3 Diamond Cuts That Deserve The Spotlight Too

Apr 29

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Photo credit: @williamgoldbergdiamonds — Photo credit: @kwiatdiamonds

Fascinating stories behind Ashoka, Asscher, and marquise cuts

Diamond month is in full swing, and with all the glam a round brilliant or princess cut has, there is so much more out there than these classically known shapes. Rare Ashoka cuts, historic Asschers, and feminine marquise in particular make us giddy. Broaden your diamond cut horizons with these backstories and gorgeous diamond selects.

Ashoka

Rivière diamond and platinum necklace, Available Upon Request at Ashoka by William Goldberg

Jewelry trends have long been a reflection of the times in which we live. From the graphic architectural lines of the Art Deco period to the proliferation of colored gemstones following the Great Depression, jewelry historians can pinpoint clear, linear threads between social and economic climates and consumer behavior. What does this all mean for a life lived in a pandemic and the physical separation in the face of a globally shared experience? We are a year into our socially distanced realities, but it’s clear that the dramatic rise of talismanic symbols go beyond a trend; they tap into a deeper sense of connectedness in a year spent so far apart.

Inspired and named after one of India’s greatest emperors, Ashoka Maurya, the Ashoka diamond is associated with calm and tranquility and is said to "banish sorrow.” Famous for its brilliance and inner fire, only 2% of mined diamonds are able to be cut into an Ashoka because they can only be created from uncut diamonds in a specific shape.

Asscher

Art Deco 4.77 carat vintage Asscher cut diamond and platinum ring, $142,500 at Erstwhile Jewelry

In 1902, the Asscher cut became the first ever patented diamond cut. Today, two versions of this square emerald cut exist, both created by the Royal Asscher Diamond Company. One is simply named Asscher cut, which has become the generic name for any square emerald cut diamond. Barmakian Jewelers have a trove of loose Asscher diamonds to choose from. The more recent name is the Royal Asscher cut, which has seventy-four facets—that’s sixteen more than the average diamond—and is exclusive to the Royal Asscher brand.

Richard Burton famously bought Elizabeth Taylor the Asscher cut Krupp Diamond at auction in 1968. With a tainted backstory of its first owner, actress Vera Krupp of the Nazi munitions family, Taylor famously said, “How perfect it would be if a nice Jewish girl like me were to own it.” Done.

Marquise

Garcelle white topaz and white gold necklace, $352 at Suzanne Kalan

According to diamond oracle and the Natural Diamond Council’s Head of Marketing and Communications, Lisa Levinson, marquise diamonds are having a renaissance. People are obsessed with its sharp, elongated shape. This historic cut dates as far back as the 18th century, when King Louis XV of France commissioned his royal jeweller to design a diamond in the image of his mistress's lips. Apparently, Marchioness Madame de Pompadour’s kisser was pointed at both ends with a voluptuous middle.

Romantic and passionate, this shape embodies femininity. My favorite famous marquise engagement ring story is David Beckham proposing to Victoria Beckham with a marquise diamond solitaire. But sometimes one ring is not enough—Victoria now has fourteen different engagement rings to choose from.

Editor: Samantha Durbin Wordsmith: Livia Primo Lack

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