Diamantbuurt

Amsterdam shines as a true diamond city. As discussed earlier in the Diamond Museum story, the city, along with Antwerp, was a leading centre for diamonds for a long time. Amsterdam's Diamond Quarter is home to several buildings that played an important role during the time when diamonds were one of the Netherlands' most valuable commodities.

One particular structure in the Diamond Quarter is the former office of the leading diamond company called Asscher. When this company was founded, it attracted countless Jewish families to the neighbourhood, attracted by the opportunities offered by the cutting shops. Joseph Asscher, as seen on archive footage, even dragged the biggest diamond ever into his office. The Cullinan, discovered on 26 January 1905 at the Premier Mine South Africa, weighed 3106 carats (621.2 grams). The stone was eventually divided into nine pieces before it was cut. Remarkably, the diamond had a large flat surface on one side, indicating that the original stone must have been much larger. This beautiful gemstone got its name from Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine in which it was found.

In today's Amsterdam, the diamond industry retains a meaningful legacy, and the Asscher diamond company is still managed to this day by Abraham Asscher's two grandsons. If you want to know even more about the history of diamonds, a visit to the diamond museum in the museum quarter is well worthwhile.