the travel diamond

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In need of some inspiration? These are just some of the types of holidays we could arrange for you.

Adventure & Safari Holidays

There are many different ways to see the world, including on a bespoke adventure holiday. Whether that be an African safari or a Machu Pichu trek. Why not explore by bike or boat, or try horse-riding and camel trekking for a unique way to see new destinations.

Beach Holidays

Golden sands always appeal and can be found anywhere in the world. Some of the finest are dotted across Europe or consider venturing further afield to the tropical beaches of the Indian Ocean or the Caribbean when it turns a little cooler closer to home.

City Breaks

There are some unforgettable cities relatively close to home which are ideal for a short break. Each are full to the brim with history and culture and exciting dining and shopping experiences.

Ocean Cruises

An ocean cruise has no limits; you can sail from port to port enjoying the cultural delights each has to offer, before you cast off and head for your next stop and relax in onboard luxury. Why not try whale watching in Iceland, see the penguins in Antarctica or sail under the Sydney Bridge to the Opera House…all without repacking your suitcase.

River Cruise

River cruises have become a hugely popular way to explore a city. By booking early you’ll guarantee the best deals for touring along some the world’s greatest waterways.

Family Holidays

It takes more than just buckets and space to excite the kids these days. Fortunately there are lots of options for modern family getaways. Many cruise ships have great facilities for families or you may want to try a winter sports holiday. We can help ensure your trip is inspiring and enticing for young minds.

Luxury Holidays

Luxury has a different definition to everyone. It might mean a deluxe all-inclusive hotel with your own private butler or a hideaway in the African bush watching the wildlife. Whatever 5-star means to you we can make it happen.

Winter Wonderland

You don’t have to be a winter sports enthusiast to enjoy a snow-covered break.  Enjoy a trip in search of the Northern lights, taking in a quaint Christmas market or delight the children with a visit to Santa at home in Lapland.

Weddings & Honeymoons

Tying the knot overseas requires specialist help as requirements differ from country to country. You may want to say I do on an exotic beach or renewing your vows in Las Vegas may be more your style. And don’t forget about booking your bespoke honeymoon, for the most idyllic way of finishing off your wedding celebrations.

Attractions, Experiences & Gifts

Don’t arrive unprepared, book your attraction and excursion tickets in advance to guarantee availability, save money and beat the queues. We specialise in making life easier for you so let us sort your Disney passes, museum tickets or open top bus tour to take the hassle out of holidaying. Plus if you’re stuck for gift ideas we offer a range of spa days, afternoon teas, event tickets and experiences which can make a unique present.

Last Minute Deals

Holidays generally need careful planning and travelling at peak times means you need to book well in advance. Sometimes that’s just not possible, so when you find yourself with an unexpected week and want to get away, we’ll find you the best deals available.

Multicentre  Holidays

We specialise in bespoke holidays and the combinations are endless. Why not add a few days in the city pre-cruise, then a relaxing beach stay on the return the leg. Combining a city and a beach can make for the most rewarding break.

Touring holidays

A touring holiday can be planned with a private driver or as part of a group. Escorted tours can also be arranged and offer tour leaders and specialist guides so you can put down the guidebook and leave it in the hands of an expert.

If you wish to be totally independent and travel at your own pace we can plan your self drive itinerary for you. And there are some iconic drives to consider; The Great Ocean Road, The Pacific Highway and Route 66 to name a few.

Villa Holidays

Villa holidays offer a great opportunity for friends and family to unwind and spend some quality time together. They are available worldwide, close to beautiful beaches, or even close to attractions such as Walt Disney World. They can make the perfect base, with many coming with private pools and all your creature comforts.

Great Rail Journeys

Travelling overland allows you to take in the scenery while you kick back and relax. We can plan your whole journey by train or include an iconic rail journey in your itinerary.  Consider one of our favourites such The Rocky Mountaineer – Canada , The Blue Train – South Africa, The Palace on Wheels – India or the iconic Orient Express.

Holiday at Home

Staycations can be as rewarding as jet off far away from home. And there are some great places to stay in right here in the UK. Why not consider a hot tub lodge, house boat and tree house to for your break away. Or opt for a more traditional hotel or holiday park experience.

We're Personal

You work hard for your holiday and we plan each and every trip as if it was our own. We share our personal experiences and make appropriate recommendations. We also have the confidence to tell you when we feel it’s not quite right, what website will do that? We take care of you, every step of the way.

We're Knowledgeable

We are a small team but have a combined 50 years of experience so there’s not a lot we don’t know about holidays.  We have travelled extensively, both personally and professionally and can draw on a wealth of knowledge to make sure we find the right holiday for you.

We're Approachable

You are dealing with a person not an automated service. We don’t mind what you ask us and we will always take all your requirements on board and try to deliver. Your satisfaction is our priority.

We're Cost Effective & Secure

We have access to the most competitive prices, while adding value and service rather than cutting corners. We have a wide range of reputable suppliers so you can book with confidence.  We are also a member of ABTA.  All packages that we sell are financially protected.

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The Hope Diamond

Lawrence M. Small

Democratic America has no crown jewels. but we've got the next best thing, or maybe a better thing altogether, in the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection, on display in the National Museum of Natural History in a new setting that suits its splendor, the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals.

The gem collection dates back to 1884, when a curator in the Smithsonian's Division of Mineralogy assembled a modest array of American precious stones for display that year at the New Orleans Exhibition. In the ensuing 116 years, the collection has grown to a dazzling scale and beauty, thanks almost entirely to donors who wanted their jewels to be in the nation's museum.

The names of the great jewels in the collection — the Napoleon Diamond Necklace, the Marie-Louise Diadem, the Marie Antoinette Earrings, the Spanish Inquisition Necklace, the Portuguese Diamond, the Hooker Emerald — evoke both the grand realm of history and the dark world of the modern mystery novel. But the most famous of all the gems — not the biggest, but the one that burns so bright in the public's imagination that it's the most sought-out object in the Smithsonian — is the Hope Diamond. Is the diamond named after the emotion? Nothing so fanciful, I'm afraid. Henry Philip Hope, a London banker and gem collector, owned the stone in the 1830s.

The diamond weighs 45.52 carats and is not blindingly white, as we are accustomed to seeing diamonds, but deep blue. It's in a setting designed by Pierre Cartier — surrounded by 16 alternating pear-shaped and cushion-cut white diamonds, on a chain of 45 white diamonds. Deep-blue diamonds rarely exceed a few carats in size, and the Hope Diamond is, in fact, the largest such diamond known. It was formed a hundred miles beneath the surface of the earth and carried upward by a volcanic eruption more than a billion years ago.

Compared with its geologic history, the diamond's history as an object of human desire has lasted barely an instant. The stone was discovered in India sometime before 1668, the year King Louis XIV bought a blue diamond of 110.5 metric carats that was eventually recut several times to become the jewel we know today. The diamond disappeared with the monarchy during the French Revolution, reemerged in London in 1812, and subsequently became the possession of a British king, George IV. It was then purchased by the aforementioned Mr. Hope, whose family held it through the 19th century. In 1912 Pierre Cartier sold it to the American heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean, whose estate sold it to the jeweler Harry Winston, who donated it to the Smithsonian in 1958, where it has since been on more or less continuous exhibition — though never looking as good as it does today.

The diamond has the place of honor at the head of the gem collection. It rests on a small column that turns slowly to show the jewel in four directions. There's an eerily human aspect to this stately rotation, as if a wearer were showing off the gem, and viewers fall silent under its spell. It's one of the great Smithsonian experiences.

And it is the prelude to other unforgettable experiences that await a few steps away. In the past, when the Hope Diamond was kept at the end of the exhibition, visitors rushed to get to it, paying little attention to anything on the way. A wonderful thing has happened by putting it up front. Visitors see the diamond, and it gets them to wonder what's in the next room, and in the space beyond that. They seek out the other gems and the minerals so beautiful and strange they might have come from other galaxies rather than from our own earth.

Near the end of the display in the Hooker gallery there's a tiny vial of diamond crystals taken from a meteorite — diamonds from the heavens, part of the cosmic cloud that gave birth to our solar system. At one end of the exhibition then, the Hope Diamond, made miles below the earth's surface; at the other, the diamond dust of stars. An astonishing trajectory; an everyday marvel at the Smithsonian.

Once the property of kings, the legendary Hope Diamond has pride of place in the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall at NMNH.

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Lawrence M. Small | READ MORE

Lawrence M. Small was the eleventh secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, serving from 2000 to 2007.