Of all the unique diamonds created by legendary New York craftsman William Goldberg, the Ashoka diamond cut has become his enduring legacy. The Ashoka cut was introduced in 1999 and patented by Goldberg.
Bill Goldberg, who loves diamond legends, was especially inspired by the tale of the ancient Ashoka Diamond: a 41,37-carat stone from Golconda, a treasured talisman named after Ashoka Maurya, a 3rd century Buddhist warrior emperor.
Ashoka was an Indian warrior-turned-leader who believed that the true path to enlightenment could only be reached through tranquility, and his eponymous stone cut is said to "banish sorrow".
Ashoka has been passed down from generation to generation, like many historical Indian diamonds.
Many, many centuries later, in 1947, it appeared in the West, when it was sold by the Maharajas, and the magnificent diamond was acquired by Harry Winston. It was then purchased by Mexican actress Maria Felix, and later, in 1984, art investor Roberto Polo purchased the jewel for $1 million.
In 1988, Ashoka became the star of the Sotheby's jewelry auction in St. Moritz. The coveted stone was sold to an anonymous buyer for a record price of $3. And disappeared from view.
William Goldberg could not forget the beauty and charm of this stone, and he created a completely new cut, Ashoka, in honor of the historical Indian diamond of the same name.
Ashoka cut diamonds are extremely rare because they require a large rough diamond – at least three carats in size, nearly flawless – to make.
The unique arrangement of 62 facets creates a dazzling prismatic effect that gives Ashoka a fiery sheen. The Ashoka cutting process is extraordinarily precise - each finished stone of the same weight has the same proportions and dimensions. The consistency and symmetry of the cut set it apart from all other fancy-shaped diamonds. Ashoka looks larger than similarly shaped diamonds - 30% larger than an emerald-cut diamond of the same carat weight.
