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Rough diamonds: Antwerp beats India, Dubai and Israel

The city of Antwerp remains the world's prime hub for the trade in rough diamonds. This is according to figures supplied by the global watchdog Kimberley Process, that checks the origin of rough diamonds. Antwerp beats India, Dubai and Israel.
Michaël Torfs
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, LONDON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Antwerp imported and exported a total of 234.7 million karats (118.7 million in imports and 116 in exports). One karat equals 0.2 grams of diamond. The figures put Antwerp in the leading position worldwide.

The latest figures mean a boost for the Antwerp diamond sector, says Margaux Donckier of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. "Dubai, our main challengers, are only importing a third of what Antwerp is importing, and our exports are double. This is because we have so many diamond traders here. Every square kilometre has 1,700 traders and this has a positive impact on prices."

India beats Antwerp where the import of rough diamonds is concerned, but it is hardly exporting rough diamonds. The average value of imported diamonds in Israel exceeds this for Antwerp: 333.11 dollars per karat compared to 133.08 for Antwerp. 

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