STORY OF DIAMONDS

 STORY OF DIAMONDS

 

Diamonds are born under conditions of extreme pressure and heat deep under the Earth's surface after their birth these diamond rich layers are slowly forced upwards over the eons of geological time they are mined in Arctic regions and deserts they're harvested and rivers and scraped from the seabed once unearthed a strange phenomenon occurs all these rough stones commence a migration across the globe what is even stranger more than 80% of them move in the same direction all these rough stones end up in one place the square mile the largest concentration of diamond related activities in the world here a diverse group of people is operating in a stable and fertile business climate the uniqueness of the diamond office is the 100% control on origin only Kimberley certified diamonds can enter Antwerp this offers a cast-iron guarantee for conflict-free diamonds and establishes Antwerp as an ethical leader once the diamonds are released from the diamond office they continue their journey Criss crossing the diamond square mile they can be graded in world-class gem labs and they are traded in more than 1,800 diamond companies in the city and on the trade floors of several Boris's and twerps combination of craftsmanship know-how and expertise constitutes a fertile environment where rough diamond producers rough dealers polish diamond wholesalers and the jewelry market meet each other it's an environment where trust and integrity are key values through its more than 500 years of diamond activities Antwerp has become a center of excellence home to a cluster of Technology and equipment providers shipping and logistics firms training centers and specialized and trusted financial and insurance institutions all serving the diamond industry the city is a huge logistical center a distinctly modern metropolis with deep historical roots a place where creativity and innovation is fostered all diamond related activities take place within walking distance through a network of companies in a totally secured environment backed by strong institutions that help and encourage business the Antwerp world diamond center facilitates a constant flow of interactions with the wider world once the daily rough diamond arrivals are sorted and traded in Antwerp they are dispatched to cutting plants across the globe the most valuable stones are cut here in state-of-the-art facilities it is not surprising that the most important international quality label is cut in Antwerp tracing the migration of stones after they are cut we could claim that almost every diamond on earth has seen Antwerp half of the stones visit the city twice once is rough stones and then again as polished goods Antwerp is home to a critical mass of expertise and the right mix of professionals it's the world's leading Centre for rough and polished goods built on half a millennium of diamonds.