Trading district
Antwerp diamond district
Antwerp, Belgium
About a square mile beside Antwerp Central station, through which most of the world's rough diamonds pass. The car-free Hoveniersstraat, Rijfstraat and Schupstraat form its core; its four diamond bourses are open to vetted members.
Antwerp has been a diamond city since the 15th century, and its diamond district, about a square mile beside Antwerp Central station, is still where most of the world's rough diamonds are traded. The car-free streets of Hoveniersstraat, Rijfstraat and Schupstraat form its core, guarded and watched round the clock.
What you find
Rough and polished diamond trading on a scale found nowhere else: offices of dealers and manufacturers from Belgium, India, Israel, Lebanon, Armenia and beyond, four diamond bourses, banks, customs, insurers, shipping companies and grading laboratories. Most rough from the main producers passes through Antwerp's Diamond Office, where imports and exports are checked under the Kimberley Process.
How trading works
The four bourses, among them the Diamantclub van Antwerpen, founded in 1893 and the oldest diamond bourse in the world, are open to vetted members and their guests. The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) represents the industry and promotes Antwerp as a trading centre.
Visiting
- The trading buildings are closed to the public; trade visits are arranged through a member company.
- For visitors, the DIVA museum of diamonds, jewellery and silver is a short walk away in the old town.
- Shops facing the station sell to the public; they are retail, not the trade district.
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