GEM NEWS International EDITOR Brendan M. Laurs (
[email protected]) CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Emmanuel Fritsch, IMN, University of Nantes, France (
[email protected]) Henry A. Hänni, SSEF, Basel, Switzerland (
[email protected]) Kenneth Scarratt, AGTA Gemological Testing Center, New York (
[email protected]) Karl Schmetzer, Petershausen, Germany James E. Shigley, GIA Research, Carlsbad, California (
[email protected]) Christopher P. Smith, Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland (
[email protected]) DIAMONDS Diamonds in Canada: An update. In 1991, Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT) was catapulted into the Royal Asscher cut. Amsterdam’s Royal Asscher Diamond world spotlight with the discovery of diamond-bearing Co., cutters of the Cullinan diamond, recently debuted kimberlites in the Lac de Gras area of the Slave the Royal Asscher cut (figure 1) at the JCK show in Las Geological Province (see, e.g., A. A. Levinson et al., Vegas. The original Asscher cut (patented in 1902) was a “Diamond sources and production: Past, present, and squarish diamond with large corners, a high crown, a future,” Winter 1992 Gems & Gemology, pp. 234–254). small table, and a deep pavilion (see, e.g., p. 165 of the Fall Success has been swift, with several major developments 1999 issue of Gems & Gemology). With 74 facets and a in the last 10 years. The Ekati mine started production in more geometric look, the Royal Asscher still retains the 1998 (see, e.g., Winter 1998 Gem News, pp. 290–292), and distinctive appearance of its predecessor. Both loose the Diavik project is scheduled to begin production in stones and a Royal Asscher cut diamond jewelry line are 2003 (see the following entry by K.