World diamond centre

In this changing economy, diamond companies and jewellers are taking the necessary steps to become future-proof. The city of Antwerp stimulates this innovation movement by financially supporting two trajectories. On one hand, the city finances innovative projects which impact the entire diamond sector. On the other hand, it matches companies with experts to review a specific business model.

Innovations for the entire diamond sector

Here, the city of Antwerp selects companies from the diamond sector that are interested in a new business model or a renewed strategy. This trajectory runs until 2025 and must originate from a confirmed collective need of the diamond sector. Each year, new projects can be presented.

Together with the entrepreneur, a challenge is defined. Then, an innovation agency guides the company towards a future-proof organizational structure. The city of Antwerp finances this entire innovation process, only requiring the participating companies to share their knowledge with the sector.

This report explores the innovation opportunities and challenges facing Antwerps' diamond companies in six domains, followed by insights in the innovation projects of 2021.

Or review this webinar with more background information on the programme as well as presentations of the projects developed in 2021.

In 2022, 4 new innovation trajectories were launched. The insights of these projects can be read in 2022 REPORT | ANTWERP DIAMOND INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES.

The City of Antwerp’s innovation programme with 'Verhaert | Masters in Innovation' helped our team identify unique differentiators, in a refreshing and creative way." Nader Murad, President DiAntwerp

Innovations for a specific company need

Entrepreneurs can also follow one of the two trajectories of ANTWERP. POWERED BY CREATIVES, working on applied or strategic innovation. Applied innovation aims to work on a clear and specific solution, where strategic innovation requires external expertise to determine a company’s needs.

At least three Antwerp innovation experts discuss your company’s needs in an individual interview. ANTWERP. POWERED BY CREATIVES. selects these professionals. If there is a match, the appropriate expert will start a trajectory with your company. On average, applied innovation costs 1000 EUR ex VAT, while its strategic counterpart costs up to 2400 EUR ex VAT.

Do you want to participate in one of the two trajectories?

Fill in our questionnaire. If your company qualifies for one of these innovation trajectories, an intake interview will follow.

Want to find out more? Email your questions to antwerpsmostbrilliant@antwerpen.be and we will answer you quickly.

Around eighty six percent of all rough diamonds pass through Antwerp on their way towards becoming earrings or other pieces of jewellery. Antwerp is home to both diamond wholesalers, traders and cutters, to diamond schools and start-ups inventing new technologies to get even more brightness out of stones that have an Antwerp Cut. Innovation is at the heart of the diamond industry as new technology is created to detect and screen lab grown diamonds and differentiate them from natural diamonds.

The biggest

Daily, 220 million dollars’ worth of diamonds are traded, adding up to an amazing 47 billion dollars annually (10-year average). On a surface of less than 1 square mile more than 1600 registered diamond traders are active. No other city in the world houses four diamond exchanges, controls 86% of the world’s trade in rough diamonds and 50% of the trade in polished diamonds.

Nearly all of the world’s diamonds pass through Antwerp at least once, in other words. The diamond trade in Antwerp is standing strong thanks to its unparalleled level of compliance and transparency.

The first

For over 5 centuries, Antwerp is the heart of the global diamond trade. The oldest documents to prove the existence of diamond trade in Antwerp date back to 1447. In Antwerp, the ancient craft is combined with modern technologies. The brilliant, the most popular diamond cut in the world, was created in Antwerp by Tolkowsky in 1919. Even today Antwerp remains pioneer in the development of new techniques.

The most transparent

Antwerp firmly says no to conflict diamonds. Since the approval of the Kimberley Process, Antwerp fulfils the role as global moral leader in transparency and compliance.

In collaboration with the federal government of Belgium all diamond imports and exports are physically controlled through the Diamond Office, which serves as an example to many other diamond centres in the world.

When speaking about diamonds, people often refer to certificates, but there are two different kinds.

Rough diamonds must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process certificate, guaranteeing these rough stones are conflict-free.

Polished diamonds on the other hand can be accompanied by a polished diamond certificate, preferably from one of four reputable diamond grading labs: HRD Antwerp, IGI, GIA or IIDGR. These labs confirm the diamond’s authenticity, whether it is a natural, lab-grown or treated diamond and describe its characteristics - Carat, Clarity, Cut and Colour.

When you are planning to buy a polished diamond, our advice is to always ask for a certificate from a well-reputed grading lab.

Finally, the city of Antwerp and AWDC have introduced a quality label for jewellers called Antwerp’s Most Brilliant. The label provides consumers and visitors a guarantee of quality and strengthens the image of Antwerp as a centre for jewellery. Jewellers who are awarded the label fulfil 9 criteria and are audited by an independent accredited auditing office. Both creative jewellers with whom the design is central and diamond jewellers are eligible.

Thanks to this label, consumers can buy jewellery with confidence. Labelled jewellers are recognizable from the sticker in the shop window ‘Antwerp’s Most Brilliant Officially Certified Jeweller’. Antwerp’s Most Brilliant jewellers are listed in a free flyer available in 6 languages from Visit Antwerp.