You’ll have heard of Hatton Garden from Britain’s biggest heist, when millions in gold, diamonds, and cash were stolen by a gang of granddads. But these days, there’s a new breed of hustler in town.
The latest documentary in our Rule Britannia series follows the diamond influencers, ex-rappers, and iced-out watch obsessives breathing new life into London’s historic jewelry quarter. They’re keeping business strictly above board, but the stakes are still high.
Diamond Dreams offers a glimpse into the luxury goods trade as old traditions clash with a modern appetite for clout.
We caught up with the host and producer, King Hassan Kamara, to find out what it’s like to hold a £6 million diamond in your hands.
VICE: Since you first went to Hatton Garden, how do you feel it’s changed over the years?
King Hassan Kamara: When I first went to Hatton Garden, I stuck out like crazy. In 2006, it was like suits, the Jewish people with the curls, and we looked like the police might pull up and start asking questions at any moment. But now there are other people I’m looking at, thinking, “Flipping heck, you look like you might be doing sports, you might be doing crime.”
Other people could get the impression, “Damn, is it even safe?” But there isn’t a real risk of violence there. There’s a lot of security and a lot of cameras. If you’re there seven days a week, the people working there understand when something is off. Genuinely, I’m not trying to sugarcoat it: It’s very safe. It just looks quite intense.
What do you think has driven some of that change?
Growing up being into Black culture and watching music videos, jewelry always had a place in hip-hop. Obviously, that’s the top of the scale, but even when you go down to grime, drill, whatever the sound, jewelry’s always got a place in it.
And when you start learning about how people are in the business, you realize that with social media now, you don’t necessarily have to have a shop.
“We looked like the police might pull up and start asking questions at any moment”
What do you think people’s biggest misconceptions are about Hatton Garden?
If you were ring shopping with your fiancée and you’re going to the diamond district of London, that is probably going to have a level of class to it in your mind. And then, when you get there with your female companion, there’s a lot going on that you don’t expect, like, “Wait a minute, this isn’t 100 percent super clean.”
The people who’ve been there for years have seen the change, and maybe it hasn’t benefited them. There’s good business and bad business. If you start getting people selling knockoff watches or lying about the product, that’s where people will be unhappy with the situation.
What’s something you wish you could have included?
It’s like a family. Not everybody gets on, but when you really get into it and realize the favors they do, the way they look out for each other—there’s a whole brotherhood and sisterhood you wouldn’t see unless you were there.
Then there’s the charity. Whatever happens in the world, these guys raise money immediately. There was an earthquake, and straightaway people were giving £20, £20, £20, £20. Within a few hours, £500. One time my friend Dujj had to give me some money to give to someone. I was like, “Dude, I ain’t got cash like this—I’ve given to charity four times already today.”
And how did you feel personally seeing, wearing, and handling some of these stones, watches, and chains?
I’ve never handled £6 million, but the thing is, these guys make it look easy. They’re classy, articulate, and very much about their brand. All of that energy is attractive.
What would you say Hatton Garden says about the UK at large in 2026?
Hatton Garden has been affected by social media and the new generation of hustlers. Similar to the music industry. You can go from social media to a counter to a shop. It’s brand new and super old school. You really go into this realm where anything can happen. You can really make magic happen.
How has your relationship with jewelry changed through making the doc?
Now I understand a bit of the business. I don’t think a lot of people realize that this jewelry thing is a 24-hour job. If you really want to get to the top of your game, you need to be dedicated. You need to be visible and you have to do clean business. Your reputation means everything. A lot of trust goes into giving someone something to sell: you need to know they’re not going to run off. There are a lot of lessons you need to learn. But it’s definitely a big, up-and-coming thing—if you’re built for it, it’s survival of the fittest.
You can follow King Hassan Kamara on Instagram @1kinghass
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