As far back as the early 1880s, the diamond manufacturers and traders of Antwerp felt they needed a fixed meeting place designated for their sole use. They opted for centrally located premises, adapted to their specific professional activities and reserved solely for those admitted as members.

The first meetings and the foundation of the “Diamantclub van Antwerpen” as an actual association took place in the city centre around 1885.

In 1893, the club’s status was changed and it was restructured as a limited liability company with its registered office at Pelikaanstraat 62, Antwerp. More than 100 years later it is still there, albeit in the legal form of a cooperative partnership with limited liability since 1992.

The foundation was followed by trail-blazing work. The “Diamantclub” was the first to draw up an internal code of conduct and form an arbitration and reconciliation board , which later served as models for other diamond-trading sites.

Twenty-six diamond bourses have now been set up around the world and are united in the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, four of which are in Antwerp. These are in turn united in the “Federatie der Belgische Diamantbeurzen” (Federation of Belgian Diamond Bourses).