Approximately 84% of the total world production of rough and polished diamonds are being traded in Antwerp, as is an estimated 50% of all polished diamonds worldwide. Report of AWDC 2018
Every day, approximately 220 million dollars in diamonds pass through Antwerp. That’s an average of 550 shipments each day.
Antwerp has over 570 years of illustrious heritage as diamond trading and manufacturing hub, embodied in the slogan ‘Cut in Antwerp’, which still is the diamond trademark for supreme quality and exquisite craftsmanship.
With a financial, technical and intellectual infrastructure that is unrivalled in the industry, Antwerp is the centre from which a multinational Industrial and commercial network is coordinated, enabling the transformation of rough diamonds into the sparkling showpieces sold in jewellery shops around the globe.
Antwerp is home to over 1700 diamond companies, each firm has his special core business***, officially registered with the Federal Public Service Economy, including rough diamond producers, brokers and dealers, manufacturers, polished diamond wholesalers and some 2400 diamond and jewelry related businesses.
The city also headquarters the industry’s leading financial institutions, Insurance companies, security, shipping and logistics providers, gem labs, etc.
Its multicultural community of diamond dealers from various religious backgrounds in a politically stable and neutral setting is truly unique.
At the core of Antwerp’s unique trade infrastructure lies Diamond Office, the in-house customs office that streamlines the vast flow
of diamonds in and out of Antwerp.
Through a sophisticated system of procedures and controls, Antwerp is continuously focused on maintaining internationally recognized high levels of compliance and transparency relating to AML, KP, and CSR.
On top of the procedures that are customary in the diamond business, Antwerp is subject to an additional compliance layer as a result of EU legislation and regulations.
The city is internationally recognized as the ethical benchmark and rolemodel for the entire diamond and jewellery industry.
Source: AWDC report 2017
*** Most diamond companies and firms are small traders who specialize in one kind of shape.
Example: specialising in small marquise shaped diamonds from 0.03 to 0.10 carats. Many of these firms are individual brokers.
Very difficult to distinguish the diamond companies, cutters, polishers, producers of polished diamonds from the intermediaries!
Only a few diamond companies are specialized in larger sizes all shapes such as Ajediam.