Before diamonds reach your ears and engagement rings, they pass through diamond centers for grading. The centers are located in many of the world’s top cities, such as New York, London, Mumbai and Tel Aviv. Antwerp has been at the forefront of the diamond industry since the 14th century and is internationally recognized as the world’s leading diamond grading center.
The Antwerp Diamond Square Mile is a short walk from historic Central Station in Antwerp, Belgium. According to industry estimates, 80 percent of the world’s diamonds enter the market through the Antwerp Diamond Square Mile. The district is home to four major diamond exchanges, 1,500 international diamond companies, diamond banks and roughly 3,500 brokers. The Antwerp Diamond Square Mile is known for its extensive selection of industrial, rough and polished diamonds.
For more than three centuries, London has been a major distribution center for rough diamonds. Hatton Garden, a street in Central London, is known across the globe as one of the finest jewelry centers in Europe. The street is lined with 300 diamond companies and 55 shops, which combine to make up the largest concentration of jewelry retailers in the United Kingdom. The shops offer everything from classic styles to one-of-a-kind pieces from the world’s top designers.
The New York Diamond District is located in Midtown Manhattan, steps away from Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall and Times Square. The district rose to international prominence after World War II due to the influx of Jewish immigrants from Belgium. The New York Diamond District is the gateway to the U.S. market. Approximately 90 percent of diamonds that enter the U.S. come through the district. The New York Diamond Dstricit has 2,600 retailers and is known as one of the world’s top manufacturing centers for large diamond sizes.
Los Angeles Diamond District is located in downtown Los Angeles, steps away from Pershing Square. This district is smaller than the New York diamond exchange but their are over 1,000 retailers and diamond dealers in downtown Los Angeles. You can find a lot of retailer’s who specialize in engagement rings in Los Angeles.
Tel Aviv, Israel, is among the most technologically advanced diamond cutting facilities in the world. Nearly $4 billion worth of fancy cut diamonds are exported from the city each year, the majority of which go to U.S. markets. Israel’s diamond center is located approximately 10 minutes outside of Tel Aviv in Ramut Gan. The Israel Diamond Exchange is comprised of four towering buildings that contain 1,200 diamond companies and the world’s largest diamond trading floor.
Mumbai, India, is a major exporter of diamonds due to its high-quality diamonds at more reasonable prices. India’s diamonds are produced in Surat and sold by thousands of diamond retailers that line the streets of Mumbai.