Royal Asscher Diamond Company

As one of the largest diamond polishing companies at that time, its private clients included royalty, celebrities, and politicians.

The Company held its exclusive patent until the Second World War and saw strong sales internationally, particularly during the 1920s and 30s.

The original design had 58 step-cut facets, a small table, high crown and steep pavilion with cut corners.

Because of the facet arrangement, high crown and depth, Asschers are known for creating a "hall of mirrors" effect.

The gem required expert handling to be properly carved: inclusions within the rough diamond prevented it from being polished as a single stone.

Abraham Asscher was charged with cleaving the Excelsior; to minimize flaws, he carved the stone into ten diamonds which were primarily sold to anonymous purchasers.

It was decided that Joseph Asscher would cleave the Cullinan into three parts, necessitated by inclusions within the rough diamond.

In February 1908 an audience gathered to watch Joseph Asscher cleave the huge stone.

In order to yield large, beautiful diamonds he needed to hit the Cullinan in exactly the right place.

The following week, armed with new tools, Joseph resumed his work, allowing no one but the notary public in the cutting room.

Urban legend recounts that Joseph fainted after striking the Cullinan diamond with a tremendous blow.

Since the Asscher family were Jewish they were deported from the Netherlands and interned in Nazi concentration camps along with nearly all of the company's 500 master polishers.

Edward Asscher worked in conjunction with daughter Lita and son Mike until his retirement in March 2020.

Designed by Architect Gerrit Van Arkel, the castle-like structure of the original Asscher factory is considered a jewel of Amsterdam's De Pijp area.

In 2017, a renewal project repurposed the Asscher diamond factory and the Nieuwer-Amstel into luxury flats to create the new high-end zone Asscherkwartier.

[5] In a 2006 episode of Antiques Roadshow (S25-E24), a school teacher brought an Asscher-cut diamond to the show that was estimated between $75K to $100K.

[6] When Aidan Shaw proposes to Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, he does so with a Harry Winston 3-carat Asscher-cut diamond ring.