The Antwerp World Diamond Centre was born. Lodewijck Van Bercken was said to have invented the process of polishing diamonds with diamonds. In his honour, a statue was erected at the Meir. Today, Antwerp still has the best diamond workers in the world. Antwerp Cut is the trade mark for perfectly processed diamonds.

Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) Founded in 1973 as the “Hoge Raad voor Diamant” (HRD) or the “Diamond High Council”, and reformed into a private foundation called Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) in 2007, AWDC is the officially recognised representative organisation of the Belgian diamond trade and –industry, acting as a spokesman and co-ordinator of all activities in the diamond sector. It is the marketing organization of the Antwerp diamantaires.

Antwerp World Diamond Centre is more than ever committed to maintaining a healthy and prosperous diamond industry. Antwerp exports to over 90 countries, spreading the quality image and the philosophy of the Antwerp diamond sector.

• HRD Awards, an international Diamond Jewellery Contest

   Every two years the AWDC organizes the HRD Awards, an international diamond jewellery design competition with the

   chance for a jewellery designer to win not only a prestigious international award, but to stake his or her place on the global

   jewellery map. The HRD Awards is widely recognized as the world’s leading design contest in creative and innovative

   diamond jewellery. The contest is open to all designers and to date it has promoted twenty years of creativity and

   experimentation in contemporary diamond jewellery design. More information on www.hrdawards.be.

• Antwerp Facets

  The Antwerp Facets is the Antwerp Trade magazine that keeps you posted on the current Antwerp Diamond market situation

  and much more. Issued 4 times a year. Antwerp Facets Online is the weekly internet version.

• Antwerp Diamond Conference, the World Diamond Industry Forum

  The AWDC organizes the Antwerp Diamond Conference, at which world and industry leaders gather to address the issues of

  the day. In recent years the conference has become a hallmark event for the trade worldwide. At the same time, it provides a

  platform for intensive networking among the world’s leading professionals in the diamond and jewellery business, right in the

  heart of Antwerp, the leading diamond centre of the world. In the past the conference has hosted such speakers as Al Gore,

  William J. Clinton – 42nd President of the United States, De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer, Thabo Mbeki, President of

  South Africa and H.E. Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf, President of Liberia. More information on www.antwerpdiamondconference.be.

• Exclusive Diamond Jewellery Exhibitions

  As part of its mission to promote Antwerp as the pre-eminent international diamond centre, the AWDC has over the years

  organised a series of world-class exhibitions of diamond jewellery. The purpose of these exhibitions is to elevate Antwerp’s

  role in the jewellery business, in addition to the position its holds as a diamond manufacturing and trading centre. A minimum

  of two years is required to prepare for such an event. Selection criteria are very strict, so as to ensure spectacular and

  exclusive diamond jewellery collections.

  The first exhibition in the series took place in 1993, and it was one of the highlights during a festive year in which Antwerp 

  was declared the “Cultural Capital of Europe.” Called “From the Treasury,” it featured a unique collection of historic and

  contemporary gems, as well as jewels belonging to royal houses. The jewellery was loaned by an impressive list of

  museums, exclusive jewellery houses, auction houses and private collectors. The royal houses themselves cooperated in the

  organisation of the event.

  “From the Treasury” opened at the Province House of Antwerp in the presence of their royal highnesses, Prince Albert and

  Princess Paola, today King and Queen of the Belgians. Following the spectacular success of the first exhibition, the AWDC

  decided to repeat this initiative on a regular basis. Successful exhibitions were held again in 1997, 2002 and 2008

  called “Diamond Divas”. Preparations are already underway for the fifth edition, planned for 2012.

• Antwerp Diamond Pavilions and Trade Missions

  AWDC is more than ever committed in maintaining a healthy and prosperous diamond industry, spreading the quality image

  of the Antwerp diamond sector. This philosophy is perfectly embodied in the Antwerp Diamond Pavilions. AWDC

  communicates the superiority of Antwerp diamonds to the major consumer markets through the organisation of Antwerp

  Diamond pavilions at all major diamond and jewellery trade fairs worldwide. Antwerp Diamond Pavilions are organized in

  Vicenza, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, Dubai, Las Vegas, Macau…

Diamond Office

Diamond Office is unique in the world and acts as a customs broker for the import and export of diamonds and handles all the paperwork for this process, a considerable service to the diamond companies. Operated by AWDC and in collaboration with the financial and economic services of the Federal Government, Diamond Office ensures rapid and efficient controls. Your guarantee for conflict free diamonds. International Affairs Antwerp (AWDC) has played a leading role in the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification System. This system was formally adopted in 2003 and guards against conflict diamonds entering the legitimate diamond supply chain. Today 71 governments have enshrined into their national law the Kimberley Process Certification System.

Visit us at www.awdc.be, your virtual guide to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.