Hey all! I have been scouring this site for the past week just soaking in all of this helpful information, and boy am I glad I did! I've learned so much!
So... I think i've decided on getting an asha engagement ring in the next few months. I want to get one as real looking as possible. I don't know anything about cuts, colors, or settings, and I know you all do!! So can you help me out?
I have been looking at a 3ct asha, cushion, and emerald cut.
Would you all be so kind to point me in the right direction... what should I look for in cut, color, and any other helpful tips to make me a true believer like you all!!
THANKS!

I own a 3ct F/G princess asha.. It's considered colorless. I can afford a colorless diamond so that's why I bought that stone. I always say buy what you can afford.

A lot of ppl like "H" color. That's considered near colorless so it has a tiny tiny bit of warmth. I mean tiny. There is 'I' and 'J' color stones also.. J is warm. Which means more yellow tint... So price range in a J diamond is a lot cheaper than price range in a colorless diamond.

F/G is white colorless
H is near colorless
I/J has warmth

A lot of people get H!

Do your research in diamonds vs asha. Price range also....

I've been doing that... thanks so much JAM for those tips! I think an H is what I'm leaning towards!

Cushions and EC Ashas only come in F/G or H I believe. It was only the antique cuts that had the I option. That said the difference is minor. I would order both and then send one back.

As fo cushion vs EC.. that is like apples and oranges. *Most* EC lovers here feel the EC is too glassy to be realistic and lacks that certain "je ne sais que" that makes ECs gorgeous. But it is still nice. I am personally a cushion lover, so that would always be my first choice.

If you do go the EC route, I would try to order it from AD and request on with windmills. ECs without windmills look fake to me.

I'm a cushion convert. I was never into them until I got the ACC. That stone is a thing of beauty. But I was and still am a nut over step cuts. While I adore them, I think I'm going to wait until the Amora Gem comes out in the step cut -- because so many people on here have said what jcent mentioned -- they lack something AND they're hard to keep clean. Knowing that I'm not one for cleaning and knowing I'd be self conscious about it if it did look glassy, I am content to wait.

In the mean time, I have been buying up all the Asha antique cuts -- OECs, OMCs and ACCs. Those cuts are just gorgeous.

If you are looking to pass it off as a diamond, please check some of the diamond websites for what you could realistically afford then find the same in the material you would prefer. Preference in material, which it looks like Asha fits your bill, is yours alone.

What you say is again, entirely your own, with "I got a great deal online" as my favorite

The cut preference, you have to narrow down. I think you'll find people on here who like each of those cuts. Now, there is an antique cushion as well as a more modern cushion.

Which looks better will be your decision and also might look better in particular settings.

You might want to start with what kind of a look you are going for? Halos are popular now, "plain" solitaires don't have to be "plain", and there are any number of side stone options. It can become overwhelming. Since it looks like you like something "not round", how about trying to narrow now "more stones" in the setting or not?

There really are SO.MANY.OPTIONS. including custom.

If you can decide what color you like (warmer like J, or cooler like F) that will help you a bit as well.

You all have such wonderful advice thank you so much! I started this journey by finding the "one" we were going to purchase that was almost $20,000. We just got a house and I just kept thinking how silly it would be to spend that kind of money on something I could lose or get stolen.
This is what my original setting I picked out looked like. The tapered baguettes and a center stone. I found the setting on better than diamond that matches.
http://betterthandiamond.com/products/Timeless-Tapered-Baguettes-Semi%252dMount.html
I think I would like the asscher as the center though. This is the other one I'm deciding between also with a possible 3ct asscher cut center
http://betterthandiamond.com/products/Micropave-Cathedral-ring-%252d-2-row-%282.5mm%29-micropave.html

LOVE IT! Go for it in an Asha Asscher!!!!!!!!!!!

(Ok maybe playing Enabler :P)

I love my Timeless 3 row micropave cathedral ring! I would go with asha asscher too! Beautiful...

I'm having the same problem she is! I picked a halo for a cushion cut diamond and now I'm sure what kind of stone to pick. I'm having a hard time understanding the differences....