HB Antwerp
{{Short description|Diamond company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = HB Antwerp
| logo = HB_Antwerp_logo_2023.png
| logo_caption =
| logo_upright =
| logo_alt =
| type = Private
| industry = {{Unbulleted list|Technology|Diamond manufacturing}}
| predecessor =
| founded = 2020
| founders =
| defunct =
| fate =
| successor =
| hq_location_city = Antwerp
| hq_location_country = Belgium
| area_served =
| key_people = Oded Mansori
(Founder, Managing Partner)
Shai de Toledo
(Founder, Managing Partner)
Rafael Papismedov
(Founder, Managing Partner)
Boaz Lev (Founder, Managing Partner)
| products =
| owner =
| num_employees_year = 2022
| parent =
| website =
}}
HB Antwerp is a diamond cutting and technology company based in Antwerp, Belgium.{{cite news |date=November 23, 2020 |title=Hoffentlich wird es kein Pferdekopf |website=Frankfurter Allgemeine |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/stil/mode-design/hb-antwerp-schleift-rohdiamant-sethunya-fuer-louis-vuitton-17065145.html}} It was founded in 2020 by Shai de Toledo, Rafael Papismedov, Oded Mansori and Boaz Lev.{{cite news|title=HB Antwerp la pepite belge qui taille des diamants pour Vuitton Co|url=https://www.lecho.be/entreprises/general/hb-antwerp-la-pepite-belge-qui-taille-des-diamants-pour-vuitton-co/10263360.html|date=November 5, 2020|website=L'Echo}}
History
HB Antwerp purchases rough diamonds from the Karowe mine in Botswana through a deal with Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corporation and works in partnership with the Botswana government.{{cite web|title=Piepjong Antwerps bedrijf slijpt opnieuw megasteen voor Louis Vuitton
|url=https://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/retail/piepjong-antwerps-bedrijf-slijpt-opnieuw-megasteen-voor-louis-vuitton/10262780.html|date=November 5, 2020|website=DE TIJD}}
In 2020, HB Antwerp partnered with Lucara and Louis Vuitton to work on several large stones, including the "Sewelo" diamond,{{cite web|title=Unieke diamant zoekt doorwinterde koper|url=https://www.tijd.be/dossiers/wealth/unieke-diamant-zoekt-doorwinterde-koper/10269188.html|date= December 7, 2020|website=De Tijd}}{{cite news|title=The Second-Biggest Diamond in History Has a New Owner|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/style/sewelo-diamond.html|date=January 15, 2020|website=NY Times}} the "Sethunya", a 549-carat diamond,{{cite news|title=Antwerps bedrijf mag opnieuw uitzonderlijke diamant slijpen voor Louis Vuitton|url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/11/04/antwerpse-firma-mag-uitzonderlijke-diamant-slijpen-voor-louis-vu/|date=November 5, 2020|website=VRT}} and a 1,175-carat rough diamond, all discovered in the Karowe mine in Botswana.{{cite web|title=Massive uncut diamond unveiled in New York|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/massive-uncut-diamond-unveiled-new-york-2021-09-20/|date=September 21, 2021|website=Reuters}} In August 2020, they entered an agreement to purchase all of Lucara’s large stones (10.8 carats and up) and, in 2022, they signed a ten-year contract.{{cite web|title=Lucara's Q2 Sales Drop as It Holds onto Big Stones|url=https://www.nationaljeweler.com/articles/5684-lucara-s-q2-sales-drop-as-it-holds-onto-big-stones|date=August 11, 2020|website=National Jeweler}}{{cite web|title=Lucara announces a 10-year extension on the HB sales agreement|url=https://www.miningreview.com/diamonds-gemstones/lucara-announces-a-10-year-extension-on-the-hb-sales-agreement/|date=November 17, 2022|website=Mining Review|access-date=17 October 2023}} The contract was terminated in October 2023.{{cite news|title=Gem Trader HB Antwerp ends feud as Botswana weighs diamond sales deal|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/gem-trader-hb-antwerp-ends-feud-botswana-weighs-diamond-sales-deal-2023-10-03/|date=October 3, 2023|website=Reuters}}
In February 2024 a new 10-year diamond sales agreement was signed with Lucara.
In 2022, the company partnered with Microsoft to verify and track mined gems; all data about their trajectory is stored on a blockchain.{{cite news |date=January 22, 2023 |title=Would You Buy a Rough Diamond? |website=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/22/fashion/jewelry-diamonds-signum-antwerp-belgium.html}} Later that year it partnered with engineering company Comate to devise mini safes in which diamonds are stored and tracked.{{cite web |date=September 30, 2022 |title='Als diamantreuzen hun businessmodel niet aanpassen, zit hun tijd erop' |url=https://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/retail/als-diamantreuzen-hun-businessmodel-niet-aanpassen-zit-hun-tijd-erop/10417116.html |website=DE TIJD}}
In September 2022, during the United Nations General Assembly, Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi referred to the government's arrangement with the HB Antwerp as a model for other African countries. He also pointed to the agreement during his negotiations with diamond corporation De Beers,{{cite news |date=April 7, 2022 |title=Masisi Uses Lucara to Pressure De Beers for Better Revenue Sharing Deal |website=Africa Intelligence |url=https://www.africaintelligence.com/mining-sector_politics/2022/04/07/masisi-uses-lucara-to-pressure-de-beers-for-better-revenue-sharing-deal,109766266-art}}{{cite news|title=Quest for World's Biggest Diamonds Gives De Beers a Headache|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-28/quest-for-world-s-biggest-diamonds-gives-de-beers-a-headache?leadSource=uverify%20wall|date=February 28, 2023|website=Bloomberg News}} threatening to end the partnership if new terms weren't agreed upon.{{cite web|title=Botswana seeks better De Beers deal after taking Belgian diamond processor stake|url=https://www.ft.com/content/0aa2e311-b8d4-488a-9ee7-e8c9cdacaef9|date=April 12, 2023|website=Financial Times}} In March 2023, Masisi announced that Botswana would acquire a 24% stake in HB Antwerp.{{cite news|title=Botswana Tests De Beers Pact by Buying Stake in Gem Trader|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-27/botswana-to-take-stake-in-hb-challenging-de-beers-dominance#:~:text=Botswana%20will%20acquire%20a%2024,year%20partnership%20with%20De%20Beers.|date=March 27, 2023|website=Bloomberg News}}
The company established Signum, a rough diamond brand which sells directly to the public and sold 12 Non-fungible token diamonds in January 2022.
HB Antwerp opened HB Botswana, a new cutting and polishing facility in Gaborone, Botswana, in 2023.{{cite web|title=Botswana, Belgian Diamond Trader Strike Deal|first=Mqondisi|last=Dube|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/botswana-belgian-diamond-trader-strike-deal/7024905.html|date=March 28, 2023|website=VOA News|access-date=17 October 2023}}