Practical Diamond Knowledge
A day of handling, grading and talking about polished diamonds, so that nobody on your counter has to guess at an answer again.
Built around the stones themselves. You work with polished stock samples and the Bourse’s own trade equipment, alongside a tutor who spent a career buying and selling the goods rather than writing about them.
The emphasis throughout is on what you say to a customer, and on being able to back it up.
Who should be in the room
Shop-floor sales staff
Anyone who is asked diamond questions across a counter and would rather answer than deflect.
Retail teams
Most group bookings are retailers sending three or four people together, so the whole floor answers the same way.
New entrants
A year or two into the trade, filling in the practical grounding nobody formally teaches on the job.
What you will be able to do by four o’clock
- 01Handle, view and assess polished diamonds with confidence
- 02Explain the 4Cs, along with polish, symmetry, proportion and fluorescence, in plain language
- 03Read a grading report and talk a customer through it
- 04Identify and differentiate the fancy cuts
- 05Recognise what a buyer actually wants, and adjust to it
- 06Hold a diamond sales conversation that builds confidence rather than confusion
Craig Sievewright
Thirty-four years at De Beers, across rough, polished and special stones.
A renowned rough and polished diamond specialist, Craig teaches from that career rather than from a syllabus.
Register now
Registration for every LDB course goes through the same form. There is no separate booking system and no payment at this stage.
Complete the form
Your details, the course you want and a short summary of your experience in the trade. Photographic identification and proof of address are required, as they are for anyone coming into the building.
We contact you within 24 hours
The office confirms the next available date, the fee and whether the member rate applies to you. Nothing is charged until the place is agreed.
Your place is confirmed
An invoice follows, with joining instructions and what to bring. Dates are set against demand, so tell us if you have a deadline.
Included in the fee: your own diamond grading kit to keep, and a certificate of completion. Courses can also be run privately for a team — ask the office for a quotation.
Other courses
Diamond Manufacturing
The route a diamond takes from rough to polished. Get hands on with rough diamonds.
Selling Coloured Gemstones with Confidence
The knowledge to sell, and the confidence to do it without overclaiming.