Antwerp diamond district
Encyclopedia
Antwerp's diamond district, also known as the Diamond Quarter (Diamantkwartier), and dubbed the Square Mile is an area within the city of Antwerp, Belgium. It consists of several square blocks covering an area of about one square mile. Over 12,000 gemcutter
s and polishers work within the district. Approximately 80% of the world's rough diamond
s pass through this area each year, making it the largest diamond center in the world.
Over $16 billion in polished diamonds pass through the district's exchanges each year. There are 380 workshops that serve 1,500 companies. There are also 3,500 brokers and merchants.
Within the district is the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, and four trading exchanges including the Diamond Club of Antwerp and the Beurs voor Diamanthandel, both of which were founded by Hasidim
diamantaire
s. There are also four banks specializing in the financing of the diamond trade.
The district is dominated by Jewish and Indian dealers, known as diamantaires.
More than 80% of Antwerp's Jews work in the diamond trade, with Yiddish being the main language of the diamond exchange. No business is conducted on Saturdays.
Gemcutter
A gemcutter, is a person who cuts, shapes, and polishes natural and synthetic gemstones. In historical use it usually refers to an artist who made hardstone carvings or engraved gems, a branch of miniature sculpture or ornament in gemstone....
s and polishers work within the district. Approximately 80% of the world's rough diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
s pass through this area each year, making it the largest diamond center in the world.
Over $16 billion in polished diamonds pass through the district's exchanges each year. There are 380 workshops that serve 1,500 companies. There are also 3,500 brokers and merchants.
Within the district is the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, and four trading exchanges including the Diamond Club of Antwerp and the Beurs voor Diamanthandel, both of which were founded by Hasidim
Hasidim
Hasidim/Chasidim is the plural of Hasid , meaning "pious". The honorific "Hasid" was frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the Talmudic and early medieval periods. In classic Rabbinic literature it differs from "Tzadik"-"righteous", by instead denoting one who goes beyond the legal...
diamantaire
Diamantaire
A diamantaire is sometimes referred to as a "gem-quality diamond manufacturer or producer", "master diamond cutter" and a "graduate gemologist ."...
s. There are also four banks specializing in the financing of the diamond trade.
The district is dominated by Jewish and Indian dealers, known as diamantaires.
More than 80% of Antwerp's Jews work in the diamond trade, with Yiddish being the main language of the diamond exchange. No business is conducted on Saturdays.