Amsterdam Diamond Museum Welcomes 25,000 Visitors Since April

Revamped Coster Diamonds Gift Shop Slated to Open in Time for the Holidays

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. October 14, 2008

AMSTERDAM, NL, December 4, 2007. The Amsterdam Diamond Museum, located adjacent to Coster Diamonds in a renovated villa opposite the Museum square, has welcomed over 25,000 visitors since its opening in April 2007. A celebratory event was held on October 30, 2007, during which a gift of a diamond, made of rock crystal, was offered to the 25,000th visitor. Soon the museum and its visitors will have another reason to celebrate, as the completely renovated Gift Shop at Coster Diamonds is slated to open in time for holiday shopping.

Coster Diamonds is itself a prominent part of Amsterdam's diamond history. Having a home in Amsterdam since 1840, when Martin Coster established his diamond polishing factory, Coster Diamonds has earned a reputation for exquisite workmanship. Many famous stones have been cut by Coster Diamonds, including the Koh-I-Noor and the Star of the South. Just a few weeks ago Coster Diamonds introduced the "Royal 201," a special cut with 201 facets.

About the museum opening its doors, Mr. B.A. Meier, owner of Amsterdam's Coster Diamonds and founder of the museum, commented, "It was about time that the 'City of Diamonds' had a diamond museum." With over 25,000 people visiting the museum, it appears that many share his view.

The museum is more than a series of interesting displays; it is a learning experience. Visitors take a journey that begins three billion years ago and 200 kilometers (125 miles) under the Earth's surface where the stones are formed, and concludes with finished gems ready to adorn necks and ring fingers.

In addition to learning about the full span of diamonds' creation and finishing, visitors can look at the smallest brilliant diamond under a microscope; learn how to distinguish between a real stone and an imitation; hear about industrial uses of the diamond; become better acquainted with the 4 C's - carat, clarity, color and cut; gain insights about diamond distribution, including the role of De Beers, the largest producer of rough diamonds in the world; and listen to stories of some of the world's most spectacular diamond robberies, some of which are dramatic plotlines from the movies, others of which are tales from real life.

The Diamond Museum Amsterdam also showcases diamond collections. The Permanent Exhibition includes a necklace of impressive size, design and quality. The Temporary Exhibition features ornate crowns from different eras and regions. Replicas of 22 famous diamonds are also on display. In the Glamour Room, a mirror-lined space gives visitors a dazzling impression of the link between diamonds and glamour.

As Mr. Meier observed, Amsterdam is the perfect place for a diamond museum. The city has a history of diamond polishing and trade going back 400 years. Fleeing persecution, many Sephardic Jews left Portugal, Spain and the southern Netherlands and settled in Amsterdam, where they found work in the diamond trade. A timeline illuminating Amsterdam's diamond history is featured in the museum experience.

With exhibits inspiring the gift-giver and with the gift shops at both the Diamond Museum and Coster Diamonds offering an array of keepsakes, the Amsterdam Diamond Museum marries the holidays with diamonds.

Visiting hours: 9:00a-5:00p daily, seven days a week, with the exception of Christmas Day (closed) and New Year's Day (from 11am). For additional information about the Amsterdam Diamond Museum and Coster Diamonds, please visit:

www.diamantmuseumamsterdam.nl

or www.costerdiamonds.com