In celebration of April’s birthstone we were delighted to welcome diamond expert and connoisseur Lisa Levinson to the TP London showroom for our very own ‘Diamond Day’.
The morning workshop, From Beast to Beauty, explored the life-cycle of a diamond from its very creation to the moment it is mined, sorted on site and then sold to the cutting houses. Guests were offered hands-on tutelage by Lisa in the basic sorting skills required to recognise rough diamonds amongst the kimberlite rubble, as well as insider knowledge into grading diamonds and the lesser-known details of the sorting process. The workshop ended with a diamond quiz and treasure hunt where the winner was awarded their very own pair of hexagonal diamonds alongside a (yet-to-be released) diamond print silk scarf from Tessa Packard London, produced in collaboration with Rampley & Co.
The evening talk, Secrets and Legends, explored the many myths surrounding the diamond industry. Discussions ranged from the rarity of diamonds, to their supposed unbreakable-nature, to the social impact of diamond mining and the key problems affecting the industry today. As well as recounting stories of her favourite diamond robberies, Lisa shared some of her own experiences – from dropping a £5 million stone on her first day at work at De Beers, to some of the interesting and eccentric characters she has met along her diamond journey.
Over the course of an hour, guests learnt that when it comes to buying stones for themselves, dealers often favour ‘fluorescent’ diamonds due to their (irrational) reduced market price. If you’re looking to invest, the quickest place to find a return is with pink diamonds, whose values are increasing by 15% year on year, as their main source – the Argyle mine in Australia – is due to close in 2021. And that the total number of fancy yellow diamonds produced annually could fit into just three champagne glasses.
A huge thank you to Lisa for lending us her valuable time and expertise.