Rough diamonds are mined on four continents and sorted in London into more than 5,000 categories. The rough diamonds are then sent to diamond cutting centers around the world and to dealers in Antwerp, Belgium, where approximately 85% of the rough diamond trade takes place.

The major diamond cutting centers include Israel, Belgium, India, New York, South Africa, Botswana, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Mauritius.