Hometown Living At Its Best 25
South Africa, according to the article. The stone
was presented to Britain’s King Edward VII as
a birthday present, and in turn, he “entrusted
the cutting of the Cullinan to Joseph Asscher,
head of the Asscher Diamond Company of
Amsterdam…. Asscher studied the stone for
six months before attempting the cut. On his
first attempt, the steel blade broke, with no
effect on the diamond. On the second attempt,
the diamond shattered exactly as planned;
Asscher then fainted from nervous exhaustion.”
The importance of the perfect cut is one
of the main reasons for traveling to Antwerp,
Belgium. “We’re a part of a buying group called
Retail Jewelers Organization RJO,” said Earl,
“which allows us access to purchase from
diamond houses in Antwerp. There are about
800 retail stores in this buying group.”
Unlike jewelry chain stores, Kathy and
Earl purchase each piece that comes into K E
Butler often with specific customers in mind.
“Antwerp is one of the oldest diamond centers,
and has a rich history that in many ways tells
the story of the changes in the global economy
over the last five centuries,” writes diamond
industrialist Ehud Arye Laniado, in his article,
“Antwerp and Diamonds: A Rocky Love Story.”