There's lunch with friends, and then there's a proper day out in Manhattan: good food, a little shopping, lots of laughter, and one experience that gives everyone something to talk about for months.
Here's a Midtown plan for friends who love to lunch and learn, built around one of the city's best-kept secrets.
The perfect day out
- 10:30am: Meet at Rockefeller Center. Coffee, photos at the plaza and a stroll through the Channel Gardens.
- Late morning: The New York Tour of Diamonds. Two minutes' walk to West 47th Street for a 90-minute behind-the-scenes experience.
- 1:00pm: A long lunch. Reserve somewhere near Rockefeller Center or Fifth Avenue and take your time.
- Afternoon: Fifth Avenue. Browse the flagship stores and step into St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- Late afternoon: Something sweet. Finish with tea or dessert before heading home.
Check the tour times when you book, then build lunch around them.
Why the diamond tour is the highlight
Your guide, Hemant, has spent more than 25 years in the diamond trade and has inspected hundreds of diamonds a day. On the most valuable block in Manhattan, he'll share:
- The story of the Diamond District and its handshake deals.
- How natural diamonds formed over a billion years ago.
- How rough crystals are cut and polished into gems.
- How to hold a real diamond with tweezers and read it through a loupe.
- How a diamond is set into a finished piece of jewelry.
It's the kind of experience that gets friends leaning in, comparing their own rings and laughing over who has the steadiest hands with the tweezers.
Little touches that make the day
- Wear your favorite jewelry. You'll look at it differently afterward.
- Book lunch ahead. Midtown restaurants get busy at lunchtime on weekdays.
- Choose comfortable, stylish shoes. You'll walk several blocks over the day.
- Snap a group photo under the diamond lamps at the corner of 47th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Great for
Friends catching up, book clubs, sisters, mothers and daughters, retirement celebrations and visitors from the UK, Canada and Australia who want to see a side of New York most tourists miss.
Quick answers
How long is the tour? 90 minutes.
Which days? Monday to Friday, three tours a day.
Do we need to know anything about diamonds? Not at all.
Will anyone try to sell us something? No. It's an experience, not a sales pitch.
Planning a November get-together in the city?
Weekday dates before the holidays go quickly. Book The New York Tour of Diamonds for your group now, and make it a day out you'll all remember.