Hatton Garden ~ and the Story Behind Carol Cole's Diamonds

There is a street in London that has been associated with diamonds, gemstones, and fine jewellery for over a century. It sits in the borough of Camden, a short walk from Farringdon station, and on any given weekday its buildings quietly house some of the most significant gemstone trading in the world.

That street is Hatton Garden.

A brief history

Hatton Garden takes its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, who owned the land in the sixteenth century. By the nineteenth century the street had established itself as the heart of London's jewellery trade - a concentration of dealers, setters, polishers, engravers, and traders that has never really moved elsewhere.

Today Hatton Garden remains the UK's most important centre for diamonds and fine gemstones. Within a few hundred metres you will find dealers carrying stones from every major diamond-producing region in the world - rough and polished, certified and uncertified, in every shape, size, clarity, and colour grade imaginable.

It is where London's finest jewellers have always sourced their stones. And it is where Carol Cole sources hers.

Why Hatton Garden matters

Sourcing diamonds through Hatton Garden dealers is not simply a matter of convenience. It is a matter of access, knowledge, and trust built over generations.

The dealers of Hatton Garden have deep, long-standing relationships with suppliers across the diamond supply chain. They carry an extraordinary breadth of stock, meaning Carol can select stones that meet precise specifications for each individual piece rather than working from a limited catalogue.

It also means every stone comes with a provenance. A dealer relationship. A conversation about quality, grade, and suitability for a specific design. This is not anonymous procurement. It is the kind of considered, expert sourcing that only exists in a place like Hatton Garden.

What this means for your piece

Every diamond in a Carol Cole piece has been selected by Carol personally - assessed against the specifications of the design it will sit in, evaluated for cut quality, clarity, and colour, and chosen because it is right for that particular piece.

The VS and SI clarity grades used across the Seven Aunties Collection represent stones that are exceptional in quality, inclusions invisible to the naked eye, brilliance uncompromised complemented by gold of the highest quality, polished to a finish that reflects the care taken at every stage of production.

When you wear a Carol Cole piece, you are wearing a stone that has made a significant journey, from the earth, through the hands of Hatton Garden's most respected dealers, and into the care of a London designer who chose it specifically for you.

A note on transparency

Carol Cole Jewellery does not make claims it cannot substantiate. The diamonds used in Carol Cole pieces are sourced through established, reputable dealers in Hatton Garden. Carol is committed to working with dealers whose standards of quality and professionalism are beyond question.

If you have specific questions about the diamonds in your piece - their grade, their origin, or anything else, Carol is always happy to answer them directly.

Contact hello@carolcolejewellery.com.

Bespoke ~ choosing your own stone

For bespoke commissions, Carol works with clients to select stones together. If you have a specific diamond in mind - a particular carat weight, a specific clarity grade, a fancy colour, Carol can source it through her Hatton Garden network and present options for you to consider before any commitment is made.

This is one of the quieter privileges of working with an independent designer. Access to a network built on expertise and trust, applied to a piece made entirely for you.

Contact hello@carolcolejewellery.com to begin that conversation.

Browse the full collections at carolcolejewellery.com.