A Royal Crest

Recently, Royal Coster Diamonds revealed its crest at its annual Midsummer Night Party. The crest contains various aspects that represent the famous diamond polishing factory. There are two lions, a beaver, three Saint Andrew's Crosses, a diamond, the Royal Coster crown and the text “Honestas Optima Politia”. A lot of the inspiration for this crest came from a visit to the grave of Martin Coster. He was the son of the founder of Royal Coster Diamonds but really the driving force behind the worldwide recognition of the label of the best diamond polishing factory in the world.

The history as a promise for the future

Ever since we got the Royal title in 2016 from King Willem-Alexander, we know we needed something special to emphasize that special recognition. This crest should be a representation of our rich history as well as our bright future.

The inspiration for the Crest

Martin was the son of Mozes Elias Coster, the founder of Coster Diamonds. We don’t know exactly when Mozes founded the organization. However, the oldest document we have is the one in which he transfers the ownership of Coster Diamonds to his son, Martin. What we do know, is that while Mozes was the true craftsman, it was Martin who made the company great. There was no doubt Martin was a great man. At one point he became Consul General for the Netherlands in Paris. Therefore, his grave is in the heart of Montmartre in Paris. Though Paris is not around the corner, it just made sense to go there to find the inspiration for our crest.

The grave of Martin Coster

Besides the location, there are many things that are remarkable about Martins grave. However, one of the things that stood out most is the top of his tombstone. This top has a beaver and the text “Honestas Optima Politia” on it. If Martin only knew that after all these years, these two things would still represent his beloved company today.

The items on the crest explained

The beaver

The beaver stands for hard work and strong work ethics. This is how we worked in 1840 and how we still work today, in 2017. We don’t complain (much); instead, we just get the job done. It’s not always the most efficient or modern way to work, but it results in quality. And after more than 175 years, we still feel that quality beats rushed quantity any day.

“Honestas Optima Politia”

The motto of Martin Coster translates to “Honesty is the Best Policy”. We’ve experienced that in any business, but especially in the diamond industry, this is the best way to handle your business. It’s also the best way to handle yourself in any other situation as well for that matter.

The Royal 201 Diamond

The Diamond in our crest is not just any diamond. It is the patented Royal 201 diamond. Where a regular diamond has 57 facets to reflect the light and create ´the sparkle´, the Royal 201 has 201 facets creating the ultimate sparkling diamond. Or how Mr. Bobby Low -creator of this unique shape- would put it: "More Facets, more Fire more Sparkle."

The 2 Lions

The 2 lions on each side of the crest are a reference to the 2 lions on the dutch coat of arms which symbolize the monarchy. Our King, our Queen and the young princesses and the entire royal family for that matter represent their people remarkably well and with great dignity. We hold them very dear.

The three Saint Andrew's Crosses

Founded in 1840 in Amsterdam and today in 2017 still in Amsterdam. We love the city and are proud to call it our home. That's why the inclusion of the 3 Saint Andrew's Crosses, which are the symbol of Amsterdam.

The Crown

The Crown is an abstract version of the crown that is part of the British Crown Jewels that holds the legendary Koh-I-Noor diamond. In 1852 Royal Coster Diamonds was commissioned to re-cut and polish this diamond for Queen Victoria. A replicate of this crown has the best place in our building; right in the middle of the polishing area.

This crest is definitely a product of team effort. We are stoked with the results and look forward to implementing this throughout our branding in the coming period with our entire team. We hope you love it as much as we do.

For pictures from my trip to the grave of Martin Coster and to read more about the story, you can read this blog.