Abstract
The development of an unique ‘diamond culture’ led to widening of the diamond markets. A diamond market is not only a place to exchange stones, but mainly to reinforce social contacts and make new agreements. This chapter focuses on different diamond markets in Antwerp, Israel, and the Arabic Emirates. The case of the multicultural market of Antwerp includes a close-up analysis of different specificities of Jewish and Indian traders, their cooperation and conflict. Israeli Ramat Gan exchange bourses are another example of the diamond market, which tries to distinguish itself internationally by emphasising ultramodern facilities and technology. The diamond market of Dubai attracts diamantairs from all over the world, making great promises for the future. The differences and similarities of different countries and markets are illustrated here by specific examples from fieldwork.
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Notes
- 1.
From the conversation with the Israeli writer and journalist Michael Shashar, Jerusalem, May, 2005.
- 2.
Translated from Dutch (DS).
- 3.
Meaning ‘guards of faith’.
- 4.
Meaning ‘keepers of faith’.
- 5.
An Association for the Promotion of the Dutch Language Among Jews publishes the weekly Belgisch Israelitisch Weekblad, a one-man periodical which is sometimes quoted as ‘the authoritative voice of the Jewish community’ by Dutch-speaking journalists.
- 6.
Author’s translation from Dutch.
- 7.
Author’s translation from Dutch.
- 8.
The Hassisdic movement in Judaism developed in Podolia in the eighteenth century and quickly expanded throughout Eastern Europe.
- 9.
Rapaport News, 12 March, 1999, on: http://www.diamonds.net
- 10.
Haaretz News, 2 November, 2004, Jerusalem, on: http://www.fpp.co.ik/online/04/11/ Jewish_mafia_Poland.html.
- 11.
Jewish New Year.
- 12.
Literally, ‘house for preaching.’
- 13.
From the speech at the GOPIO Conference, Brussels, Belgium, October 4, 2004.
- 14.
Time Asia, 19 April, 2004.
- 15.
By the 1990s over sixty percent of the Kathiawari entrants were the sons of farmers.
- 16.
Melwani, L. Dazzling Success, on http://www.littleindia.com/july2003/Dazzling%20Success.htm.
- 17.
From the speech at the GOPIO Conference in Brussels, Belgium, 4 October, 2004.
- 18.
Ibid.
- 19.
Ibid.
- 20.
More on so-called ‘conflict diamonds’ in Chapter 7.
- 21.
Such as in interview with Vijah Shah in De Volkskrant, 18 December, 2006.
- 22.
The Wall Street Journal, 27 May, 2003.
- 23.
From the letter, signed by Laurent Grossman (Grossman Diamond Manufacturing), http://www.diamonds.net, 27 April, 2006.
- 24.
Kaushik Mehta of Eurostar Diamond Traders together with the other diamond trader, Jewish Stephane Fischler (The Economic Times, 12 May, 2006, on: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ articleshow/1526678.cms).
- 25.
India News, 9 May, 2006.
- 26.
Moshe Schnitzer is an honoured president of the Israeli Exchange and Israeli Prize recipient in 2004, in: Hayahalom, (The Diamond), Journal of Israel Diamond Industry and Trade, issue 177, May 2004.
- 27.
Kahol ve-Lavan, ‘white and blue’ colours are symbols of national pride in Israel.
- 28.
Forbes.com, 15 September , 2003, on: http://www.forbes.com.
- 29.
Hayahalom, 2005:20.
- 30.
Rapaport News, on: http://www.diamonds.net.
- 31.
What does the future hold? Idex Magazine, 1 July, 2006, on: http://www.idexonline.com/ portal_FullMazalUbracha.asp?id=25814.
- 32.
In May 2005 I heard from Rosenberg’s family that the 103-year old founder of the Israeli diamond industry was still clear-minded and active in discussions on diamond policies.
- 33.
At the corner of Herzl and Ahad Ha’am Streets, later moved to Allenby Street, in a building where the Belgium-Eretz Israel Bank was also housed.
- 34.
As far as I understood from several diamantairs, Oved ben Ami remains a controversial figure. For many he is a local hero (the central street of Nathania is named for him); others associate him with corruption practices, precisely torpedoing the development of the diamond industry in Israel (from my interviews with diamantairs in Israel, May, 2005).
- 35.
The 1940s, Shira Ami, on: http://www.diamond-il.co.il.
- 36.
Of 2000 diamond workers about 1200 were called up to the army. On: http://www.diamond-il.co.il.
- 37.
Shira Amir, Diamond Production in Israel − in the 1960s, on: http://www.diamond-il.co.il.
- 38.
In Hayahalom, n. 4, 1968.
- 39.
Moti Ganz, president of the Israeli Diamond Manufacturers Association (IsDMA), in: Hayahalom, Journal of the Israel Diamond Industry and Trade, issue 177, 2004.
- 40.
Quotation of Kama Nath, India’s minister of commerce and industry in Rapaport News, on: http://www.diamonds.net.
- 41.
Words of Jacob Kattan from the Israeli Diamond Manufacturers Associations (IsDMA), quoted in Rapaport News, on: http://www.diamonds.net.
- 42.
Ha’aretz, Mon. 22 January, 2007.
- 43.
Almas means diamond in Arabic.
- 44.
- 45.
Ibid.
- 46.
In total they are allowed to reside in the UAE for ninety-nine years.
- 47.
Also in The Times of India, 24 April, 2007.
- 48.
Other ethnic communities include Pakistanis and migrants from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Palestinians.
- 49.
The Consulate General of India, Dubai, in: http://www.cgidubai.com.
- 50.
To enjoy this privilege in the UAE the monthly earnings of the nonresidential Indian must be about 4000 Dirhams (in 2006–2007) about 1000 euros, or 3000 Dirhams plus accommodation (Indian Diaspora in the Gulf States, on: http://tamilelibrary.org/teli/gulf01.html).
- 51.
Followed by fruits and vegetables, spices, tea, rice, and so on (ibid.).
- 52.
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Siegel, D. (2009). Jews, Indians, and Arabs: On Diamond Markets and Traders. In: The Mazzel Ritual. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-95960-3_5
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