Diamond Geezers and Gold Dealers, TV review: Delicate ecosystem had an intricate beauty
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Everyone who featured in ITV's one-off documentary about London's jewellery quarter was looking to strike gold. Hatton Garden, is only half a square mile of London streets, but it's the scene of 75 per cent of the UK's cash for gold business, and 80 per cent of the diamond trade.
There was Michael, the subterranean stone-setter who had been working in his basement workshop for 50 years. There was Leigh, the 25-year-old heir to her family's gold-salvage business, whose well-groomed appearance seemed ill-suited to the dirty work involved. The bag of human teeth, ready to be melted down for gold fillings, was a particularly gruesome sight: "It's the ones with the blood! They're so disgusting!"
This delicate human ecosystem had an intricate beauty, but just in case that was ever difficult to appreciate, an unusually lyrical voiceover was there to help.
It came into its own particularly when accompanying footage of unwanted wedding rings melted down as scrap: "In the great furnace of Hatton Garden, metals are all born equal and all are ready to be reborn." And there you were thinking this was just a cheap-to-make documentary about the jewellery trade.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments