South Africa
The Engelbert family traveled to South Africa in 2000 for an exclusive tour of the Kimberly Diamond Mines. Jewelers from all over the world have embarked on the tour, but few are able to make the trip. The trip is really the epitome of a jeweler's career and the Engelberts were overjoyed that the entire family could go together for this exciting opportunity.
The tour shows jewelers the extensive process of how a diamonds are mined and cut – from the earth to the showroom. The Engelberts were able to descend 209 stories down into the earth to the mines to see how they are harvested from below and brought to the surface through an intricate system. Following the diamonds to the Harry Oppenheimer House, where sorting, faceting, bruting and hand polishing were bestowed on each diamond by the foremost diamond experts in the world.
The Engelberts were given a first hand view of the process and a much deeper understanding of diamond mining that they have brought back with them and that they share with their customers every day.
Engelberts Jewelers has been bringing Central New York exquisite diamonds for over 100 years.
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A diagram of the extensive system of the mines
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Diamond mine in the ealry 1870s “Pulley system” used to haul broken “blue ground” to surface
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City of Kimberly “The Big Hole”. 22,700,000 metric tons of ground produced 14.5 million carats
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Closed in 1914
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Mountains of tailings from the mine - all to be re-washed
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Safety is the primary concern with guest in the mine - everyone wears an oxygen tank.
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The mine elevator could hold a maximum of 32 people and went 209 stories down.
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Granite tunnel to the Kimberly pipe
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The crusher
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Conveyor taking Kimberlite to the bottom of the elevator will be brought out. Diamonds seperated from Kimberlite using grease belt.
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The last time visitors get to see the diamonds once they come to the surface.
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Harry Oppenheimer House. All diamonds mined in South Africa go here to be sorted. It takes approximately 10 months to be evaluated and put into parcels.
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Kimberly Mines pool their production which totals approximately 4,000 carats a day. This assortment is about 2,000 carats.
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Octahedral shaped - rough
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Rough is marked for the first cut.
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Machine cut
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Could take up to 8 hours
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Bruting - rounding the diamond - always by hand
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Computer done blocking - first 8 facets
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Blocking by hand - adding facets
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final step - polishing
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The final product - 5 carats
Antwerp, Belgium
South Africa was a once in a lifetime trip (hopefully twice!) with one diamond vender. Antwerp has multiple diamond dealers so the options are infinite. We have the ability to look at 1000's of diamonds a day. We can pick and choose the BEST for our customers. There is a diamond district in Antwerp where there are diamond dealers, gem labs, schools, shippers. Anything you might need in the diamond business is there.
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Rough diamonds before they are cut
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A diamond paper (a parcel) of a certain size and grade of diamonds
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A parcel of diamonds for Sarah and Dave to look through
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A 24 carat ingot of gold
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Cathedral in Antwerp
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Church in Antwerp
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Garden in Brussels
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State Building in Antwerp