Nigerian Thelma West is a rare gem in the diamond world as a woman in
a male-dominated sector with few Africans, despite the continent being
the main source of the precious rocks.
The first in her family to
work in diamonds, West is used to being an outsider, having been raised
in a Jewish family in a country where Jews number fewer than 50,000 out
of a population of around 180 million.
"I’m the only Nigerian
Jewish woman in the trade, and I don’t know of other African women in
the business," the 32-year-old told AFP at her London-based business as
she greeted customers with a broad smile and sparkling diamonds on her
hands and wrists.
Discretion and security are essential, with the
anonymous-looking building guarded by an encrypted intercom system and a
reinforced door, all under the gaze of a bank of security cameras.
"I wanted to become an engineer because at that time in Nigeria, you
had to choose a solid career, such as doctor, lawyer, engineer," she
told AFP.
But, as the saying goes, “Diamonds Are Forever” and the
sparkle of the stones, which had captivated West since childhood, was an
irresistible allure.
"My mum had loads of
jewellery," said the
daughter of a Guinness drinks company employee mother and a property
developer and industrialist father. "We were always playing with her
jewellery box and she would always clean her jewels, and I would help."
West
headed for Antwerp, the world’s diamond capital, aged 17 despite "not
knowing anybody" in the Belgian city. There, she enrolled at the
internationally renowned Hoge Raad Voor Diamant school to hone her
skills.
"Even though you go to school, most of your knowledge comes from working with diamonds day-to-day," she said.
After
trying for six months in vain to secure an internship, she was
eventually taken under the wing of an Orthodox Jew diamond dealer, who
worked with her every evening after school for a year. She was then
recruited by one of the biggest diamond suppliers in Europe based in
Spain.
"It was being sent in at the deep end," she recalled. "I was 19 and I was responsible for every single diamond the company had."
Teaming
up with school friends from Lagos who had moved into investment
banking, West set up her own business in London to trade the precious
stone.
Metal tongs in hand, West explained the secrets of some of her stock.
"Diamonds
have fire," said West. "That stone is too flat but it’s got a lot of
life in it, it was cut about 100 years ago,” she said, pointing to one
tiny rock. "This
one cost just over £100,000 ($141,000, 126,000 euros), it’s got a low
colour but it has been cut perfectly so it reflects light in such an
amazing way."
Fewer than 50 clients, 12 of whom are investors, have access to West’s knowledge.
"I can find a diamond and call them and say ‘we have to buy this diamond, trust me’ and they follow me," she said.
Her
multinational client base — introduced by word of mouth — includes
Swiss, Russians, Ghanaians, Nigerians and "a handful of French". Helped
by a 10-woman team, West creates all of her company’s products, which
come with a lifetime guarantee. Her most ambitious creation was a
custom-made necklace worth around #2 million.
She
plans to open a workshop in Nigeria, "where I’ll train girls in the art
of making jewellery". West gives little away but also said she is
creating "a revolutionary tool" that will help people in her business.
"That tool should be part of every diamond dealer and every shop".
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