Article: Amsterdam . . . the gem of Europe.(Features)

Byline: By KEN BENNETT

HERE in Blingland, where celebrities make secretive selections of the hottest ice around, I pulled a bit of one upmanship over screen legend Brad Pitt. Just a few days earlier, he'd been admiring and buying the goodies on offer from expert diamond salesman Juan Martinez. Now it was my turn to survey the glittering, shimmering cascade, including larger stones worth pounds 150,000, laid out on the velvet cloth.

There was a hushed silence as 61-year-old Juan gingerly picked up a 3.6 carat gem, one of the smaller numbers worth a mere pounds 16,000. It glinted temptingly in the sharp light and then, to astounded gasps, pinged from his ...

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