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Antwerp and Amsterdam regain their importance

Posted November 2nd, 2008 by admin

In 1940, these centers were over-run by the Germans, and the skilled craftsmen were obliged to flee as refugees to various parts of the world. England, the U.S.A., and Israel were among the countries which benefitted by the influx, and before long, the lapidary industry was established on a small scale in various new countries. It seems that, although many of these victims will remain in their new homes, both Antwerp and Amsterdam will regain their previous importance. The Belgian and Dutch Governments do not want to lose this profitable industry, and most of the factories are working now. Antwerp recovered more quickly than Amsterdam since it suffered less from war damage, and in 1947, some 17,000 workers were already being employed on cutting all sizes of gem quality stones. The rough material is received from the Diamond Trading Co., in London, and the finished stones are exported to London and New York.
Lapidary work in England is confined to a comparatively small number of firms, and up to recently most of the work was connected with larger and finer stones and the re-cutting of old or “native cut” stones. Since 1940, however, the industry has expanded greatly and a number of foreign cutters were employed during the war years, chiefly in the cutting of industrial diamonds, a valuable accessory in all kinds of war machinery. In 1941, about 250 men were employed in Great Britain on diamond cutting, this being an unusually high figure. But the succeeding years saw a great increase, 600 workers being employed in 1942. In June of that year, the cutting of gem diamonds was entirely prohibited in Great Britain, except under license, and almost all the workers were employed on industrial stones. Factories were established in towns outside of London, and workers were busy in such towns as Bangor, Brighton, and Leamington Spa, producing material for the war.