To get a glimpse of the amount of diamonds (and gold) being traded, just wander along Pelikaanstraat, Vestingstraat or Hoveniersstraat at any time during the day (on Saturday many shops are closed for Sabbath, the Jewish holy day). These high-security streets are also home to important financing banks and the industry's governing body, the Hoge Raad voor Diamant.
Don't expect fanfare or glitz - most of the trade goes on behind discreet, even shabby, façades and in the four beurzen voor diamanthandel (diamond exchanges) dotted along two pedestrianised streets - Hoveniersstraat and Rijfstraat.
