By Penny Palmer, IJO
Peter and Esther Vandenberg of Vandenbergs Fine Jewellery in Winnipeg recently returned from a buying trip to the Diamond Capital of the World, Antwerp, Belgium. While there, they had the unique opportunity to examine huge parcels of exquisitely cut diamonds to find the very best selections for their inventory. Pictured above, Peter is louping a diamond for sale to one of their customers. "We hand-select each and every diamond that comes into our store," Peter says. "Some people think one can look at a piece of paper on the internet and select a diamond, but there's no way to tell if that diamond has fire, has life - I need it to say something to me. If I'm going to put my name and my reputation behind a diamond, I'm going to be certain it's the quality for which Vandenbergs Fine Jewellery is known."
Vandenbergs has direct access to five of the world's finest Antwerp diamond suppliers as the area's exclusive Master IJO Jeweller Member of the Independent Jewellers Organization (IJO), an International Buying Group and Educational Organization for retail jewellers. IJO has more than 700 members in the U.S., Canada and Australia and maintains buying offices in Antwerp for the use of it's members. "It is generally out of reach for a single jewellery store or small chain to buy direct in Antwerp," says Esther Vandenberg. "One of the benefits of our IJO membership is that we become a direct importer of Antwerp diamonds and can save our customers the normal middleman's fee. We are excited about opening a window to the international diamond market and look forward to making some diamond dreams come true for our customers!"
According to IJO President & CEO Jeff Roberts, "Antwerp has been a focus of the diamond trade for almost 600 years and about 84% of the world's rough passes through the district, making it the largest in the world. I'm proud to be able to give our members an edge in their market areas by offering the ability to buy directly from the diamond cutters themselves, and to continue their tradition of the finest quality available."
Vandenbergs Fine Jewellery has access to an array of diamonds to fit anyone's occassion, taste and budget. Stop by Vandenbergs today to take a look at the most beautiful diamonds in the world at exceptional values.