Diamond Rings

Diamond Rings –Masters Cutters

The earliest mention of the art of diamond cutting is from Nürnberg in Germany, where the first guild of "diamantaires" (diamond cutters and polishers) was formed in 1375. In the late 1400s the Spanish discovered a direct sea route from India to Lisbon. Antwerp in Belgium was soon flourishing as a centre for the diamond trade by the 1500s, as quantities of diamond rough now available, attracted diamond merchants and jewellers. Innovative cuts and fine polishing techniques were introduced, making Antwerp the most important diamond centre of the time.

Diamond Rings: Antwerp to Amsterdam

Attacks on Belgium by the Portuguese in the 1600s saw many of the diamond traders and jewellers relocating to Amsterdam, which then became the next centre to come to prominence. During the 1600s the English strengthened their presence in India, making London a primary market for diamonds, a position it still enjoys, and subsequently a major cutting centre. Today the major cutting centres are in Antwerp, Amsterdam, Johannesburg, New York, and Tel Aviv, with newer centres having opened up in India, China and Canada.

Diamond Rings – Some Famous Cutters

Lodewyk van Berken, a Flemish diamond jeweller and polisher in Antwerp in the late 1500s. He was the first cutter to create a diamond with perfectly symmetrical facets and revolutionized the diamond industry by inventing the Scaif, a polishing wheel impregnated with diamond dust and olive oil that would slowly but perfectly grind away at each facet producing a brilliant finish. The profession of "brillianteer" was born and the demand for diamonds as jewellery immediately increased.

Joseph Asscher was the owner of the Asscher Diamond Company, headquartered in Amsterdam since 1854. Joseph Asscher, a highly skilled and innovative craftsman designed the original Asscher Cut in 1902, a cut instantly recognized worldwide and patented by the Asscher Company. In 1908, he successfully cut the world's largest diamond of the time, the Cullinan. The largest piece, the Star of Africa (Cullinan I) is set in the Royal Sceptre and Cullinan II holds pride of place on the brow of the Imperial State Crown. They are on display in the Tower of London along with the rest of the crown jewels of England. In 1980, Her Majesty Queen Juliana of Holland bestowed a royal title on the Asscher Diamond Company in tribute to both the company and the family’s role in the diamond industry. Edward and Joop Asscher, present day descendants, created the Royal Asscher Cut in 2001. The design is protected by international patent, and each stone is accompanied by a certificate.

Diamond cutting today has come a long way since the diamantaires of 1375. Computers, sophisticated instruments, precision tools and cutting edge technology are the order of the day. The job may have become easier but the skill, the craftsmanship, the artistry of the Master Cutter remains, like the diamond, a gift from the Gods.