BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT
Sarah Layton Jewellers introduces Royal Asscher, one of the leading names in diamond cutting and design in the world
Approaching their ninth year in business, Sarah Layton Jewellers have certainly made waves in the Ribble Valley – and across the country.
Based in Whalley, the award-winning business has scooped national accolades – it was named as the Multi-Brand/Fashion Jewellery Retailer of the Year at this year’s Retail Jeweller Awards and Branded Retailer of the Year at the Inspiring Independents Awards.
Founded in 2010 by Gill and Nigel Layton-Hill along with daughters Leanne and Lauren, the family-run business has worked hard to establish itself as a reputable jeweller, stocking the very best in British and international jewellery brands and designers, as well as developing its own bespoke jewellery design service.
“We’re always on the lookout for something new and different to offer our customers,” says Leanne Rogers.
“As a family-run business, Royal Asscher is a great match for us. Founded by I.J Asscher in 1854, it is a brand steeped in history and is currently run by the fifth and sixth generation of the Asscher family.”
In 1902, the Asscher family cut the 997 carat Excelsior diamond before building one of Europe’s largest diamond polishing factories south of Amsterdam in 1907, with its own police guard and a vault, which has held some of the most famous diamonds in history.
Shortly after, in 1908, Joseph Asscher, at the request of King Edward VII, cut and polished the largest diamond ever found – the 3,106 carat Cullinan diamond which features in both the Crown Jewels and in Queen Elizabeth II’s private collection.
Flourishing at its original location until the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, Royal Asscher saw the company and its workforce deported to concentration camps, where over 500 perished. Post-war, the surviving Asscher family members restarted the business, maintaining the original spirit of the house – to cut and be chosen handlers of the most beautiful diamonds in the world.
A trusted name in Dutch business and society, Royal Asscher were bestowed with the Dutch Royal predicate from Queen Juliana in 1980 and have since remained one of the leading names in diamond cutting, pioneering diamond design throughout the world.
Currently at the helm of the brand, Edward, Lita and Mike Asscher have in their hands one of the most significant diamond legacies of the present age.
Today Royal Asscher still has its head offices in the primary tower of the original factory at 127 Tolstraat where, over the years, they have received many royal guests and VIP clients. The Asschers keep their own private ‘Golden Book’ containing the signatures of numerous illustrious guests and heads of state.
Preserving the Royal Asscher tradition of giving each single stone, without compromise, the cut it deserves – one which will enhance the diamond’s individual beauty, the Asschers are a family of diamond lovers, still excited by the idea of combining diamond design and modern manufacturing to create new diamond cuts, with each cut designed to give amazing light performance in terms of brilliance, fire and scintillation.
“We’ve always gone beyond the usual standards to add fresh levels of rarity and sparkle to the industry with our four proprietary and patented protected cuts,” says Asscher.
“As a symbol of love and celebration – diamonds are sentimentally valuable, precious and to be passed through generations, and they should come with a beautiful story. Every Royal Asscher diamond has a legacy that intertwines with the wearers.”
“When we handle a rough crystal, final carat weight is a secondary consideration – beauty triumphs all. That ability to create something spectacular is a guiding principle of the house.”
Renowned for their entrancing effect, Asscher cut diamonds are like an endless pool of mirrors blazing with a kaleidoscope of colour – the fire and dispersion of a round brilliant diamond combined with the spectral rainbow reflections of an emerald cut. When compared to a generic square-emerald Asscher at 58 facets, the Royal Asscher cut’s 16 more facets add new layers of fire and light and a far superior brilliance which is obvious to the naked eye.
“Aside from the beauty of our diamonds, we believe there is a relevant place for the legacy and tradition our family started 164 years ago in Amsterdam. In this fast-paced world of commodity and mass production we are proud to offer a more personal and intimate experience to customers, along with the unique value of our heritage, experience and unrivalled patented cuts.”
“Sarah Layton Jewellers is a family-run business, very much like our own. We look forward to building our relationship with them and introducing our beautiful diamonds to a whole new generation of jewellery lovers.”
Sarah Layton Jewellers
71 King Street, Whalley BB7 9SW
01254 822062
www.sarahlayton.co.uk
