Diamond cutting is another major industry of Amsterdam, and here no one disputes that the Dutch are the most skilled diamond cutters in the world. They’re also the most friendly, and offer free tours of their diamond cutting factories, regardless of whether you plan to purchase a diamond at the end of the tour. Although you’ll need invitations to visit some of the city’s diamond works, these are readily available at most hotels, and can always be picked up-in a last resort-at the main office of the V.V.V., at 5 Rokin.
The largest of the diamond cutting factories is A. Van Moppes & Zoon, 2 Albert Cuypstraat, corner of Ruysdaelkade (a short walk from the Heineken’s Brewery, an only slightly longer walk from the Rijksmuseum), which conducts thousands of visitors each year on a thoughtfully-planned-out tour of all phases of diamond cutting, shaping and polishing; they also display the world’s smallest diamond, along with replicas of the world’s most famous diamonds- the “Hope Diamond,” the “Shah of Persia,” the “Jubilee.” Visits can be made from 9 to noon and from 1 to 5 on weekdays, from 9 to noon on Saturdays.
Among the many other companies offering free diamond exhibitions are Cordes Slyper, 4 Weesperplein (4th floor), whose visiting hours are from 10 to 5 on weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays; Bernard Schipper, 38 Kalverstraat (this being a jewelry store primarily, but with a small diamond cutting room in back); and Holshuijsen-Stoeltie, 13 Wagenstraat (from the Rem-brandtsplein, walk a few feet down Amstelstraat, then turn left into Wagenstraat; this last-named spot does not normally require an invitation, and is unusually pleasant and patient in explaining the entire process). None of Amsterdam’s diamond cutters will coerce you actually to buy a diamond, but you’ll enjoy the world’s lowest prices for diamonds if you do.
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