Thelma west
In our family album there’s a photograph of me sitting on my mother’s lap, my arms dripping with bracelets and necklaces.
Her jewellery box was a treasure chest, brimming with a myriad of colourful precious stones and gold. The sparkling diamonds, especially, entranced me. For that little girl they seemed magical.
In Nigeria, where I was raised, the custom of giving jewels as gifts is much more common than in the West. It’s also traditional for babies to have pierced ears. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I was mesmerised by how my very first tiny diamond studs caught the light.
That passion has never dimmed but for a while my path went in another direction. At the time I was 18-years-old, I was living and studying in Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world. One of just a handful of women in the industry, and the only black person in my class. I didn’t know another soul in Belgium, let alone speak the languages. It was a tough act, but I knew from the first tutorial that I’d found my vocation.
I immersed myself in learning everything about gems. In my spare time I also worked unpaid as a sorter for one of the city’s numerous diamond dealers, helping to grade stones for their weight, colour and clarity. I thrived in this environment and, best of all, got to handle my favourite gems every day. I felt like a little girl again!
Eventually I ended working in London and launching Thelma West Diamonds years later in 2012.
Address: 19 Kingly Street, London, W1B 5PY, London, United Kingdom
Email: tw@thelmawest.com
Phone: 02072877953
Website: https://www.thelmawest.com/
