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Regardless of where the diamonds are
dug up, most rough uncut diamond ends up at 17 Charterhouse
St, London to be sorted and classified into 5,000 different
classifications, by one company called De Beers. There are only160 companies in the
world that are offered sights of the sorted rough diamonds -
10 times a year. (They are called "Sight Holders") The
diamond rough is picked out by De Beers, and the companies
have to take all or nothing of the sight. They can't just
take what they want. Most sights cost about $200,000 and
must be completely paid for within a week. After the 160 companies get their
rough diamonds, they are sold again in the rough to Diamond
Cutters or cut by the sight holders themselves if they have
cutting capability. The cutting centers are in New York,
if 2 carats
or more and good quality, Israel, Antwerp, & India, if
under 1 carat
and lower quality, and the Far East if better quality small
stones.