Antwerp has been the focus of the diamond trade since the 15^th century. The industry has been transformed since Lodewyk van Berken invented a new form of diamond polishing tool, the ‘scaif’, enabling the faceting of the rough diamond hence creating the stereotypical sparkling diamonds that we all know and love. This attracted orders from the European nobility and attracted other craftsmen to Antwerp. In 1890 a diamond industry is established in Antwerp by families of diamond traders and manufacturers who came from Amsterdam/Netherlands.

When the first diamonds were discovered in South Africa in 1866, along with the discovery of the Kimberly deposits a few years later, large quantities of diamonds came to Europe as a result. This massive influx of rough diamonds following the discoveries in South Africa was instrumental in contributing to the status of Antwerp as the world’s leading diamond centre.

With the outbreak of the second world war, many of the Jewish diamond traders fled Belgium and went to England and the United States, continuing to meet and do business.

In an attempt to save as much of the existing diamond stocks as possible from the Germans, the 500 Antwerp dealers now residing in England, transferred the diamonds there. In agreement with the British government, an organisation known as the Correspondence Office for the Diamond Industry was set up to register the diamonds and keep them for the duration of the war. Thanks to this organisation large quantities of diamonds were returned to their owners after Antwerp was liberated. This allowed the diamond city of Antwerp to recover and continue to be the world’s leading diamond hub to this very day.

Today, approximately 80% of rough diamonds are traded in Antwerp as well as large quantities of polished diamonds. Apart from the diamond trading, there are many businesses in Antwerp that provide services tailored to the diamond industry. Such services include banking, laboratory services, shipping, specialist insurance, etc …

The Antwerp Diamond Laboratory (ADL) is proud to be part of Antwerp’s heritage.