Kimberley Diamond Co.'s long history in the jewelry industry is intricately linked to a street that was once the center of the U.S. jewelry and watch industry: Maiden Lane, a small winding passage close to Wall Street in lower Manhattan. Until it was supplanted by the industry's slow but steady move uptown during the 20th century, Maiden Lane and adjoining streets teemed with wholesalers representing the finest companies from the U.S. and overseas. In 1900, German immigrant H.C. Kionka founded a diamond distributor on the busy street. Originally named for Kionka, it later became known as Kimberley Diamond Co., in homage to the South African city where diamonds were discovered in the 19th century.
