CAPE TOWN DIAMOND MUSEUM

AN UNFORGETTABLE, SPARKLING DIAMOND TOUR TO DAZZLE VISITORS IN CAPE TOWN

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South Africa has one of the richest diamond legacies in the world, and it’s not surprising that the stories of its diamond heyday are full of adventure and intrigue; rivalry, betrayal and uneasy partnerships; spectacular discoveries, back-breaking toil and incredible wealth. Over the many decades of unearthing some of the Earth’s largest gem-quality diamond deposits, fortunes have been chanced upon, made, lost and found again. At the heart of all the drama and romance, travails and triumphs of South Africa’s diamond history glitters the world’s most beautiful and coveted gems with the power to inspire the most fervent human passion – from mine to finger.

All this is evocatively captured and beautifully presented at the Cape Town Diamond Museum to captivate visitors and share the essence of how the pursuit of diamonds has shaped lives and places in South Africa, and impacted on the international diamond industry. For tour guides and tour operators, the museum, conveniently situated close to the Robben Island Gateway, is a significant resource providing their clients with a sensational and unique Cape Town experience. Open every day from 9am to 9pm, the Cape Town Diamond Museum is easily accessible to tour groups, and is a not-to-be missed Cape Town experience for tourists and locals visiting the popular V&A Waterfront.

The professionally-guided Cape Town Diamond Museum tour takes visitors on a journey that begins with the phenomenal 3 billion year-old formation of diamonds deep within the Earth’s mantle and finishes in the sparkling Shimansky showroom where visitors are dazzled by the beautifully crafted diamond and tanzanite creations. Along the way, they learn all about the fascinating discoveries of diamonds in South Africa in the late 1800’s and how the country became the largest producer of diamonds in the world at that time. Interesting historical artefacts and images vividly bring the dramatic history of the people and places involved in the country’s extraordinary Diamond Rush to life.

The Cape Town Diamond Museum’s dazzling display of life-size, identical replicas of some of the most famous diamonds in the world is simply breath-taking. Visitors get up close and personal with the magnificence of diamond luminaries such as Cullinan 1, the Hope Diamond, the Golden Jubilee and Incomparable, amongst others. As they tour the Shimansky cutting and polishing workshop, guests bear witness to the particular alchemy of transforming a rough stone into a delicately multi-faceted jewel sparkling magically with reflected light. The cutting and polishing of gems is both an art and a science, and they get a rare look behind the scenes as skilled craftsmen work to fashion diamonds and tanzanite into scintillating contemporary jewellery pieces in the state-of-the-art workshop of South Africa’s iconic Shimansky brand. They emerge into the expansive, sparkling Shimansky showroom where they can view, try on and shop for exquisite, finished diamond and tanzanite jewellery pieces, or purchase loose diamonds or tanzanite. Shimansky also offers a fast turnaround time on custom jewellery design – visitors can expect their creations to be finished within 24 hours. As they browse and meander, the professional guides are still available to interact personally and share more of their extensive diamond knowledge.

The Cape Town Diamond Museum is a unique diamond experience that no tourist should miss on their visit to the Mother City. A visit can easily be included with other V&A Waterfront activities such as the Robben Island tour. Guided group tours of the museum are available, and admission is complimentary for booked tours. The Cape Town Diamond Museum is open seven days a week from 9am – 9pm.

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Visit the Cape Town Diamond Museum at Level 1, The Clock Tower, Waterfront, Cape Town.
GPS Coordinates: 33°54’27.30”S, 18°25’21.50”E

For more information: www.capetowndiamondmuseum.org or telephone: 021 421 2488