Tel Aviv Diamonds Exchange Center (Bursa) is located in Tel Aviv. Israel is the world’s largest diamond exchange and the center of Israel’s diamond industry. The exchange is a private company with about 3100 members; these diamantaires are engaged in diamond cutting and trading – marketing, brokerage, import, and export.
The History of Tel Aviv Diamond Exchange
The exchange operates from a complex of four buildings in the Diamond Exchange District; the buildings are connected by bridges creating one complex, which contains the world’s largest diamond trading floor, consisting of 1000 office rooms, restaurants, banks, post, and package delivery services.
The first diamond cutting facility in the country was opened in 1937 in Petach Tikva by two cousins, Asher Anshel Daskal and Zvi Rosenberg, professional diamantaires trained in Antwerp, originally from Romania. During the British Mandate, the industry grew over the next seven years.
After a new start and renewed growth, by the 1960s, a trade association was established, which later evolved into the Diamond Exchange.
From 1967 to 1993, Moshe Schnitzer was President of the IDE, which grew rapidly under his direction. Exports of polished diamonds from Israel during this period increased from $200 million to $3.4 billion a year.
In 1968, the first building in the complex was opened: the 22-story Shimshon Tower, at the time one of the tallest buildings in Israel. During the 1980s, the Maccabi Tower and Noam Tower were constructed and in 1992 the tallest building in the complex was opened, the 32-story Diamond Tower.
Visiting Tel Aviv Diamond Exchange
The Tel Aviv Diamond Exchange is a working complex. So obviously, tourists can’t enter the buildings unless accompanied by a member of the Exchange. Getting inside involves clearing high security and being accompanied at all times. You can visit the place by joining one of my Tours of Tel Aviv
