Are Your Diamonds Conflict Free?

When choosing diamonds, most buyers are concerned with the following: cut, color, clarity and carats. Now, a new issue is coming into to light and is being considered more commonly when purchasing diamonds:

Conflict. Some consumers are arguing that those who label diamonds as conflict-free are not being as stringent as they should be. Currently, for a diamond to be labeled as ‘conflict-free’, the diamonds must pass through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

The Kimberley Process, which launched in 2003, is a joint initiative of governments, non-governmental organizations and the diamond industry, which imposes certification requirements on its members aimed at ensuring that ‘conflict-diamonds’ (which are those used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict), do not enter the mainstream market.

Global Witness, a non-governmental organization, claims that most consumers still cannot be sure where their diamonds come from. Because of this, the recently appointed U.S. Chair of the Kimberley Process has endorsed the expansion of the organization’s definition of conflict diamonds to include those “used to finance, or otherwise directly related to armed conflict or other situations of violence.”

Will this slight change make a big difference? Only time will tell.

Ally | Elite.

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