Conflict Free Diamonds
The start of our discussions needs some geographic facts to be told. First of all, where are diamonds mined?
The biggest sources of diamonds are Russian deposits and Australian Argile deposit. Yet, a big number of gems of all features comes to us from African countries (Botswana, Angola, SAR). And these countries are involved in constant military conflict. That means gems that were mined in these deposits are sold to buy a weapon and continuing war processes.
On this basis, what is a conflict diamond. The answer is evident. That is gemstone mined and sold by countries, involved in military conflicts. This term today is similar to one more synonym – the blood diamond. The definition for this term is the same. You may say, diamonds had always been a reason for conflict. People killed for them, fought to get them, their mining was connected with slavery work that was hard to blood. Yet, the blood diamond meaning today unites all these factors.
What Are Conflict Free Diamonds?
Conflict diamonds are diamonds whose proceeds are used to finance terrorist and insurgent organisations. Such crimes are especially relevant in Central and West Africa, for example, Sierra Leone. The rebels use violence and inhuman mining methods in these regions, and every year thousands of people fall victim to the blood diamond gemstone industry. The fight against conflict diamonds is a priority for all participants in the civilised diamond market, as well as for the UN and non-governmental human rights organisations. Is blood diamond case a true problem? Yes, as it triggers the chain that leads to further humanised.
What to do in this case? The answer is quite clear. To stop that chain and to make the question 'what does blood diamond mean?' irrelevant, we just need to stop supporting that business. We mean buying only conflict-free gemstones. What are conflict-free diamonds
They are stones produced and purchased without involving in any conflict, you may say. In practice, a non-conflict diamond adheres to several features.
- It is a gemstone that was mined in countries that are not involved in the war or humanicide actions.
- It is a gem that was mined and crafted according to the world's labor protection requirements without the use of low-qualified manpower or the use of children labor.
- In perfect circumstances, it is a gem that is mined without any ecological harm. And it is also quite a relevant question that is often arisen by activists.
In brief, ethically sourced diamonds are gems with an impeccable reputation. Their life cycle can be easily tracked to get full info about who, when and how had mined it. And who gets profit from its purchase. How to get diamonds of that kind? Let's consider what is important to talk about when buying a gem or jewelry not to face with a blood diamond ring or necklace.
Why Do We Need to Speak About Conflict Free Diamonds?
Besides the common graduation of diamonds by 4Cs that are carat, color, cut and clarity as you know, it is also the 5th C you need to consider first of all. That C means Certification. As the diamonds of such territories not only contribute to war and violence. It is also repeatedly reported about the inhuman treatment of workers in the diamond industry, about the prevailing violence, disease, hunger. For these reasons, the trade in these diamonds is illegal. These are the reasons for obligatory certification to be provided and it is also the reason to speak about the necessity to prove that gems you get, present or wear are ethical diamonds, not bloody ones.
What is the Kimberley Process?
To help stop the trade in conflict diamonds, the World Diamond Council was established in 2000, which subsequently developed a package of measures, including the so-called Kimberley Process. The Kimberley Process, which came into force on January 1, 2003, is a certification system for every rough diamond supplied from conflict zones. A Kimberley Process Certificate has a serial number and other degrees of security to make it difficult to counterfeit. The Kimberley Process has helped to make 99% of the rough diamonds used in industry conflict-free. That is, in 99 cases of 100 you are buying conflict-free jewelry.
How Do You Avoid Buying Conflict Diamonds?
The first and the most effective way how to get diamonds that are surely conflict-free gemstones is to inspect their certificates beforehand. If for some reason you doubt the credibility of the company or the origin of the diamonds it sells, ask for a certificate of accreditation under the Kimberley Process. All law-abiding retailers will happily do this. If not, it is better to shop diamonds elsewhere.
One more hint you may use to get a conflict-free diamond is to buy its lab-grown analog. In that case, all ethical and political aspects are clear.
Are GIA-Certified Diamonds Conflict Free?
There is a collision concerning GIA, That association has an impeccable image yet, its rules require a preliminary Kimberley certificate only for rough diamonds or at least partial-rough ones. For cut gemstones, that obligatory rule doesn't work. So, GIA certified conflict-free diamonds do exist but there is a chance to get a bloody one among them if it comes to GIA already cut.
Are Aura Diamonds Diamonds Conflict Free?
In our company, we adhere to strict compliance with laws, both government and ethical. As we accurately investigate the life path of every gem that we use in our jewelry, we can claim that we use only responsibly sourced diamonds from sources we are sure, not involved in war conflicts.
Can Artificial Diamonds Solve Problem With Conflict Free Diamonds
Lab-grown gems gain popularity due to their similarity to natural diamonds at the sight. Yet, we cannot claim they can fully solve the problem. From one side, they are totally non-conflict diamonds. If you want them just to be a perfect decoration for your image, it is no problem. Then, buying a conflict-free diamond engagement ring with lab-grown gems is a solution.
Yet, if your intention is to invest money in diamonds, lab diamonds do not suit this idea as they are much cheaper than natural ones and they do not tend to cost more with time. In that case, buying only natural diamonds is a solution. Of course, if you are not afraid of getting in touch with a retailer offering conflict diamonds for sale.
Only a careful choice of a seller and availability of Kimberley certificates along with GIA certification is the right way on how to get conflict free diamonds that will be beautiful and valuable at once.
