stock Asschers are cut to a modern proportion band that maximizes the hall-of-mirrors look for a D-F VVS1 stone. Some customers want something else: a taller crown, a wider table, a squarer outline that reads closer to the 1920s designs the cut was originally made for. Those requests are possible, but they are not a quick turnaround, and they carry a price that reflects the cutting time. Here is what a custom Asscher request actually involves, from the jeweler's side.
What "custom" means on an Asscher
Three variables move on a custom Asscher: the crown height, the table percentage, and the length-to-width ratio. A taller crown deepens the stacked, nested-square effect. A wider table reads more modern and less vintage. A true 1.00:1 outline reads squarer than the 1.05:1 we stock. None of these change the facet count; they change the proportions that control how light moves through the stone.
What we can cut
| Custom request | Feasibility | Lead time | Price adjustment vs stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taller crown (vintage look) | standard | 2 - 3 weeks | +15 to 25% |
| Wider table, modern look | standard | 2 - 3 weeks | +10 to 15% |
| True square 1.00:1 | standard | 2 - 3 weeks | +10% |
| Heavily stepped deep pavilion | limited | 4 - 6 weeks | +30 to 50% |
| Non-standard size (e.g. 6.5mm) | limited | 4 - 6 weeks | +20 to 30% |
What we cannot cut
A custom request that asks for a stone to face up brighter than the proportion band allows will come back looking windowed or dark. The hall-of-mirrors effect depends on the crown and pavilion sitting in a workable range. If a customer wants a taller crown than the proportion band supports, we say so and propose the closest feasible cut rather than cutting a stone that disappoints. Cutting to an impossible spec produces a beautiful paperweight, not a sellable stone.
- Taller crown: feasible, two to three weeks.
- Wider table: feasible, two to three weeks.
- True square 1.00:1: feasible, two to three weeks.
- Heavily deep pavilion: limited, four to six weeks.
How to spec a custom order
Send the factory three things: a reference photo of the look the customer wants, the target mm size, and the intended setting (solitaire, bezel, halo). The setting matters because a bezel hides the girdle, which changes how much proportion margin we can use. Add the color and clarity grade; custom stones still ship in D-F VVS1 unless a specific lower grade is requested, and a custom cut in a lower clarity grade will show every inclusion in the broad step facets.
Pricing and deposits
Custom cuts require a 50 percent deposit on order, because the rough is reserved and the cutting bench is allocated. If the stone does not meet the agreed spec on first cutting, we recut at our cost rather than charging again. The final stone ships with a GRA certificate that records the custom dimensions. Expect the per-stone cost to land 15 to 30 percent above a stock Asscher of the same size, which the retail price can usually absorb because the customer is already asking for something specific.
Managing the customer's wait
A two-to-six-week lead time is a long promise to make to a customer who wants an engagement ring by a specific date. Set expectations on day one: tell them the stone is being cut, that the timeline is two to three weeks, and that you will send photos at the cutting stage. A customer who is told up front that the piece is made to order waits patiently; a customer who thought it was in stock calls every three days. Send a face-up photo of the finished stone before setting, so they approve the proportions before the stone is mounted. That step removes the only real risk in a custom order, which is that the customer dislikes the look once it is set.
Sample stones and repeat custom
Keep one custom-cut Asscher as a display sample once you have delivered a few. Customers rarely walk in knowing they want a vintage-proportion Asscher, but they recognize it when they see it next to a stock stone. The tall-crown version reads visibly more architectural, and that comparison closes custom orders. Over time, the custom Asscher line becomes a signature for the boutique that offers it, because most mass retailers only stock the modern proportion. The 50 percent deposit on each custom order also smooths cash flow, since the customer pays for the rough before the bench time is spent.
Communicate the price adjustment clearly up front. A custom cut that ends up 25 percent over the quoted estimate is a relationship problem, even if the stone is beautiful. Quote the range, not a single number, and confirm the final price in writing before the stone leaves the cutting bench.
A clear estimate up front keeps the relationship smooth when the final bill lands.
Surprises on price sour a custom order; surprises on the finished stone do not.
Stock and custom Asschers are listed in the loose stone catalog under Asscher Cut.