Every year, Bay Area Diamond Company travels to Antwerp, Belgium to purchase diamonds. Because one of our owners, Brian Rouse, is so knowledgeable about diamonds, we’re able to cut out the middle man and pass the savings we receive onto our customers.
What else is there to know about Antwerp and the diamonds we buy there? Check out our top 10 Antwerp facts, and don’t forget: you can request your own Antwerp diamond by calling or texting Brian at 920-494-0002.
1. Antwerp is the Diamond Capital of the World. Between 60 and 80 percent of all the diamonds in the world are cut and traded in Antwerp. That’s a lot of sparkle!
2. The Diamond District has been in Antwerp for more than 500 years. Five centuries of diamond cutting and trading – that’s how you know we’re bringing home the best diamonds in the world for our customers!
3. Brian and Jill have been going to Antwerp for more than 15 years. They've even become personal friends with some of the dealers! They know which office specializes in what kind of diamonds (matched pairs, fancy shapes (not round), large diamonds, colored diamonds, etc.) so they know where to start the hunt for whatever you're looking for.
4. The numbers don’t lie. According to The New York Times, 8,000 people from 160 different countries visit 1,800 different diamond offices in Antwerp and interact with diamonds worth $95 million every single day.
5. Antwerp hasn’t always been the diamond capital. People have been cutting diamonds in Antwerp since the 1500s, but it wasn’t until Belgium’s relaxed economy took business away from Amsterdam in the 1800s that the Diamond District became globally dominant.
6. We buy ethical diamonds in Antwerp. Bay Area Diamond Company proudly complies with the Kimberley Process, which adheres to fair trade guidelines and ensures that all diamonds are conflict-free. Only Kimberley Process diamonds enter Antwerp, and we’d never buy anything else!
7. Some people refer to the Diamond District as “the square mile.” This is a reference to the size of the Diamond District, which has the largest concentration of diamond-related activity in the world.
8. You can hear many different languages at any given time. Although the primary language spoken in this part of Belgium is Dutch, the Diamond District is so international that languages like Yiddish, French, and English are commonly heard.
9. Diamond traders are called “diamantaires.” They often have a cultural touch. Many diamantaires are Hasidic Jews, from India, or originate in other countries. They are attracted to Antwerp by a desire to sell the highest quality diamonds in an ethical way.
10. We travel almost 8,000 miles to get to Antwerp. We are committed to bringing home the best diamonds in the world for our customers!