The City of Antwerp, DIVA, the museum for diamonds, jewelry and silver and the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) put the Antwerp diamond sector in the spotlight in Het Steen during the month of June 2024. Together they organize a mini-expo, dedicated to the city’s rich diamond history, supplemented with demonstrations and workshops. 

Everyone is welcome to have a jewel appraised by a professional, to attend a diamond cutting workshop or to get to know the wonderful world of diamonds better.

Mini diamond exhibition

In the lounge of Het Steen, on the 2nd floor, visitors will learn why Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world, and which raw materials are needed to create a perfectly polished gemstone. The exhibition was already on display in Het Steen last year, but only for a weekend. This year the mini-expo can be visited for free throughout the month of June.

The choice of Het Steen as a location is not accidental. Since the 14th century, this place has been the import zone for about 40% of all luxury goods worldwide. Het Steen is the last remnant of the castle where ships filled with luxury goods such as silk, brocade and gemstones were unloaded and loaded.

“Repeated and extended due to success: for a month everyone can pay a brilliant visit to Het Steen and enter and discover the unique universe of the ever-evocative diamond, in all its sparkling and fascinating facets”, Alderman for Diamond Peter Wouters (N-VA) says. 

“With a major upgrade of the programme and the presentation, all partners immerse visitors more than ever in a centuries-old tradition and enhance Antwerp’s reputation as a world center for diamonds and home for beautiful craftsmanship and creative talent in an exciting and interactive way. in the paint. As an extra, participants in the workshops can experience for themselves whether diamond cut cake is for them. Because you can look, and you can touch it too!”

Demonstrations and workshops

In addition to the exhibition, there are also various demonstrations and workshops during the weekends, also completely free. For example, visitors can follow a diamond workshop on 15 and 16 June, where experts explain the history and operation of the Antwerp diamond sector, identifying and appraising diamonds and basic techniques on how diamonds can be used in jewelry.

On 22 and 23 June, you can see how a professional from the sector sharpens real stones live on a diamond cutting table. And on 29 and 30 June, every visitor to Het Steen can have a jewel estimated without an appointment.

Alderman for Tourism Koen Kennis (N-VA): “Stones in Het Steen, a beautiful combination. By the way, anyone who wants to learn more about how Antwerp grew into the world capital of diamonds can visit ‘The Antwerp Story‘, the permanent exhibition about the history of the city in Het Steen.”

Diamond walk

Visitors can also take a digital diamond walk from Het Steen via the podcast ‘Diamond and Jewelry Tour‘. Actor Herbert Flack and radio host Layla El-Dekmak tell hidden stories about the rich history of the diamond trade and industry in Antwerp in this audio walk. Listeners are also taken behind the scenes of the current Diamond District and are introduced to the world of cutting, negotiating and trading diamonds. The podcast is available in Dutch and English.

Antwerp diamond capital

Antwerp is the largest, oldest and most transparent diamond trading center in the world. The city is also the most important jewelry center in the region.

The link between the city and diamonds goes back to the 16th ‘Golden Age‘, when diamonds, silver and gold also arrived through the port. With the opening of the new Central Station in 1905, the diamond trade moved from the Grote Markt to the area around the station, the Diamond District. The proximity of trains, then the fastest means of transport, gave the diamond trade a major boost.

Today the city has many jewelry stores, diamond cutters and fairs. With the ‘Antwerp’s Most Brilliant‘ label, the customer knows which jewelry stores sell high-quality and honest jewelry.

Practical

• Location: the lounge of Het Steen, on the 2nd floor.
• Mini diamond exhibition: until 30 June, from 10 AM to 6 PM.
• Diamond workshop by Sparklr Atelier (Antwerp World Diamond Centre): 15 and 16 June, from 1 PM to 5 PM.
• Sharpening demonstration by master sharpener Sylvester de Witte from HB Antwerp: 22 and 23 June, from 1 PM to 5 PM.
• Jewelry appraisal by Elkan Wijnberg from Adin (Antwerp’s Most Brilliant): June, from 1 PM to 5 PM.

All demonstrations and workshops can be visited free of charge and continuously. Visitors do not need to register and can participate on site.

Art and museums in Antwerp

• RED STAR LINE MUSEUM | ‘A wanted refugee: Einstein and Red Star Line’ exhibition until Sunday 8 September 2024.
• ANTWERP | Innovations in the Middelheim Museum provide a completely new visitor experience.
• ANTWERP | New Rubens House building and garden to open on 30 August 2024.
• FOMU 2024 | Antwerp photography museum ft. Dirk Braeckman, ‘RE/SISTERS’ and Nick Geboers.
• A visit of the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum – Vlaams Tram- en Autobusmuseum (VlaTAM) in Antwerp.
• MUSEUM AAN DE STROOM | ‘City at war, Antwerp 1940-1945’.
• ANTWERP | M HKA modern art museum presents first half of 2024 activities.
• ANTWERP | Discovering queer(ed) art with the Queer Tour at the KMSKA fine arts museum.
• REVIEW | Illusion Antwerpen, an active and photogenic museum.
• Antwerp museums and sports facilities team up with European Disability Card for accessible leisure activities.
• ‘Jef Verheyen, Window On Infinity’ exhibition at KMSKA, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, until 18 August 2024.
• Inside the KMSKA or Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
• Museum Mayer van den Bergh.
• 2024 at Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA): Rubens, James Ensor, Jules Schmalzigaug and many more.
• 2024 at the museums of Antwerp ft. Ensor Year.
• ANTWERP | Inside Rubens House.
• Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Museum Vleeshuis up for restoration.
• BOOK | ‘Antwerp. An Archaeological View on the Origin of the City’ by Tim Bellens.
• Red Star Line Museum.
• Paleis op de Meir. 
• DIVA, Antwerp Home of Diamonds.
• ANTWERP | Red Star Line Museum of (e)migration.
• ANTWERP | Museum Mayer van den Bergh is expanding into former District Hall.