Most of the consumers for diamonds are from China and India. It is predicted that China’s demand for diamonds will increase from 13% to 25% by 2015. There are 4 major diamonds exchange markets, London, Israel, South Africa and India. One of the senior staff of Chow Tai Fook explained to us that the trading of diamonds in South Africa began in the 1950’s and 1960’s and that he has worked in South Africa since the 1980’s. Chow Tai Fook set up its diamond cutting and polishing factory and is the largest single employer of 30 thousand diamond cutters etc. in Johannesburg.
Diamond markets
This association has 60 years of history and it sets the standard for the world’s diamond trade. South Africa produces 65% of the diamonds in the world whereas Russia produces 28.5%. In terms of the actual cutting and polishing work for diamonds, India and China have 750,000 and 60,000 workers respectively and the combination of them both makes them a major working force in the world. This is an achievement since 20 years ago China had no workers of such. Another astonishing record is that Hong Kong has been the top country of imported diamonds and in 2008 alone, it imported 1.4 billion worth of the world’s rough diamonds.
我與切割世界最大鑽石706的大師合照
Being with the master who cut the world’s largest diamond 706
Designing how to cut the diamonds
A careful and precise worker who measures diamonds with the aid of a computer and designs the way it is to be cut.
從天然鑽石切割下來的部分
從天然鑽石切割下來的零碎部分仍然是有用的，通常會被出售到印度進一步切割，然後用來製作裝飾品。
The cut off from a rough diamond
The remnants of diamonds are still usable and are often sold to India
與一位鑽石拋光師傅交談
對一個普通人來說一枚五卡的鑽石是很罕見的，但任何一位於周大福任職的拋光師傅每天都能看到一枚五卡的鑽石。
Talking to one of the diamond polishers
For an ordinary person a 5-carat diamond is indeed a rare sight. But, for any one of the diamond polishers working at Chow Tai Fook, seeing this rare gem is merely part of their daily routine.
製成品:-鑽石是永恒的
在我手掌裏的是一枚五卡鑽石，但除非我願意支付8萬美元購買它，否則我不能把它留在我的身邊。
Final product – A diamond is forever
This is a 5-carat diamond in my palm. But it did not stay with me forever, only if I was willing to pay US$80k for it.