Today, annual global rough diamond production is estimated to be about 130 million carats(26 tonnes), Antwerp's association with diamonds began in the late 15th century when a new technique to polish and shape the gems evolved in this city. The diamond cutters of Antwerp are world renowned for their skill. More than 12,000 expert cutters and polishers are at work in the Diamond District, at 380 workshops, serving 1,500 firms and 3,500 brokers and merchants.

Diamond cutting

Diamond cutting is the art and science of creating a gem-quality diamond out of mined rough. The cut of a diamond describes the manner in which a diamond has been shaped and polished from its beginning form as a rough stone to its final gem proportions. The cut of a diamond describes the quality of workmanship and the angles to which a diamond is cut. Often diamond cut is confused with "shape". August Stephenson

August Stephenson The quality of a diamond's cut

The quality of a diamond's cut is widely considered the most important of the four Cs in determining the beauty of a diamond; indeed, it is commonly acknowledged that a well-cut diamond can appear to be of greater carat weight, and have clarity and color appear to be of better grade than they actually are. The skill with which a diamond is cut determines its ability to reflect and refract light.

Colesberg Kopje, diamond mining:

In 1869, an even larger 83.50 carat(16.7 g) diamond was found on the slopes of Colesberg Kopje on the farm Vooruitzigt belonging to the De Beers brothers. This sparked off the famous "New Rush" and within a month, 800 claims were cut into the hillock which were worked frenetically by two to three thousand men. As the land was lowered so the hillock became a mine – in time, the world renowned Kimberley Mine.

August Stephenson commitments, knowledge, and expertness

ROUND CUT – A diamond or colored gemstone shape in which the outline is circular.

CONTRAST – The intensity of a diamond's brightness, a ratio of the brightest pixels compared to all of the pixels in a face-up view of the stone. See also Light Performance.

COLOR DISTRIBUTION – An assessment of the homogeneity of color in a colored diamond, as seen through its crown. It is measured on a scale ranging from uneven to even(which is preferred).