Diamond Rings

Think diamonds and South Africa springs to mind. Many of the most famous large stones have been found there - among them The Cullinan and the De Beers Millennium Star. There is even a special way of cutting diamonds known as the South African Ideal Cut, which has been developed to maximise the brilliance.

Not surprisingly, exquisite diamond rings, earrings and necklaces can be found at jewellers in South Africa, among them Jewel Africa, which offers private tours of its workrooms at stunning showrooms in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Here, master goldsmiths can create personalised jewellery within 24 hours. Jewel Africa's vast collections include rare coloured diamonds such as this exquisite yellow diamond ring. Diamonds are also found in red, pink, blue, green and orange hues. Rarity value means these coloured diamonds, known as fancies, demand exceptional prices at auction. Jewel Africa runs a free shuttle service from local hotels or Cape Town airport for people wanting to join the tours and see how diamonds are cut and polished.