Backes & Strauss has unveiled its Royal Ashoka® Collection, a new range of diamond studded watches, at the World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie which took place in Japan between October 28-31. The collection uses William Goldberg's Ashoka® diamonds, the first time ever they are part of a fine watch collection.

The first piece in collection was on display at the show and is set with 92 Ashoka® cut diamonds. It also has 131 Ideal Cut diamonds and two baguette cut diamonds for a total of 225 diamonds with a weight of 26.21 carats. The figure 225 represents the number of years that Backes & Strauss, which says it is the world's oldest diamond company, has been in existence.

Ashoka® diamonds are a special cut developed and patented by Manhattan-based diamond company William Goldberg. It is inspired by a 41.37 carat, D colour, internally flawless diamond from India which was cut by an unknown craftsman and named after India’s legendary Mauryan king Ashoka the Great who had died centuries earlier.

Ashoka® is an elongated, antique cushion cut with 62 displayed facets and rounded corners that captures light and disperses it with a fiery brilliance,

The watch is currently available exclusively in Japan, and will eventually also be available in the United States and other countries.