Understanding Conflict Free Diamonds

Buying "conflict free diamonds" is the ethical way to purchase diamonds from around the world.

Avoid Blood Diamonds

Some diamonds can be mined in countries that experience war, violence, human rights violations, child labor or environmental destruction. The diamonds mined in these conditions are called blood diamonds because they are often used to pay for a war or the diamonds are mined by people in distress.

Diamonds that are mined in an environmentally sound manner while using global labor and fair wage laws are labeled as conflict free.

Identifying the Source of Diamonds

The diamond trade has struggled with identifying properly mined diamonds from diamonds that do not meet the United Nations definition of conflict free.

Most countries export their rough diamonds around the world to a select few diamond processing and polishing centers. The process of shipping across international borders can obscure the origins of diamonds and make it difficult to determine if they were produced under humane and environmentally sound conditions.

Laser Etching for Tracking Diamonds

Companies can use a laser to etch tracking numbers onto diamonds at their originating mine. The number etched on a diamond can be entered into a database and used to identify the diamond even after it has been transported, cut or polished.

All diamonds labeled as conflict free must be tracked through every step of the process and verified through an independent audit.

Conflict-free Certification

There are several stages involved in tracking diamonds that are conflict-free. All of the facilities that handle a particular diamond must be certified as environmentally and humanely responsible for a diamond to be free of conflict.

Some certifying agencies suggest that as much of the labor should be from local craftsman as possible. Local employment means that some of the money from diamond production will stay in the community that created it.

Alternatives

There are alternatives to traditional diamonds if you are concerned about their origins. If you want to be sure that you are purchasing diamonds that are conflict free, consider investing in laboratory or artificial diamonds. These diamonds are created under laboratory conditions and they can be guaranteed.

Diamonds that are conflict-free would always come with a certificate verifying their origins.

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