Amsterdam is famous for its beautiful canals. It is equally famous for its diamond industry. Next to New York, Amsterdam is the city for diamonds. It is here that a “girl’s best friend” is cut, polished and set in trendy jewelry popular around the world. Amsterdam has held on to its role as a center for the world’s diamond trade for over 400 years. Interestingly, the diamond industry originated in India and gradually moved west attracted by the insatiable demand for diamonds in Europe.
Visiting a Diamond Store
Touring Europe this summer our itinerary included a stop in Amsterdam with a visit to a diamond company. Gassan Diamonds is a leading name in Amsterdam’s diamond trade. The company offers promotional tours allowing tourists to visit and see some of Amsterdam’s finest diamonds and jewelry. As part of the tour, visitors get an introduction to diamonds and what to look for while buying a diamond. They also get to see impressive jewelry up close and how a diamond's brilliance add to their lustre and value.
Selecting a Diamond
Gassan Diamonds is a family-owned company. In addition to cutting and polishing diamonds, the company also trades (wholesale and retail) in things precious. The retail side of the business in diamonds, jewelry and watches is through well-appointed shops in the city and at airports. The diamond presentation at Gassan’s includes a primer on diamonds and the features to look for.
The Basics
The value of a diamond is based on several factors. First is its weight. This is measured in Carats (1 Carat = 0.2 grams). Size does matter for diamonds. For a long time the biggest diamond in the world was the Cullinan Great Star of Africa. This weighed in at 530.4 carats or 106.1 grams. In 1985, a new diamond, The Golden Jubilee, was found and assumed the title of the biggest. This weighed 545.67 carats (109) grams. Next in importance after size is the diamond’s color category which ranges from River (the highest) to Yellow which is the lowest. The clarity of the diamond is yet another category which ranks a diamond from Perfect (the best) to Piqué 3 at the lower end. Finally, the cut and the number of facets, and the order and form of the cut determine a diamond’s value and price.
On Gassan’s scale, the highest cut is seen in Gassan 121 which has, as the name suggests, 121 facets. This cut is new and is exclusive to the company. It is also the most expensive diamond one can buy. The base price of the least expensive diamond in this class retails for over US$ 10,000. Other cuts range from Brilliant which is next after Gassan 121, to Princess-cut and further down to a Square-cut. There are in all 10 different ways of cutting a diamond.
The presentation gives an overview of diamonds and jewelry and introduces the techniques and skill involved in producing the radiant stone that is the star of one’s necklace, bracelet or ring. For our tour group the presentation was given by Maurizio Giuliani. Maurizio is an expert with many years of experience working in the diamond industry and in the company. Maurizio explained the features of diamonds and how they determine the quality and ultimately the price of a diamond. The visit was also an opportunity to view diamonds of different grades and cuts and to see skilled technicians working at their craft - polishing and cutting diamonds. Similar tours are offered at Coster Diamonds and Amstel Diamonds who are also well-known purveyors of diamonds in the city.
The Diamond Museum in Amsterdam is yet another source for information on the history of the diamond trade and current information on diamonds. The museum has on display replicas of the world’s best known diamonds and the royal crowns they shine on.
Amsterdam is a great European city and is one of the most frequently visited. It is estimated that over 3.5 million visitors from abroad visit Amsterdam every year. Amsterdam offers a unique experience. The beautiful architecture, the picturesque canals, the night life, and the easy going and friendly atmosphere give the city and allure that is hard to resist. Amsterdam is a great place to be in!
Afsar Husain - Afsar has been a freelance writer and photographer for many years. He holds a Masters degree in English and has published travel and ...
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