Bart De Hantsetters, Chairman, The Syndicate of Belgian Diamond Industry [SBD] in this interview with the New Jeweller Bureau talks on the present status and the future of Diamond business and adds on the importance of technology in this sector. An Exclusive:

Antwerp, historically has been known to have developed exquisitely cut Diamond stones. Your opinion on the evolution of the Diamond manufacturing sector to come out with world renowned 'Antwerp Cut diamonds'?

For more than 500 years, the diamond trade goes hand in hand with diamond manufacturing. The diamond scaif was originally invented by the legendary Lodewijk Van Bercken, in 1476. Van Bercken was born in the Belgian town of Bruges, but moved to Antwerp and made his mark here as the city's greatest diamond polisher. In response to the demand, he developed countless new diamond cuts. His success contributed to the continued growth of Antwerp as the world diamond hub. Reaching its highest level of employment, Antwerp has provided work for tens of thousands of diamond polishers. Our diamond manufacturers have always been trying to realize the intrinsic beauty of the stone. "Antwerp cut diamonds" stand for craftmanship and knowledge. Our diamond traders are known for their knowledge as well. Their sortings add an important value to the "make" of the stones.

How important according to you are the international trade delegations visiting Antwerp? Do you think more number of buyer delegations will help the Diamond manufacturers in Antwerp and why?

Antwerp has been organizing for several years targeted trade missions. Potential new clients from major and emerging diamond markets, can get a « behind the scene » welcome in Antwerp. During a three-day program they get inside access to the Antwerp diamond market and get acquainted with a number of Antwerp diamond professionals (including manufacturers), interested in meeting clients from the visiting region. The foreign diamantaires return home with a clear picture of our diamond city, the diversity of goods, the ethical values, the logistical possibilities or explored our training programs. Piece by piece building blocks for the future.

Technological advances have been inherent in the growth of Diamond cutting and polishing. Your opinion on the role of technology in Diamond manufacturing and do you see a big role of technology and machine tools in this sector in the near future?

Many inventions and production improvements saw the light of day in one of the many Belgian cutting and polishing companies. The "klickdop", the automatic cutting, the measurement through shadow image technology or 3D processing with a laser are just a few examples. At the end of the seventies a collective research center with a multidisciplinary team was founded in order to develop machinery and devices for diamond manufacturing. Currently, we are working hard on a particularly interesting project: grain independent polishing (G.I.P.). This new technology makes it possible for the first time to robotize the polishing process in an intelligent way. The robot, baptized "Fenix", is an important link in the search for the golden grail.

De Beers has now ventured into Lab grown diamond jewellery through "LightBox". What is your opinion on this and do you feel this will set precedents for more number of Natural Diamond trading companies to venture into lab grown business?

The decision of The De Beers Group to enter the lab-grown diamond market is hardly a surprise; but more of a surprise is the timing. Their years of experience in the field of growing synthetic diamonds gives them an unmistakable competitive advantage. In this way they can take the wind out of some of their competitors' sails. Their pricing, the fact that one can choose the color of the gemstone,… will support consumer understanding of the difference between natural and synthetic diamonds. In addition, De Beers can gain more experience in marketing and consumer behavior. Now the spirit is out of the bottle, we are living in a new reality.

Are international trade exhibitions important for Belgian Diamond manufacturers? And Why?

Many trade shows have proved their worth over the years. Recently, new trade shows popped up across the globe. Each company has to decide on its own which channels are most appropriate to meet existing and potential new customers.

What according to you is further required to strengthen Antwerp as the ultimate destination for Diamonds? Please add suggestions over and above the activities that are already being carried out by the Associations of Antwerp and the various bodies?

Well, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a world diamond center. It is a particularly complex interplay of many factors including heritage, knowledge, culture, geopolitics, logistics, finance, innovation and the legislative framework. It is a dynamic project and we work as a collective with vision and dedication. From the manufacturers point of view, I can only conclude that several factors have caused the delocalization of the production. Only specialized companies, that focus on service and innovation, still have a role to play in the diamond industry. To conclude, I believe our leadership position can only be sustained by ongoing cross-fertilization between research, the diamond cutting and polishing business and the diamond trade.