Conflict-Free Diamonds Don't Exist. Learn The Truth Now
Our View On The Social And Environmental Cost Of Diamonds
The concept of a conflict free diamond put forth by jewelers is an attempt to put a positive spin on onerous diamond issues. We use the term only for search engine ranking. Since all diamonds, like other natural resources, have social and environmental costs, the critical issue for those who are interested in ethical sourcing is, how can I purchase a diamond to create a better world?
| (Every diamond has a social and environmental cost) |
No one in the diamond sector has ever been held accountable for hiring the paramilitary groups, which resulted in the deaths of approximately four million Africans during the blood diamond funded wars. Some of the same people who are responsible, directly or indirectly, for the blood diamond tragedy, also had a strong voice in framing the Kimberley Process.
We knew that KPC, as a treaty, was ineffective. Recently, many of our conclusions were confirmed when one of the most well respected figures on international diamond and human rights issues, publicly discredited Kimberley.
If you want an ethical diamond, the critical issue is mine to market transparency, which allows you to know who benefits, besides your retailer, from the purchase of your diamond.
If you would like to understand more about conflict free diamond issues, read our fairjewelry.org article on the Kimberley Certification Process, which borrows its title from the classic Leonard Cohen song, "Everybody Knows The Deal Is Rotten".
At Artisan Wedding Rings, we have selected the best possible options for those who want ethical diamonds. Our diamonds are not only transparently sourced from mine to market, they are also competitively priced.
Diamond from Canada
Canada's four large diamond mines are among the most regulated in the world and there is generally little difference between them. They are often the source of choice for those who want transparent, ethically mined gems. What most companies who push Canadian diamonds do not discuss is the impact of mining in the Northwest Territories. Read more...
Diamonds from Namibia
Namibian diamonds are an excellent choice for those who want to support economic development in an African country. These diamonds are not only mined in Namibia, they are polished and cut in Namibia as well. Read more...
Created Diamonds,
If you feel that the talismanic quality of converting coal to diamond under the earth is not important, consider industrially grown diamonds, marketed as "created diamonds". Read More...
Our Recommendation
Diamonds are a commodity. At Artisan Wedding Rings, we want to find ways of helping our customers use their purchasing power to benefit producer communities while minimizing environmental impact. In the quest for an ethical diamond, perfection should not be the enemy of the good.
We recommend Namibian diamonds as the most ethical option available. The careful mining practices and the efforts in Namibia, represent some of the best of what the diamond sector has to offer. However, Canadian diamonds, with strong mine to market custody, also represent a great choice.
Consider buying a diamond with the acknowledgement that everything in life has a cost. If you believe that our very living means we incur a debt to existence, perhaps what the diamond represents is a dedication to giving something back — a strong courageous love to our marriage that blossoms outward, giving strength to be in service to the great mystery that connects us all. But if diamonds are not your preference, we also offer a wide variety of other ethically sourced gemstone options, including sapphires, aquamarines, emeralds and rubies that we can trace from mine to cutting factory to market.
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