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The ROYALCREST(TM): The Industry's Newest Diamond Cut
Aug 4, 1994 2:12 PM
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Merit Diamond Corp., a New York-based diamond cutter and jewelry
manufacturer, has created an entirely new diamond cut. The
Royalcrest(TM) has a bottom that takes elements from the emerald or
baguette cut, while a multifaceted arch replaces the table. "We felt
for a long time that the industry needed something new," said Gagi
Kaplan, president of Merit, "something totally different than any
other cut."
Merit, which has developed other cuts in the past, though nothing so
revolutionary, has been developing the Royalcrest for 20 months.
Kaplan explained that the idea behind the cut was that when people
devise a new diamond cut they tend to focus on the bottom of the
diamond, not the top or table. Merit decided not to worry so much
about the bottom. "We wanted to achieve more brilliance, excitement,
to do something no one's done before," he said. So Merit focused its
attention on the table.
When he questioned clients, he discovered that many like the flowing
look of the baguette cut. Kaplan used this as his starting point. He
would design a cut that would create a multiple baguette look--"a
flowing water look"-- using only one stone. He also wanted to create a
cut that would only apply to diamonds. The result: with the Royalcrest
cut, the top of the stone is cut in the shape of an arch with numerous
facets on its surface. The multifaceted arch both reflects and
refracts light from every angel, generating the stones fire. The
arched table is designed to mimic the gentle curve of the finger and
ring.
"Only in diamond can we cut the table as we do and create edges that
are not going to wear off, because only a diamond is sufficiently hard
to keep the edges of the arch's facets as they were cut," Kaplan said.
"If it is done in any other material the edges won't last."
The arch shape makes the table of the diamond approximately 1.4 times
bigger than a standard diamond cut of the same diameter. This is said
to enable more light to be reflected and refracted.
At the moment, Merit is using only SI or better stones in all sizes.
The stones are being mounted in solitaire, engagement and anniversary
rings. Merit has tried the cut with a few included stones. The cut
seems to give the same invisibility as a Princess cut, Kaplan
reported. "Anything off- center is very hard to see," he said.
PROTECTING HIS INVESTMENT
Before coming out with the Royalcrest, Kaplan patented the cut. In the
not- to-distant past, when Merit had offered its Quintari Princess cut
to the market, it had patented the cut but the patent proved
ineffectual and people copied it. This time Kaplan made sure the
Royalcrest was something totally new, so that there was no question of
the strength of the patent. "We plan to enforce the patent very
strongly,' Kaplan said. "The cut is patented in the United States as
well as other countries."
THE OFFICIAL VERDICT
Merit has yet to submit any Royalcrest cut stones to GIA for grading.
"I sold a ring to one customer," Kaplan said, "and he wanted it
appraised. It had two rather long side stones that were Royalcrest
cuts, and we sent the ring to IGI; we didn't say anything to them.
They gave us a very high appraisal on the ring, that was no problem,
but they called the two side stones modified baguette. They said if
you call it Royalcrest and we call it Royalcrest, [the industry] will
think we're in bed with you. So they called it a modified baguette."
THE MARKET'S REACTION
Merit had planned to launch the new cut at the jewelry show in New
York. The company's promotional video cassette and a few stones were
ready prior to the JCK Las Vegas show, so Kaplan showed his product to
some of his major customers there and the reaction was strongly
positive. "Right away we were taking orders for Christmas," he said.
Because the reaction was favorable, Kaplan decided Merit could spend
less money on advertising and more on production. In January 1995,
production will be increased. This year, however, only the major
retailers will carry the cut.
Meanwhile, prices for a Royalcrest cut diamond are no more than a
regular fancy cut, Kaplan said.
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Tags:
GIA, IGI, JCK, Jewelry, Production, United States
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