Diamantclub van Antwerpen

In the early 1880s the diamond manufacturers and traders established in Antwerp saw the need to establish a fixed meeting place, adapted to their specific professional activities and reserved exclusively for those who would be admitted as members.

The first meetings and the foundation of the actual association "Antwerp Diamond Club" took place in the city centre around 1885.

In 1893 the de facto association was transformed into a limited liability company, with its seat at Pelikaanstraat 62. More than 125 years later, the registered office is still located at this address, but since 1992, however, in the legal form of a cooperative company with limited liability.

The stock exchange premises and the offices of the Diamond Club were officially inaugurated in 1894, in the presence of Jan Van Rijswijck, the then mayor of Antwerp.

After a few years the building became too small and was extended into Hoveniersstraat. From 1966 to 1969 the building was almost completely replaced by a modern building. Its inauguration was also an occasion to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Diamond Club in the presence of King Baudouin.

Today, more than 150 diamond firms are still based in the buildings. Various committees within the Board of Directors work continuously to update the infrastructure and safety facilities, all with the aim of creating a pleasant working environment for tenants and members.

As a member of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and through her delegation in the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) the Diamantclub participates in the promotion and development of Antwerp as world diamond centre and seeks to defend the interests of her members within the sector.

Alongside her Antwerp sister organizations, united in the Federation of Belgian Diamond Bourses (FDBD), she provides a framework under which members can do business, supported by regulations. As a professional organization and trading bourse she represents and watches over certain moral values in the sector and strives to create an atmosphere of safety and trust.

The Diamantclub van Antwerpen wants to create a meeting place for diamond traders, brokers and manufacturers by operating an exchange hall and renting offices.

The Diamantclub van Antwerpen is run by a Board of Directors composed of 14 members-shareholders, elected among/by the members-shareholders for a four-year mandate. Every two years, half of the Board of Directors is alternately outgoing and re-eligible.

In addition to their own professional activity as diamond traders, the members of the Board of Directors are committed to manage the company with due diligence, to assist its members in the capacity of “week commissioners” (mediators) in case of mutual trade disputes and to act as representatives in various national and international diamond organizations.

Within the Board of Directors, different committees focus on a number of specific domains in respect of the management of the Diamantclub. Important decisions however are always taken by the Board of Directors.

The Diamond Club of Antwerp is united with 28 other worldwide diamond bourses in the "World Federation of Diamond Bourses". Antwerp has 4 bourses, which in turn are united in the "Federation of Belgian Diamond Bourses".