How real are we talking?

[RingMan]

Hello all I am new here!

I have been doing a ton of research and I want to start a discussion about my findings. I have heard all the stories of how the gemmologist is always getting fooled by the Asha! I want to be very critical and come out with an absolute understanding of the level of realism to be expected.

I read countless and countless positive testimonials, and then the flow of negative testimonials.

I have spoken to a couple of people who claim to be experts and they all praise the Asha. One of these "experts" concluded that the Asha is amazing but you can positively identify it by the windowing. Is this really the give away to our secret?

On a different note I've read others say that you can see through the side of a real diamond. I am confused and I just want some clarity.

By no means am I an expert and I dont even 100% understand what they mean by the "windowing." I also heard the description as if you are looking at a piece of glass from an angle.

I already chose to try the Asha out, I just want to establish once and for all if these are concerns or not concerns at all!

 

[Tanukiko]

In my opinion (having owned a 1.5 carat size Asha hearts and arrows H color stone) Asha is completely believable as a diamond as long as the size of the stone is believable for your specific financial circumstances. If you're both school teachers and she's rocking a 3 carat...it might seem obvious that she's not wearing a diamond.

I had my Asha set in a very nice Tacori platinum setting and together they looked like one super high end and expensive ring. I think that had someone examined the stone loose, they might be able to discern that it wasn't a diamond, but once set...forget about it.

Good luck.

 

[Dana ♥]

diamonds window, too, yes.

before worrying about whether windowing might be a concern at all for you... what size and shape (cut) are you considering for your Asha? because size and cut do come into the equation when you're talking about windowing.

i have a 7.5mm Asha H&A round, set in BTD's Timeless Regal solitaire and there's no real windowing to speak of. at an extreme tilted angle, in dim diffused light, there's a little bit. but only when the ring is held still, and you're looking for it.

i have compared it to a friend's diamond (not a H&A, just a midcentury round brilliant) of similar size and setting, and it windows in a similar way, at that same sort of angle.


my oldest Asha, going on 6 years old now, i still wear at least a couple of times a week. i haven't babied it as well as i could have, but even under magnification there are no chips or scratches.
i don't have a problem with it getting dirty quickly, as long as i take it off before i wash my hands or use lotion.

 

[MissJules92085]

I had an asha (well, still have it's just no longer in a setting). It is very believable as long as it is CLEAN and it is in good lighting, which was so hard to do. If you touch it to anything it gets greasy and dirty fast and this definitely affects the light play. Also, I baby my rings, never smacked it on anything and I had scratches on it within a few weeks that I could see in the light when it was tilted just the right way... It drove me NUTS.

I got the amora gem and it outperforms my asha in every way. I definitely loved the asha while I had it, but then I got my diamond ring at my wedding (I got my husband's grandmothers engagement ring) and an amora set in my ER to replace the asha and I can't believe the differences. When the asha was all I had, I was very happy with it, when I had other stones to compare it to, I could definitely see the differences.

 

[RingMan]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I am getting a 2 carat and can afford it. I just really have issue with spending money on a real one. If need be I will but I really do not want to.

I am getting the Round 8mm 2 carat equivalent in H color. So are you saying in bright light you cant spot it, but in lower light you can? This might support Prosumer's youtube vid... https://youtu.be/IKwY5NRTNz0 What do we make of this? Is this Asha's Achilles Heel?

Also Better than Diamond states there is no difference but color between a lower color and the H color. Different reviews suggest the H color performs better? Any input on this?

 

[mmascall]

I had an asha (well, still have it's just no longer in a setting). It is very believable as long as it is CLEAN and it is in good lighting, which was so hard to do. If you touch it to anything it gets greasy and dirty fast and this definitely affects the light play. Also, I baby my rings, never smacked it on anything and I had scratches on it within a few weeks that I could see in the light when it was tilted just the right way... It drove me NUTS.

I got the amora gem and it outperforms my asha in every way. I definitely loved the asha while I had it, but then I got my diamond ring at my wedding (I got my husband's grandmothers engagement ring) and an amora set in my ER to replace the asha and I can't believe the differences. When the asha was all I had, I was very happy with it, when I had other stones to compare it to, I could definitely see the differences.

+1 - I'm not crazy about either pair of Asha earrings I have and don't wear them much at all. IMHO, the Amora Gem is a much better, prettier option.

 

[RingMan]

I had an asha (well, still have it's just no longer in a setting). It is very believable as long as it is CLEAN and it is in good lighting, which was so hard to do. If you touch it to anything it gets greasy and dirty fast and this definitely affects the light play. Also, I baby my rings, never smacked it on anything and I had scratches on it within a few weeks that I could see in the light when it was tilted just the right way... It drove me NUTS.

I got the amora gem and it outperforms my asha in every way. I definitely loved the asha while I had it, but then I got my diamond ring at my wedding (I got my husband's grandmothers engagement ring) and an amora set in my ER to replace the asha and I can't believe the differences. When the asha was all I had, I was very happy with it, when I had other stones to compare it to, I could definitely see the differences.

+1 - I'm not crazy about either pair of Asha earrings I have and don't wear them much at all. IMHO, the Amora Gem is a much better, prettier option.

I'm sorry that you are not crazy about your Asha! Why dont you wear them much? Is it because of the getting dirty easily issue? Or is it something worse?

I honestly feel the Amora Gem is Prettier than diamond. I am strictly going after the diamond look. So while the Amora may be more beautiful than a diamond it doesnt resemble it as much as an Asha...

 

[AdaBeta27]

d... https://youtu.be/IKwY5NRTNz0

Just thought I'd butt in here with my $.02 opinion.

The diamond in that video (above) isn't anything close to a superideal hearts & arrows. It looks more like the average mall store diamond to me. I own a superb H&A Signature Ideal diamond from Good Old Gold, and another H&A diamond that was recut by Brian Gavin. The Amora Gem in that video doesn't beat a superideal diamond, just saying. I think it does, however, look pretty convincing for a diamond simulant. If you can afford an Amora Gem, I say skip all of the cz variants and just go straight for the AG. Silicon carbide, whether AG or conventional Moissanite, is a much better performer than cz when dirty. Asha and all other quality czs look very diamond-like while they are clean, but their performance drops off sharply once they get dirty. That sharp performace drop with just the slightest bit of dirt is, imo, the Achilles Heel of all czs, even the Asha.

 

[mmascall]

I feel that the Ashas I have are too white and CZ looking even though they are F/G. In comparing the overall performance of my 0.25ct D VVS1 MRB diamond (not sure of the cut grade "cause I got engaged 31 years ago and can't find the papers - but it does have arrows) to Asha, moissanite and AG I find that moissy and AG are most diamond-like. I find this even when the Ashas are clean. My wee sparkler diamond has more depth than the Asha and, again, appears most like the moissy and AG in this respect. The diamond, moissies and AG continue to sparkle even when they are not at their cleanest. I feel like I need to clean the Asha earrings every couple of hours to keep them looking their best.

Adabeta, I think you're right - nothing performs like a diamond, particularly in the scintillation department. I do, however, feel that the AG is spectacular in its own right because of its cut, colour and fire. I will also add that it has the most wonderful pastel shimmer in certain lights - I absolutely love it!

OP - it's very difficult (if not actually impossible) to see these qualities in pics or vids and everyone has different tastes/needs. I really recommend that, if possible, you purchase Asha and AG loose stones and compare in person. Also, keep in mind durability.

 

[mmascall]

d... https://youtu.be/IKwY5NRTNz0

Just thought I'd butt in here with my $.02 opinion.

The diamond in that video (above) isn't anything close to a superideal hearts & arrows. It looks more like the average mall store diamond to me. I own a superb H&A Signature Ideal diamond from Good Old Gold, and another H&A diamond that was recut by Brian Gavin. The Amora Gem in that video doesn't beat a superideal diamond, just saying. I think it does, however, look pretty convincing for a diamond simulant. If you can afford an Amora Gem, I say skip all of the cz variants and just go straight for the AG. Silicon carbide, whether AG or conventional Moissanite, is a much better performer than cz when dirty. Asha and all other quality czs look very diamond-like while they are clean, but their performance drops off sharply once they get dirty. That sharp performace drop with just the slightest bit of dirt is, imo, the Achilles Heel of all czs, even the Asha.

The diamond in the video is a 1ct D VS1 H&A diamond, it belongs to the presenter's wife. More info at http://www.prosumerdiamonds.com/

 

[RingMan]

This is all great insight! I've always heard the Amora is very diamond like except it just shines and sparkles too good! I've asked someone about this before as I am looking for a more durable gem and they said the fire gives it away. Basically it shines colors that a diamond would not. This person claims to be an expert. I would love for the Amora to be the solution to my problem... But the verdict is still out on that!

I think I am going with the Asha to buy myself some time! As soon as I have the Asha set the timer of self destruct mode will start and hopefully by then there will be better clarity and tweaks between these emerging stones!

I am assuming as long as the Asha is kept clean nobody will really spot it? This will be an acceptable place-holder as long as it remains undetectable.

 

[2BlingorNot]

I think I am going with the Asha to buy myself some time! As soon as I have the Asha set the timer of self destruct mode will start and hopefully by then there will be better clarity and tweaks between these emerging stones!

I am assuming as long as the Asha is kept clean nobody will really spot it? This will be an acceptable place-holder as long as it remains undetectable.

Undetectable to whom? Hopefully not to the recipient or the Asha likely will not be the only thing in self destruct mode.

 

[AdaBeta27]

^ lol

 

[AdaBeta27]

The diamond in the video is a 1ct D VS1 H&A diamond, it belongs to the presenter's wife. More info at http://www.prosumerdiamonds.com/

Here's the 1.19ct that I used to own:

Got to http://livereport.gemex.com/ and click "loadsample" to see a 2ct. Sorry, but I didn't see that kind of activity out of the diamond in the Amora / diamond video. It looked like a diamond that was specifically chosen either as an average mall diamond, or else to not rival the Amora. It looked more like the Gemex "median" example in the video.

 

[AdaBeta27]

I have only purchased one Asha. It was a version 5, 7.5mm RB, and irrc it was H color. It looked white but not pasty white. There are some pictures in this old thread, where I compare it to Wink's "Chinese White" czs that were also real stunners. The table of the Asha was larger than I preferred. When absolutely clean, I think the Asha looked a bit more diamond-like compared to the uncoated czs. But it was more of a nuance thing, not a night and day difference. Take a look.

I'm sure you will like your Asha. But if I had spare cash to buy either for a ring that will be worn every day for years, I'd go with the Amora Gem.

Another thing about Amora Gem, unless you chip it, is that it, like diamond, can be remounted in a different style of ring or otherwise reused. CZs can't take heat well, and depending on the skill and care of the jeweler, may not survive being unmounted and reset. The usual way to remove a cz from a setting, unless the owner wants the cz saved, is to hit it with a torch and take it out in pieces.

 

[RingMan]

 

[RingMan]

For some reason I cannot reply properly

 

[wiigal]

My two cents too. I think an Asha is the closest to a diamond. For the price point, you will not find anything better. But it must be kept completely clean at all times to get the best performance. Any bit of dirt, oil, or fingerprints and it dulls the performance greatly. Diamonds by comparison have more depth to the stone and the facets are crisper. If you get an Asha I would recommend an H color stone. It has a more steely appearance that I find to be more attractive than the F colored stones.

Amora Gems are beautiful, but to me, not as diamond-like as an Asha. The sparkle and fire is great under direct sunlight and spotlighting. It does return more colored fire, whereas the Asha and diamond return white fire. That is a notable difference. Another big difference is that the Amora has blurry looking facets when compared side by side to a diamond. Diamond faceting is more crisp. Diamonds also have more depth compared to an Amora.

Regarding fire, Amoras give off a light show and very impressive. However, to me it does not have more fire than the best of the best diamonds. I compared my Amora to diamonds at Van Cleef And Arpels and other ultra high end stores. Those diamonds are just superior in every way. Having said that, those diamonds are also hundreds of thousands of dollars. Compared to a standard diamond, the Amora will out sparkle for sure.

Also, is durability a factor? How rough will the person be on the rings? Amora will be more durable than Ashas.

 

[RingMan]

Thanks for all the helpful replies everyone! I just realized the lab grown diamond has come a long way.

I'm going to get an Asha and keep replacing that Asha until I can get a 2 carat round white lab created diamond.

So would I be correct to think that it will be nearly impossible to identify the Asha while it's being worn? Round 2 carat H asha...

 

[mmascall]

Thanks for all the helpful replies everyone! I just realized the lab grown diamond has come a long way.

I'm going to get an Asha and keep replacing that Asha until I can get a 2 carat round white lab created diamond.

So would I be correct to think that it will be nearly ingossible to identify the Asha while it's being worn? Round 2 carat H asha...

It's your lucky day Ring man! I just checked Brilliant Earth and they have 34 Ideal and Super Ideal cut lab created diamonds ranging from 1.8 to 2.15ct. Here's the link if you're interested - http://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-diamonds-search/