Diamonds, Amsterdam

Free guided tours in more than 25 languages, fancy shops for your perusal, diamonds are explained to you in more detail than you thought possible-----open 7 days a week from 9-5----contact them ahead of time and they will send you materiels for your examination before your visit---I recommend this if interested in Diamonds.....

A great experience inside the diamonds world.
Dream about dozen of diamond rings, necklaces, etc...

This is really something you don't have to miss.

The exhibition begins with a short film that follows the diamond from its formation deep within the earth 3 milliard years ago, on its journey via mining, distribution, trade and processing to the splendid jewel adorning one’s neck, wrist or finger.

Some diamonds are world famous because of their history and/or their unique beauty. Replicas of 22 famous diamonds are on display, each with their own story.

For almost 400 years, Amsterdam was the leading diamond polishing centre in the world. Now this is no longer true, but it continues to be the city where the most direct sales to the consumer are made. A timeline describes 400 years of diamond history. A number of prominent Amsterdam diamond polishing firms are briefly highlighted, along with a presentation of the famous stones they have polished.
The visitor is given a spectacular impression of how diamonds and glamour go together in this diamond-shaped mirror-lined room.

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Gassan Diamonds is one of the early diamond industries at Amsterdam.
The factory operated on steam from 1880, but the history of this company goes back 400 years.
Due to the introduction of steam the building had to be build big.

Nowadays many tourists visit the plant daily; there even is a canal boat stop.

Free tours are 7 days a week, all year round from 9AM to 5PM, but you have to book via the company's website in advance.

Make time to visit at least one. Diamonds - the diamond trade was first introduced to Amsterdam during the 16th century and today the city continues to be one of the world's most important diamond centres. During the World War II, more than 2000 Amsterdam Jewish diamond polishers vanished into concentration camps in Germany and Poland and by the end of the War practically nothing was left of the trade.

I went to Costers Diamonds where you can see them at work as well as view their showroom (of course). Make sure you don’t take your credit card – tempting.!!!

It is not advisible to visit the Diamonds factories specially with your wifes ,fiancees,girlfriends etc.etc.You can take this suggestion as a warning tip.During the war Amsterdam losts 2000 diamond workers.After the war the diamond trade was in part returned to its former glory due to the efforts of the diamond merchants and help from abroad.Most diamond polishers as well as diamond traders give demonstrations in diamond cutting in some factories and shops
Like Gassan Diamonds, Amsterdam Diamond Center, Van Moppes Diamonds and Coster Diamonds. Many famous diamonds were cut and polished in Amsterdam. For example, the "Cullinan", the largest diamond ever found. But also the "Koh-I-Noor", which means Mountain of Light, was cut for the British Crown Jewels in 1852. Furthermore, the world's smallest diamond, just 0.00012 carat, but with 57 facest, was also cut in Amsterdam.

You can visit awesome diamond-cutting factories, and can even purchase exceptionally cut & decorated jewellery.

My Mum bought quite a few pieces from here, which always catch people's eyes & comments!

Fellas, a must-do, to treat a special lady in your life.
They don't say "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" for nothing!

Throughout Amsterdam there are Diamond Museums dotted around, there is one near the Leidseplein. If you ask at your hotel reception about it i am sure that they give you a card for free entry (not sure whether it is free entry in anycase mind, but we got a card from our hotel). Anyhow...we went there as one of my friends had gone and she went on this tour that took you round the museum and then at the end they were able to pick a champagne flute and in the bottom there were diamonds - fake and real ones so if you were lucky you got a real one - and she did, and when she got home she got it made into a ring....Anyhow when we went it was nothing like she described (perhaps we got the wrong place?) but it was still interesting, you get to see 'men at work' making diamonds, and the processes involved with how the rock ends up on a ring, note; there was no picking of the diamond in a champagne flute, but a little gift shop at the end. So, if you have a spare hour one day then the diamond museum is worth a little visit.

Amsterdam has some very well priced diamonds in a number of shops around Amsterdam. The stones are brought in and get cut and polished by the locals tradesperson then sold in a variety of sizes and settings. This is a good place to buy diamonds to bring home (is in NZ anyway) as you can buy them duty free and then get a local person to make your ring etc. If you visit a shop you can often see one of the staff working on the stones.