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How we Created The Royal 201 - Royal Coster Diamonds
How we Created The Royal 201
In 2007, our own Donny Griffioen and Bobby Low created the Royal 201. Our very own worldwide patented diamond cut. Praised for its sparkling brilliance. The Royal 201 is a great example of the evolution of the diamond shape, with more facets, more fire and more sparkle. The basics The base of the brilliant cut diamond consists of the (Old) Single Cut diamond, or simple cut. The diamond is cut with seventeen facets. There are four cross corners, four bezels, four cross-angles, four pavilions, and the table. Development The Single Cut wasn’t actually the first diamond shape. In the diagram below, you see how the ideal diamond shape changed over the years. Diamond cuts from left to right: Octahedron, Table Cut, Old Single Cut, Mazarin Cut, Peruzzi Cut, Old European Cut, and Tolkowsky. - An Octahedron is the ideal form for a rough diamond. You can hardly call this a diamond cut. This is how a diamond was worn before cutting and polishing techniques. - The Table Cut was the first rough diamond shape. The stone has still a square shape and has no rounded edges. - The Old Single Cut is the first cutting process to obtain a rounded diamond. This was created to optimize the sparkle and to avoid “dead angles”. - One of the very first steps towards the modern brilliant cut was the Mazarin Cut. This cut contains various facets to optimize the sparkle. - Peruzzi Cut is the prelude to the modern brilliant cut. The distribution between the facets on the bottom and the top is much better than in the Mazarin Cut. - The next step for the optimal refinement is the Old European Cut. The facets are almost exactly the same as for the modern day brilliant. Therefore, the Old European Cut is also seen as the final step towards the perfect Brilliant Cut. Tolkowsky’s: the first step to optimize and standardize the brilliant was in 1919 by Marcel Tolkowsky. At that time, many brilliant-like shapes were around. Everyone pretended to have the most beautiful, the most elegant and the most 'brilliant' one of all. But Mr. Tolkowsky tried to address it in a scientific way. As part of his studies, he invented a mathematical way to polish the brilliant and place the facets. The Ideal cut Tolkowsky’s scientific approach paid off. His mathematical polishing way resulted in a 57-faceted diamond with a sparkle that the world never saw before.Ever since Tolkowsky introduced the world his sparkling brilliant, people have been trying to top this. To create an even more sparkling diamond cut. However, all of them were unsuccessful. To this day, this shape is still the basis of the modern brilliant. It is also the foundation for many other cuts, like the marquise, pear shape, oval and heart-shape. For almost 100 years, people considered Tolkowsky’s cut the Ideal Brilliant Cut. That was until Donny and Bobby put their heads together… The Road to Perfection Donny Griffioen, Chief Purchasing Officer at Royal Coster Diamonds, has been fascinated by diamonds from an early age. How could he not? With a diamond dealer grandfather and uncles that are diamond polishers. Donny grew up in this profession. Soon he learned the optimal diamond shape and knew he could do better. For years, Donny studied light reflection and polishing shapes. When he started working at Royal Coster Diamonds, he met the Antwerp diamond merchant Bobby Low. Bobby appreciated young Donny’s enthusiasm - who was in his early 20’s back then. Together they went on a quest for the perfect cut. Finally, from 2002 until 2007, Donny and Bobby combined years of experience and craftsmanship with the latest technological developments in microscopic observation and tool making. The result was phenomenal: they found the perfect diamond cut. Facets and sparkles In theory, you can quite easily polish a few extra facets on a brilliant. Companies do it very often. However, in their quest for the most brilliant cut ever, Bobby and Donny knew it would require more than just a few extra facets. To obtain the perfect sparkle, you have to take the cutting angles and proportions into account. Bobby and Donny found out that the secret for the ultimate sparkle lied in the re-arrangement the crown facets and their angle. They combined this with amazing micro-faceting of the girdle. In total, the new cut consisted of 201 facets. This is the ideal number of facets. The image of a new diamond cut was born. Donny: “You might think that the more facets a brilliant has, the more light reflects and the more the diamond sparkles. But it doesn’t work that way. Many people tried to make diamond cuts with hundreds of facets but when you put these next to the 201, you see there is more than the number of facets. You see that 201 is the perfect number. And it has been since 2007.” Not everyone can create a Royal 201 Bobby and Donny spent many late nights on their project: talking, sketching, cutting and polishing. In 2007, they revealed the new diamond cut. The Brilliant 2.0, so to say. They named their work “The Royal 201”, after its amount of facets. 201 facets means 144 facets more than on a 'regular' brilliant. Only highly experienced diamond polishers polish a rough diamond into a Royal 201. Because when a diamond polisher places a single facet slightly wrong, the light leaks through the pavilions and is lost forever. When you consider a Royal 201 polish loses 60% of the rough diamond it once was, you do not get second chances when polishing a Royal 201. But when it's done right, the Royal 201 takes “shine bright like a diamond” to a completely new level. Exclusivity The exclusivity of this cut is what we value most. Even more than the commercial value, because our shape is truly Royal. Royal Coster Diamonds is the only place where you can buy this exact diamond cut. We have a complete collection of beautiful diamond jewelry that is centered around the sparkle of the Royal 201 The Royal 201: The ultimate sparkle Here at Royal Coster, we all have a special place in our hearts for the Royal 201. From management to goldsmith, from sales representative to diamond polisher. The most brilliant collection We have a brilliant collection starring the '201' in a dedicated showroom for this specific diamond cut. In this showroom, our most experienced staff is ready to help you to find your perfect Royal 201. Sparkling tips for buying a Royal 201 But first, a few tips about the 'Royal 201’ that will help you to get the maximum out of your purchase. To enjoy the sparkle of a Royal 201 most, we recommend a diamond of at least 25 points (0.25 carat). Diamonds of 25 points and above show the sparkle of the diamond better than smaller diamonds. A 'Royal 201' needs to breathe for the best sparkle. That is why we recommend you use it in an open setting; like a solitaire. Diamond colors River, Top Wesselton and Wesselton shine the most. But other colors are also suitable. Especially for diamonds in a rose gold or yellow gold setting. Due to the many facets and possibilities for reflection in the stone, it is best to choose for a Pure, VVS or VS for Clarity. A '201' is beautiful in a solitaire setting but is also a beauty when surrounded by smaller brilliants of the same color. Quality Assurance If the Royals trust us, so can you. Quality control is the most important aspect of our craft. Every diamond has to meet special requirements. We cannot give you all our guidelines, but a normal finished diamond is usually only checked with a 10x magnifying loupe. But every freshly polished 'Royal 201' is first examined under a microscope to make sure everything is perfect. Every angle, every facet, the height of the crown and the depth of the pavilions and even the thickness of the girdle. All the aspects of the Royal 201 need to meet Royal Coster’s Quality Assurance.. If a 201 does not meet these requirements, it will return to the polisher. He or she will re-polish the stone until it meets our Royal standards. because when you purchase a Royal 201, you should know it is the result of the finest craftsmanship.
How we Created Queen Juliana’s Diamond Watch - Royal Coster Diamonds
How we Created Queen Juliana’s Diamond Watch
The Netherlands has a long history of kings and queens. As Royal Coster Diamonds, we’ve always had a warm bond with Royals from all over the world. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the connection between Royal Coster and the Dutch Royal House is one we treasure deeply. So when our late Queen Juliana celebrated her 50th birthday, we knew we wanted to do something special. Queen Juliana was the queen of the people. Before the Second World War, she was a shy girl who leaned on her mother and husband. However, when the Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Juliana had to flee to London and later Canada with her children. When she returned after the war, Juliana had become an independent woman: an experienced mother, a brave woman who dared to stand on her own feet. A woman who stepped out of her mother’s shadow. When she became Queen of the Netherlands in 1948, she kept her down-to-earth mentality. For instance: she preferred it when people addressed her as ma’am, or misses, instead of Her Majesty. Juliana’s looser style reduced the distance between the royal family and the people. Partly because of this, she remained very popular until the end of her days. The inauguration of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Juliana thinks that the ceremony should be sober on 6 September 1948. Her husband, Prince Bernhard thinks that the Dutch need a fairy tale after the misery of the Second World War. He calls for a festive ceremony. That is how it happens. Picture: RVD An extraordinary birthday gift In 1959, Queen Juliana celebrated her 50th birthday. Modest as she always was, the queen insisted she would not be spoiled with a great gift. For once though, the queen’s orders were not obeyed. The people of The Netherlands collected money for a joint gift: a stunning diamond bracelet watch. The watch was designed by P. F. Belkum from Steltman Jewellers. Jaeger-LeCoultre, one of the Swiss top luxury brands, made the clock. The watch has a platinum base. Royal Coster Diamonds was commissioned to polish the diamonds for the watch. This honorable task was given to the young, but very talented diamond polisher Ben Meier. He polished the sensational number of 275 small diamonds to be incorporated in Queen Juliana's diamond watch. If you see the result you realize that it must have been one of the finest displays of jewelry craftsmanship in history. Only three years after polishing the diamonds of this watch, the young diamond polisher Ben Meier became the owner of Royal Coster Diamonds. His vision and mission would create a new future for the diamond polishing factory. Ben Meier in 1959 polishing diamonds. He polished the diamonds in Queen Juliana’s diamond watch. Ben joined the diamond world at an early age and specialized in baguette cuts. Where is the diamond watch now? Even though she didn’t want to be spoiled with a special gift, Queen Juliana absolutely loved her new diamond bracelet watch. She wore it therefore frequently. However, when her oldest daughter Beatrix became queen in 1980, the diamond watch was not seen for quite some time. It was believed that Queen Beatrix followed the strict etiquette: it wasn’t appropriate to wear a watch at a royal occasion. Luckily for its admirers, Queen Máxima – the wife of our current king, Willem Alexander – reintroduced the watch in 2006. Since then she wears it regularly on different occasions. To this day, it still makes us a little proud, every time we see those diamonds sparkle on her wrist! Queen Máxima wears the diamond watch on a regular basis
How we Polished the Famous Star of the South Diamond - Royal Coster Diamonds
How we Polished the Famous Star of the South Diamond
The 128.48 carat Star of the South is one of the most famous diamonds in the world. This cushion cut diamond has a Fancy Light Pinkish Brown color and VS2 clarity. The combination of this color and clarity is very rare for diamonds of this size. In 1853, a slave woman discovered an unusual large diamond in the Bagagem River. That river is in the center of Brazil next to the city of “Estrela do Sul” (located just north to Brazilia, Brazil's capital. For her honesty, the woman received her freedom and a life income. It was quite common that mineworkers received these kinds of rewards. Wat was not common was the stone she found. It was clear immediately that this stone was a unique discovery. Later on, the stone would get the name "Star of the South". Coster’s Star After going from one owner to another, the diamond reached Royal Coster Diamonds. By then, we already had quite a reputation for polishing famous diamonds. Stones like Queen Victoria’s famous Koh-I-Noor diamond for example. Mr. Voorzanger, one of our master polishers who also polished the Koh-I-Noor, accepted the honorable task of polishing the Brazilian diamond. He turned the 254.48 carat rough stone into a magnificent 128.48-carat cushion cut pinkish brown diamond. The color Fancy Light Pinkish Brown is one of the most sought-after color combinations among brown colored diamonds. The diamond's reflected light reflected is white. But the refracted light is a soft rose-pink. This gives the diamond that light pinkish-brown hue that makes it so special. There was a lot of interest in this diamond. Coster sold it to a French syndicate called Halphen and Associates. He named the remarkable piece after its finding place, Estero do Sul, or “Star of the South”. Two of Coster’s pieces come together Over the years, The Star of the South had various owners. After some time, Prince Mulhar Raco from the Royal Family of Gaekaw from West-India bought it. The family had the diamond for many years. They even mounted it in a necklace that was specially made to show off the Star of the South (below in pink). They put it together with another diamond that Coster Diamonds also polished in 1857: The English Dresden (below in green). The English Dresden is 76.50 carat. It's a pear-shaped, colorless diamond of exceptional color and clarity. You see the English Dresden in the picture below the Star of the South. In 1948, Maharani Sītā Devī wore the necklace at her husband Maharajah Pratāp Sinh’s birthday party. Sītā Devī (1915−2002) is also known as Princess Karam. She was one of the most glamorous women of her days. The stylish princess spoke several European languages fluently and was a muse for many photographers from Cecil Beaton to Man Ray. Society columns followed her closely and considered her a trendsetter. They listed her among the twelve most glamorous women in the world. After Sita Devi’s passing, her descendants sold the Star of the South to Cartier in 2002. But nobody knows where the star is today… Sita Devi, princess and fashion-icon, wearing a slightly modified version of the necklace. More diamonds were added around the bottom portion of the English Dresden. (Left picture © André Durst - Vogue, July 1937. Right picture was taken in 1948, in Baroda, India)
How we cut the Koh-I-Noor for the Queen of England - Royal Coster Diamonds
How we cut the Koh-I-Noor for the Queen of England
In 1852, our Master Polishers Fedder and Voorzanger went to London to repolish the Koh-I-Noor for Queen Victoria. This diamond is still the center stone in the Crown Jewels. The Koh-I-Noor is an oval 109 carat diamond with a weight of 21.6 grams. It’s the main diamond of the British Crown Jewels, known from the crown. The stone is literally priceless and can therefore not be insured. Currently, the Koh-I-Noor is exhibited in the Tower of London together with the other crown jewels of Great Britain. During the biggest part of its long history, the Koh-I-Noor was the biggest diamond in the world. To this day, it is the most expensive diamond in the world. The Koh-I-Noor is a diamond with a fascinating history and an impressive journey. The history of the Koh-I-Noor The story of the Koh-I-Noor starts in India, seven centuries ago. In a little village called Kollur, close to Hyderabad, people found an unusual diamond. Everyone was amazed by its unusual color and large size. Until the 14th century, the diamond belonged to the Radja’s of the Kakatiya Dynasty in Warangal. In 1323, the Sultan of Delhi conquered Warangal. The Koh-I-Noor became part of the Sultan’s war bouts. It remained in the possession of the Sultan’s family until 1526. That year, it fell in the hands of the Mongol Emperor Babur. Babur wrote in his historiography about the value of the Koh-I-Noor. He believed it was valuable enough to feed the world’s entire population for at least 2,5 day. Mountain of Light For a few centuries, the Koh-i-Noor remained in possession of the Mongol Emperors. The emperors placed the diamond on their peacock throne. In 1739, the Persian Warlord Nader Shah successfully conquered Delhi. He threw Emperor Muhammad Shah into prison and took everything from him. But there was no sign of the precious diamond he heard so much about. Nader Shah discovered the Koh-I-Noor by accident. When he threw Muhammad Shah in prison, he wanted to switch turbans with the deposed emperor. Little did he know Muhammad hid his beloved diamond in his turban! When Nader found the diamond, he screamed: “Koh-I-Noor”, which is Persian for “Mountain of Light”. The Koh-I-Noor in Persia Nader Shah brought the Koh-I-Noor with him to Persia. Until his death, the diamond remained in his possession. After he passed away, Nader Shah’s grandson gave the diamond to Ahmad Shad Durrani in return for his support. Ahmad loaned the diamond to one of his descendants, Shah Shujah Durrani, who wore it in his bracelet. Shah Shujah Durrani was the last Persian owner. He fought Mahmud Shah for the Persian throne between 1801 and 1809. After losing the battle, he fled with the Koh-I-Noor to Punjab, currently known as Lahore, in Pakistan. Once he arrived, soldiers of the Sikh Maharajah Ranjit Singh caught him. But Shah Shuja was able to buy his way out by giving the Koh-I-Noor to the Maharajah. In exchange, the Maharajah helped Shah Shuja get back the throne of Afghanistan. Ranjit Singh wore the diamond often in his turban and grew very fond of it. He wrote in his will he wanted to donate the Koh-I-Noor to the Jagannath Temple in Puri (India) after his death. His family did not like that idea and decided to keep the stone in Punjab. Tally-ho! The Koh-I-Noor goes to England In 1849, the British East India Company took the Sikh empire. The British imprisoned the last Sikh Emperor, Dalip Singh. They took the Sikh's properties as war compensations. One of the items of the war compensations was a bright, white stone: the Koh-I-Noor. In the Treaty of Lahore, a peace treaty marking the end of the war in 1846, they included the fate of the Koh-I-Noor. From now on, the stone would belong to the British conquerors. In England, the East Indian Company gave the diamond as a present of the war bouts to Queen Victoria in 1850. Repolished by Coster Diamonds The diamond was handed to Queen Victoria. She liked the diamond and sometimes wore it in a brooch. In 1851, the Koh-I-Noor went on display at the Great Exhibition in London. But the diamond was not cut in years. The outdated shape that was so typical for the Mughal era could not impress the people in the least. It was by far not as shiny as the other cut diamonds of that era. The queen was actually quite disappointed about it. Prince Albert, the queen's husband, suggested getting the diamond recut. Therefore, in 1852, it was time to bring the ultimate sparkle to the Queen's diamond. However, this meant the Koh-I-Noor had to be recut by a professional. But it appeared that no Englishman was skilled enough to cut the diamond in an ideal way. Therefore, the Brits decided to look for the knowledge outside their own country. This is how they ended up in Amsterdam, asking Mr. Coster from Royal Coster Diamonds.Mr. Coster was up for the challenge. He sent two of his best diamond polishers to England. His polishers, Fedder and Voorzanger recut the diamond from 186.00 carats to its current weight of 108.93 carats. As of that moment, the Koh-I-Noor really lived up to its name: it shines like a mountain of light. Legends of the Koh-I-Noor There are serval legends about the stone. One of the most famous ones is that the diamond can only be worn by female emperors and monarchs. They will reign long and prosperous. However, if a man wears the stone during his reign, he will die early. Moreover, his ruling period will go hand in hand with adversity and bad luck. This is the reason why, during its entire life in England, the Koh-I-Noor is only worn by female leaders. Another legend of the Koh-I-Noor is that for as long as it exists, it creates riches as big as its own value every day. Craftsmanship as a legacy For us at Royal Coster Diamonds, the Koh-I-Noor really is our darling. After all, two Coster polishers cut it for the English Royals. Amazing yet not surprising. Coster had (and still has) a reputation to remain: a reputation of polished perfection. In particular polish special diamonds perfectly such as the English Dresden and the Star of the South. Two famous diamonds from Brazil that were brought to Coster to obtain its optimum glare. Diamonds from Royal Coster To this day the craft of polishing diamonds perfectly is a legacy we are proud of. Every day, my co-workers and I gain satisfaction from creating the best sparkle for every diamond. This is how we keep the heritage of Mozes Coster alive and guarantee our customers the best diamonds. The diamonds from Royal Coster. See the most beautiful diamonds You can see the diamonds from Royal Coster during a tour through our polishing factory in the heart of Amsterdam. To this day, we are still famous for our craftsmanship. We continue to make stunning diamond pieces. For example, our ROYAL 201 SIGNATURE C COLLECTION. In the Royal Experience, you learn more about our impressive history. In the tour, you see how our craftsmen polish the diamonds. Besides, there is an exhibition with some replicas of the most famous diamond we cut, including the Koh-I-Noor. We also have Europe’s biggest in-house collection of diamonds: cut and uncut, loose and placed in jewelry. Whether you want to learn more about diamonds, want to buy diamonds or purchase diamond jewelry at the best price, at Coster you can. Drop by and discover yourself why our diamonds are considered the world’s best diamonds for more than 180 years.