Conflict Diamonds and Blood Diamonds
Conflict or blood diamonds are the terms given to diamonds that were mined in war-torn African nations using inhumane mining practices and then sold into the market to acquire cash to finance civil war actions.
Increased Consumer Awareness of Conflict Diamonds
During these periods when certain nations were in conflict, diamonds were not supposed to be traded. However, as diamonds are untraceable to their original origin once removed from the earth these blood diamonds were smuggled over country borders and sold outside of the conflict zone. The awareness of conflict diamonds is now very prominent and with the measures put in place by the diamond authorities there is very little need to be concerned about a repeat of this practice.
The Kimberly Process
The events of conflict diamonds prompted the introduction of tracing and certification of rough diamonds from the mine to the manufacturer called the Kimberly process. To ensure rough diamonds that are being traded are conflict-free and accountable for sale, an accredited Kimberly certificate must be issued for each diamond. As the blood diamond problem only extends to the transportation and sale of rough diamonds the Kimberly certificates do not often extend beyond the cutting factory.
Responsibilities of Diamond-Cutting Manufacturers
Responsibility is laid on the diamond-cutting manufacturers who purchase the loose diamonds and almost every manufacturer of polished diamonds abides by the Kimberly process and is committed to selling only conflict-free diamonds. This process has been in place since the practice was identified and will remain in place with all abiding nations to ensure that this problem will never exist again.
Purchasing an Ethical Conflict-Free Diamond
To ensure retail diamond buyers their diamonds are conflict-free, all manufacturers and dealers selling through wholesale channels have agreed to abide by the Kimberly protocols to ensure that they only purchase certified ethically sourced diamonds.
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For Peace of Mind Request a Mine Origin Certificate When Purchasing Diamonds
The Kimberly system has proven to be very effective in eliminating these practices, along with careful monitoring of global political challenges. However, if you would like greater surety with your diamond there are a small number of mines and manufacturers who will provide a diamond mine origin certificate to accompany the sale of the stones. Mine-origin certified diamonds are in limited supply and are a little more expensive due to the extra effort but can be sourced.
Buy Canadian Mark and Australian Argyle-origin Diamonds
Both the Australian Argyle diamond mine and the BPH Canadian diamond mines produce a small number of diamonds that they keep to market as country-of-origin certified diamonds. Purchasing Canadian Mark and Australian Argyle-origin certified diamonds is how you can avoid buying a conflict diamond. These are the most common certificates that are very reliable and are available to purchase in selected qualities.
For those who still want a diamond but are still concerned that this still does not go far enough then synthetic or lab-created diamonds are another option.
How do I Tell if I have a Blood Diamond?
Blood diamonds are in existence and unfortunately, it is impossible to tell if a diamond was involved in this conflict. It will remain unknown how many diamonds were smuggled into the market before the problem was discovered as the origin of a diamond is lost once it has been placed into circulation. Fortunately, it will remain only a very minute percentage and with the systems in place, should never happen again. Blood diamonds are only a concern in developing countries where there is a civil conflict or employment conditions are not regulated by ruling governments.
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