It is in the heart of our planet – at a depth of more than 200 kilometres – exposed to extremely high temperatures of 1,700 to 2,500 degrees and to a pressure of 75,000 kilograms per square centimetre – that minuscule carbon crystals, “diamonds”, are born. It is a long road from the rough, often ugly and misshaped stone extracted from the soil to the polished, dazzling diamond it is converted into.This slow and delicate transformation is carried out by many artisans and professionals. Eddy Vleeschdrager relates the exciting road this stone has to travel from mine to jewel.