It was the perfect setting for the world's oldest diamond to make an appearance! In an exquisite ambience amidst a faultless mix of fashion and music - the world's oldest diamond, a 300 carat stone which is almost 3.3 billion years old, emerged on a bed of black lava rock. %% In a glittering, exquisite event, the {{Diamond Trading Company}} presented the {{Diamond Odyssey}}-an event 3 billion years in the making, an ode to the Universe's most natural & desired stone, the Diamond. %% {{Stephen Lussier}}, Executive Director of Marketing, Diamond Trading Company, escorted by the gorgeous {{Katrina Kaif}}, unveiled the octahedron, which the oldest diamond - from before dinosaurs roamed the earth and older than some of the stars. %% As the Diamond Trading Company, the gem diamond marketing arm of the De Beers Group of Companies on March 4, 2005 celebrated in Mumbai its 10 magnificent years in India, guests comprising the glitterati and corporate heads were taken through a journey that traced the romance of diamonds through the ages. The four periods - the beginning of Time, Age of the Princes, the Modern Age and Into the future, were brought to life with fusion dances and fashion shows. Interspersed with these were shows on the fables and lore that have grown around the great diamonds of history. %% Top models like {{Kamal Sidhu, Vidisha Pawate, Shonali Rosario, Sheetal Malhar, Fleur Xavier, Nethra Raghuraman}} sashayed down the ramp.

Growth-Oriented India Praised:

Speaking on the occasion, Stephen Lussier said, "It gives me immense satisfaction to see how the DTC has demonstrated its commitment in India for 10 years now. It has opened up and built the domestic Indian market into a $1.4 billion retail market. India is now the highest growth market for diamonds in the world, showing a 50% growth in the last two years.

Historic Occasion for DTC:

{{Cherie Tandon Saldanha}}, Marketing Director, India, DTC said, "No gem captures and symbolizes emotions and important moments in life more perfectly than a diamond. One of nature's most rare and precious gifts, diamonds were created deep in the heart of the earth billions of years ago, almost at the beginning of time itself. This evening is a Historic occasion for the Diamond Trading Company as it completes 10 years in India. India is a very vibrant market and has shown consistent growth. %% Bollywood's film fraternity was represented by {{Kajol, Mahima Chaudhury, Celina Jaitely, Isha Koppikar, Diya Mirza}} and many others, who talked enthusiastically about their love for diamonds. Corporate honchos like {{Yash Birla, Nikhil Meswani, Hital Meswani, Gautam Singhania}} and many others also graced the occasion. %%{{ Odyssey World's Oldest Diamond: }}%% Diamond Odyssey is the oldest known diamond to be provided by Mother Nature and is a perfect representation of the fantastic history, uniqueness and mystique of diamonds. Because of this special significance, it has travelled the globe and graced some of the major diamond showcases worldwide. The diamond has been to Venice for the 'Diamonds: Nature's Miracle event, to Japan for the 'Mine to Finger' event, and back home to southern Africa for the 'Diamonds: Nature's Miracle - Unique Mine to Finger' events. %%{{ Uncuttable Rarity: }}%% The diamond is sometimes referred to as 'the bomb' because it is too dangerous to cut, due to the internal tension of the stone. It would make a great presentation piece, but will never be cut because of the danger of cutting it, the natural beauty of the rough stone as it currently is and because of its significance in the overall history of diamonds. %% The most significant thing about the stone is that it is the oldest diamond ever to be dated. The age of diamonds can be established through the dating of the metal isotopes garnet inclusions inside, and this octahedron is nearly 3.3 billion years old - from before the dinosaurs roamed the earth and older than some of the stars in the sky.