You might not be able to afford the real thing, but you can find out all about a girl’s best friend in this fascinating and informative museum.
Amsterdam’s connections with the diamond industry go back many centuries, during which time the city was one of the world’s most important centres of production of this precious commodity. The diamond polishers in highest demand were mainly Jews, who passed their intricate skills down through many generations, so when the Dutch Jewish population was decimated during World War II the industry took a major hit, from which it never fully recovered. The Diamond Museum tells the story of the industry then and now, offering an insight into the process and exhibiting examples of its sparkling product.A visit, which takes around an hour, starts with an informative film showing how diamonds are formed in the earth. “Amsterdam, City of Diamonds” explains how the city came to dominate the diamond trade for 400 years, while the House of Oranje-Nassau exhibit contains lifelike replicas of fabulous jewelled heirlooms from the Dutch Royal Family. Visitors can find out more about the legendary South African De Beers company, the world’s biggest producer of rough diamonds, and learn how to spot a fake from the real thing. Another highly entertaining video presentation chronicles some notorious diamond heists of the past.Among the fascinating exhibits is a Japanese katana sword created from Murano glass by a Dutch artist, set with 1967 diamond pieces and 494 rubies, as well as a rotating selection of precious jewellery and objets d’art borrowed from collections all over the world.The Diamond Museum is on Museumplein and is open daily. The nearest tram stop is Hobbemastraat, or catch a canal boat to the dock at Rijksmuseum followed by a short walk. Nearby parking is very limited, so think twice before taking the car.
