Royal visit aims to raise Antwerp's diamond profile in South Korea

Representatives of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) accompanied King Filip of Belgium on a state visit to South Korea. During the state visit, Golden Dew, one of Korea’s largest jewelry brands, launched three special cuts it developed together with Antwerp diamond companies.

During the visit in March, three special diamond cuts were presented to the general public in the presence of the King Filip and Queen Mathilde. Golden Dew, a jewelry chain that operates more than 100 retail stores, developed these cuts together with three Antwerp diamond companies: IGC Group, S. Muller & Sons Diamonds and Mikisa Gems.

The IGC Group, in collaboration with Golden dew, developed the ‘Golden Dew cut’; a unique cut with a teardrop shape (the ‘dew shape’). S. Muller & Sons introduced to the Korean market the EightStar cut, which gives a diamond more fire and brilliance than is found in a traditional brilliant cut. Mikisa Gems created the UltraBrights cut, which uses a special technique to improve the light optimization and brilliance of very small stones. Golden Dew will distribute these three Antwerp special cuts exclusively throughout South Korea.

The visit, AWDC reported, served as a platform to call for the elimination of the five-percent import tax that diamonds from Antwerp are subject to. Belgium is currently at a disadvantage compared to other diamond trading centers that are already exempt from import taxes on polished diamonds.