The true brilliance of a diamond only comes to light when artistry and modern technology are combined to create a gemstone that outshines them all. Taking Dayekh Gems to new heights are two brothers who know their sparkle from their glitter.
Cutting a diamond in the twenty-first century involves cutting-edge technology. With lasers for precision work and computers that scan rough stones to flag up flaws, while calculating the size of the largest possible cut, the process is widely automated.
But not in the house of Dayekh Gems, a family business that use exceptional skills and creativity to produce revolutionary new designs, such as its D Brilliant Cut. Established in Antwerp in 1975, founder Hassan Dayekh soon transformed the business into a diamond polisher and then the groundbreaking jeweller it is today. Alexander and Tarek, his two sons, have taken charge of the Antwerp flagship jewellery store by offering clients a unique shopping experience. V
isitors are invited to a serviced lounge area from where they can access the atelier where the diamonds are polished. In addition to the traditional diamond certification, customers receive a light-performance report of their gemstone’s brilliance, revealing the amount of white light that shines through its top. They will also find out about scintillation, the degree of sparkle determined by the number and arrangement of light reflections from internal facets.
Signature diamond
These two attributes—light-performance and scintillation—are exemplified in the D Brilliant Cut. As one of Dayekh Gems’ finest achievements, it requires the skill of a truly outstanding master polisher to turn a rough form into a 16-sided, 105-faceted stone with a lotus flower pattern on the pavilion. ‘This design creates an unusual level of scintillation and brilliance because it breaks the light into additional frequencies,’ explains Tarek, who is the creative force and responsible for designs and the manufacturing process.
According to long-established standards, maximum scintillation requires 57 facets. But light-performance measuring tests have shown the D Brilliant Cut does indeed outshine other perfectly polished diamonds. ‘And the round version of it, the Premium D Brilliant, took the indicator for fire—the spectrum of colours that light is split into—off the charts,’ says Alexander, who manages Dayekh Gems’ day-to-day activities.
Bespoke designs
The family has long-established experience of all the different stages of the diamond trade, from mining and polishing to designing jewellery.
‘Our greatest joy is to create unique single pieces,’ explains Tarek. ‘For our clients, that means they’ll wear jewellery that no one else has—whether that’s our designs or a bespoke gemstone based on their own ideas. You can come to us with any concept—no matter how crazy or daring—and we will sit with you and apply our knowledge and experience to make the piece within two weeks to one month.’
Investing in brilliance
The Dayekh brothers are also experts in diamond investment advice. As a high-yield commodity, diamonds are gaining popularity due to greater price transparency. Additionally, decreasing global diamond reserves and a lack of new mines has created the perfect environment for the hardest of all natural materials to become an exceptionally solid commodity. ‘The search for the right portfolio starts with profiling the investor,’ Alexander explains.
Are they looking for medium-term or long-term investments? Do they prefer a few large or rare diamonds, or do they favour many smaller ones in order to split their investment? ‘Given that the value of diamonds is set to rise for many years to come, any choice is also almost guaranteed to be a safe bet,’ Alexander continues. ‘The only difference between choosing large or rare diamonds and opting for smaller ones lies in the way those assets are sold. The former do well at auctions, while the latter are best aimed at the wholesale market here in Antwerp, where our knowledge helps investors find the right buyers.’
And last but not least, the diamond’s extremely favourable weight-to-value ratio eliminates high costs for vaulting and offers portability, a definite advantage in the current climate.
A glittering industry
Antwerp, well established as the Goliath of diamonds for more than 500 years, successfully continues its long-standing history of master craftsmanship.
Tarek explains what it means in today’s world to practice such rare artistry: ‘Once you’ve purchased a stone, you peek inside and decide how you’re going to cut it. Then you see it grow facet by facet, and when it’s finished, you think: “I made that.” No computer could give you the same satisfaction of having left your mark.’ With their varied experience of the industry, the Dayekhs have, indeed, been able to have a great impact on the world of diamonds.
‘Our passion and experience make the difference,’ Tarek explains. With their ongoing quest to produce even better cuts, they are set to take brilliance to a new level.
