13 Dec We Buy Ashoka & Royal Asscher Cut Diamonds
C. Blackburn Jewelers in La Jolla buys diamond rings and estate jewelry set with branded diamonds (also known as patented diamond cuts). This diamond jewelry is often more rare than jewelry set with traditional brilliant, princess, or cushion cuts. So, it is important to seek out a San Diego diamond buyer who has experience with proprietary diamonds.
Carl Blackburn of C. Blackburn Jewelers is just such a diamond buyer. Carl has experience buying and selling many branded diamonds, such as the Kotlar Cushion Cut, Lily Cut, and Crisscut diamond. Two of his favorites are the Ashoka and Royal Asscher Cut diamond.
The Ashoka Cut diamond takes its name from an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from 269 BC to 232 BC. Once a fierce warrior, Ashoka had a reawakening, coming to believe that the path to enlightenment could only be attained through peace and tranquility. As a result, he encouraged his subjects to practice Buddhism.
When a truly striking 41.37 carat diamond was mined in the Golconda region of Southern India, it was fashioned by an unknown artist into the famous D Flawless diamond and named for the revered leader. The stone would eventually acquire its own mystique, said to “have the ability to banish sorrow and bring joy.”
The story of the original Ashoka diamond fascinated and inspired diamond expert William Goldberg, who painstakingly studied every facet of the ancient stone’s story. He and his team were eventually able to create a modern version inspired by the original Ashoka diamond, and were awarded a United States patent for their efforts.
With a rectangular girdle outline and rounded corners, the Ashoka cut is basically a modified cushion cut, and features 62 facets, giving the diamond the appearance of being larger than it actually is. Only very particular rough diamonds can be fashioned into Ashoka cuts. Because of its elongated shape, rough diamonds need to be extraordinarily long in order to be fashioned in this manner, making less than ten percent of all rough diamonds suitable for this cut.
The resulting finished diamonds are renowned for their brilliance and overall beauty, and are available only through jewelry stores authorized by the William Goldberg Corporation. The quality of Ashoka cut diamonds can vary from D to K and from flawless to SI2, but the quality of the cut makes them sought after and unique.
Although the modern version of the Ashoka cut has been well known for decades, it has enjoyed renewed attention with the engagement of Reese Witherspoon in 2010. Her 4 carat Ashoka diamond mounted on a pavé set diamond and platinum band created a sensation that brought the legendary cut back into the popular imagination.
The Royal Asscher Cut Diamond
The Royal Asscher Cut takes its name from Joseph Asscher’s original Asscher Cut, which he perfected in 1902. The original Asscher cut, a highly specific type of square emerald cut, has been a staple, copied both well and poorly, since its introduction. Joseph Asscher’s great grandsons, Edward and Joop Asscher, became fascinated with the idea of enhancing their ancestor’s design in 1999.
Using sophisticated computer modeling and simulation, the two consulted with their team of master craftsmen and polishers, and after two years of development, they presented the first Royal Asscher Cut, and were rewarded with a worldwide patent.
The Royal Asscher Cut is perfectly symmetrical, with distinct proportions that must fall within very specific parameters. The cut can only be fashioned from an octahedral shaped rough diamond crystal, with only 5% of the world’s rough diamonds meeting the exacting standards.
Once a suitable rough diamond is selected, it is then sawn above the girdle, sacrificing over 15% of the rough stone, but providing for the cut’s exceptionally high crown. This high crown is essential to the finished stone’s ability to disperse color and light. The Royal Asscher Cut’s superior brilliance in comparison to a traditional square-emerald Asscher cut stone is unmistakeable.
Technically, the Royal Asscher Cut is complex, and requires a level of skill fewer than 75 master craftsmen possess. In order to draw out the stone’s fire and scintillation, these experts must polish the diamonds to exact specifications — a proprietary process that can take over three months to learn.
The finished stone features 74 precisely polished facets, as compared to the traditional Asscher’s 56, providing what the company boasts as an “entrancing endless mirrored effect…with a kaleidoscope of color.”
Sell a Royal Asscher or Ashoka Cut Diamond Ring
If you would like to sell a diamond ring set with a Royal Asscher or Ashoka Cut diamond, or any other patented diamond call C. Blackburn Jewelers today at 858-251-3006 or send a text message with photos of your diamond ring to: 619-723-8589.
You can also send us an email via the contact form below. Please include as many details about the ring that you can, and whether or not the diamond is accompanied by a certificate (grading report). Our estate jewelry store is conveniently located in La Jolla (San Diego), CA.
