Connoisseur’s Choice: Hancocks London’s 21.5 Ct. Asscher-Cut Diamond Solitaire

By Annie Davidson Watson | January 06, 2026

Hancocks London demonstrates its knack for sourcing some seriously stunning stones with one of the latest arrivals at its St. James’s Street flagship—a 21.51 ct. Asscher-cut diamond ring that manages to be both physically massive and aesthetically restrained. In a market often saturated with round brilliants, this stone stands out for its specific, architectural geometry.

Asscher is frequently referred to as the “connoisseur’s cut.” Developed in 1902 by the Asscher brothers in Amsterdam, it became a definitive look of the art deco movement. Unlike the modern brilliant cut, which utilizes a complex facet pattern to maximize light return and mask internal flaws, the step-cut Asscher relies on a large flat table and long parallel facets to create a hall-of-mirrors effect. Because of this open window into the heart of the stone, there is quite literally nowhere for an inclusion to hide.

Graded as J color and VVS2 clarity, the antique diamond in Hancocks’ ring passes that scrutiny easily. While it sits at the entry point of the near-colorless range—meaning a faint warm tint may be visible, especially when viewed from the side—its clarity is elite, containing microscopic inclusions that are difficult even for a skilled gemologist to find at intense magnification.

hancocks ring

Hancocks further spotlights the stone’s proportions in its choice of setting—a handcrafted double-claw platinum mounting atop an 18k yellow gold band with millegrain engraving. By avoiding an ornate setting, the jeweler allows the gem and its deep, stepped facets to speak for themselves.

Pricing for the ring is available on request from Hancocks, which relocated in 2024 after a century in London’s Burlington Arcade.

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