Two weeks ago I completed the De Beers Diamond Pipeline course. I applied to do the course as I knew there were gaps in my knowledge as to where exactly diamonds come from, how they’re cut and how they’re graded. Although I don’t use a huge amount of diamonds in my work, I would like to use more, and didn’t want to do so without learning more.
The course was fascinating, and we learnt exactly how they’re mined and technology used to do this, as well as learning about the communities surrounding diamond mines. I have always been hesitant about mining and the ethics surrounding this, but there is no question the industry is changing, its having too.
We learnt exactly what a diamond is, it’s properties, how its formed, how it grows, what else they’re used for and why.
We were then shown rough cuts and how they look literally as they come out the ground. We spent an entire day looking at these and and learning what to look for. We then spent a day learning about grading polished diamonds and how they’re graded. I now have such a much better understanding of what all the numbers and letters used for grading diamonds means. Plus I know what to look for in terms of what makes a good quality stone. (Not an expert by any means, but so much more of an understanding than what I did before).
We were then shown the technology used for cutting diamonds and how they go from rough cuts to cut and polished stones.
We also learnt about lab grown diamonds which is an area I was quite interested in. It’s a complex one and I am still thinking about how I feel about them.
The canteen was also amazing and I had a three course lunch everyday!
There was a lot more to the course than the above, but thats a quick overview. There was so much information, it was exhausting but so interesting. I am very lucky I was able to take part, and I look forward to bringing this knowledge into my business.
