The three-day Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair (ADTF) jointly organised by the Antwerp Diamond Bourse (Beurs voor Diamanthandel), the Diamond Club of Antwerp (Diamantclub van Antwerpen) and Antwerp's Rough Diamond Bourse (Antwerpsche Diamantkring) which started on Sunday, January 31 closed on an upbeat note.

Expectations for the fair were not high, given the general market conditions and specifically the slow holiday sales season reported by European retail jewellers and diamond distributors.

The organisers received some positive feedback. 

"We were here for all three days, spent a lot of time in the halls, viewing lots of goods, holding extended negotiations about the choice of diamonds we had selected,”  said Albert M., a Middle Eastern diamond buyer. “It was not easy, but we did some very serious business here. Of course, Antwerp remains the number one source for diamonds. If you do not find what you are looking for here, trust me, you will not find it anywhere else!"

A British jeweller remarked: "This was our first time here in Antwerp, despite the fact that we are a short distance away in the UK. “The invitation to come and visit Antwerp on the occasion of the ADTF was brilliant and it opened a lot of doors for us. Of course, the selection of the goods shown here is so diverse and absolutely stunning!”

About 90 exhibitors offered the visiting buyers a dazzling choice of diamonds, in all sizes, quantities, qualities and price points.

The ADTF also included exhibitors offering an exclusive choice of precious coloured gemstones like emeralds, rubies and sapphires. "Antwerp has a lot to offer in the top quality rangers of coloured gemstones," said Oded Shapiro of the eponymous firm. "While we were only a few at this edition of the ADTF, we did have a lot to offer to buyers on the high end scale.

"Fairs are often less about sales, and more about 'maintenance.'," commented   ADTF Organising Committee spokesman Michel Schonfeld. "With lots of new buyers coming in and a loyal, ever growing body of retail jewellers and distributors coming back year after year, we have built strong and lasting business relationships that produce sales throughout the year.” 

Other activities on the sidelines of the show added value for those attending. 

Close to 200 persons attended the first ADTF breakfast seminar, held on Monday, February 1st.

“Introduced by ADTF communications director Ya'akov Almor, who briefly spoke about where retailers can find authoritative information about diamond nomenclature, Jean-Mathieu Mangnay, Chief Gemologist of the International Gemological Institute (IGI) held his audience captive with a fascinating talk about how synthetic or lab-grown diamonds are produced, and about the various methods identification of these stones,” a press release from the organisers said. “The following day, French luxury industry expert and founder of Dreams Magazine, Didier Brodbeck, hosted the ADTF breakfast seminar participants on a tour through the luxury consumer product market, paying special attention to the stiff competition diamonds and diamond jewellery are currently experiencing in that sector.”

‘The Antwerp Diamond Night’ sponsored by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) saw models displaying the HRD Awards' jewellery creations.