Stories

Vogue Germany reveals the story behind the Wempe and William Goldberg partnership and highlights Wempe's new line of ASHOKA_® diamond jewelry that is made for everyday life. 

"It sparkles and shines in all the colors of the spectrum: a diamond in the ASHOKA_® cut. The way it captures light, transforms it, and releases it again makes it a truly special gem. This cut resembles the emerald cut: it has rounded corners, its table (the front facet) gently curves upward, and with its 62 facets and various angles, it creates numerous light reflections. As a result, it creates the illusion that it is about 30 percent larger than a diamond in the emerald cut of the same weight. The New York diamond dealer William Goldberg was also captivated by this sparkling appearance when he held a jewel with this cut for the first time. It dated back to the third century, was discovered in South India, and had been cut by an unknown artist. Goldberg analyzed the cut, refined it, and finally patented it in 1999 under the name ASHOKA_®, named after the ancient Indian emperor Ashoka (268-233 BC), who was known for his exceptional kindness and promotion of peace and harmony.

Wempe was also immediately impressed by the ASHOKA_® jewel - and by the company from which it originated. Eve Goldberg, the daughter of the company's founder, and Kim-Eva Wempe, in the fourth generation of her own family business, met in 2016 during the reopening of the Wempe store in New York. From this first meeting, a friendship and the idea to create a Wempe collection around this distinctive cut emerged. In 2018, the jeweler, under the creative direction of Catherine Plouchard, introduced the first two lines, "Art Déco Wempe ASHOKA_®" and "Cube Wempe ASHOKA_®," to the market. The creations were statement pieces, elaborately crafted, with large stones and accordingly high in value. These pieces paid homage to the home of the Goldbergs: the glittering skyline of Manhattan, reflecting in the water and the countless shiny facades, inspired the Frenchwoman. Above all, the ASHOKA_® designs should embody William Goldberg's belief that the perfect diamond is one that brings complete happiness. The ASHOKA_® cut is a crafty technique, particularly interesting for solitaire jewelry. Like all cuts with large facets, the ASHOKA_® cut demands maximum quality of the raw diamond. Inclusions in the crystal structure are hard to hide. Less than one percent of all globally mined raw diamonds have the potential to be transformed into an ASHOKA_® cut.

As a result, ASHOKA_® diamonds are rare and have mostly been used for individual pieces or limited collections. This is changing with a more delicate Wempe ASHOKA_® line that makes the cut more affordable. Smaller stones are used, but they shine just as brilliantly. They make the legendary cut accessible. Set for the first time in rose gold (as in this solitaire), the piece radiates a warmth and softness that the distinctive cut had not known before. Its light reflections continue to remind one of the surface of water, as in a serene lake, over which the gaze can quietly glide - full of harmony, joy, and lightness. Wempe's new ASHOKA_® pieces are made for everyday life, to enjoy the sparkle whenever you want and to lose yourself in it. Nothing less is expected from a diamond that "removes all sorrow." That is exactly what the word "Ashoka" means when translated." 

Mira Wiesinger