Can I save money if I buy a "conflict" diamond?

[AN0NYM0US]

Ladies and gentlemen, if you can't say anything nice don't say anything please. Users wonder why new members don't want to post on this forum and many of the posts in this thread are the reason. You can express your concern for the type of question without attacking a new user.

Wow. This is not the response I expected. I didn't think Pricescope would advocate the sourcing of conflict diamonds.

OP if you truly want to give a stone with the blood of innocent people on it, I suggest you fly directly to Africa. There are still illegal mines to be found with slave workers and all. I'm not too sure how much money you'll save after travel costs, but you can at least meet your slave directly. It'll be a great story to tell at the wedding.

 

[babs23r]

What a remarkably stupid question.

hahaha

Agreed!!!!! I can't really comment also, because I don't have anything nice to say to the OP who asked such a vile question.

 

[VirginiaZee]

So the conflict free thing is a little different than organic or fair trade or any of the other dumb stamps the libs put on things. Ok, I though there was a premium being paid for conflict free but I guess it's more like buying ivory or some exotic wood. Thanks for the replies.

Yes buying an uncertified diamond you suspect to be a blood or conflict diamond, if you live in an Western country is a no-no & I am not sure why you would want one..... Post the stats of the size and your budget in another email and people will find you things. Then if you find other diamonds yourself you can compare apples to apples. Stay away from EGL International graded stones even though they are cheaper they are not graded to the same strict standards GIA diamonds are.

This. And all the other comments that say a blood diamond is a giant NO (ick, just writing "blood diamond" makes me queasy...)

Also, if you really want to save money you might want to shop for a pre-loved stone.

 

[Chas23]

If you're trying to save money, it's best just to buy a secondhand diamond. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be.

And if it came from a divorce, it's kind of a conflict diamond.

I wouldn't want to be a part of that conflict!!

 

[joelj]

This is all helpful. I didn't know if conflict free was some gimmick used by some dealers to jack up prices or the law of our country, which apparently it is.

When you think about it, it's really no different if my diamond purchase is financing a war in some african country I don't care about than the gas in my car is financing a centrifuge in Iran or the electricity for this computer made by a windmill that kills the bald eagles that fly through it. We only have so much control over what bad people choose to do to each other.

 

[Jim Summa]

Hi Joelj,
You state in your posts not to get political or anything and then head straight there?
Anyhow you may have a little more power than you think!

There is a great organization you may join for $250 a year. Its a cheap way to feel better about stuff. The link is below.

http://www.ddiglobal.org/

Maybe Pricescope folks could organize some kind of fund where for every stone sold a dollar would go to DDI. (Call it the Joe tax).

I saw my first eagle 25 years ago in northern Minnesota at a state campground (Crescent Lake). Never forget it.
Nowadays its not rare to see them were I live in Missouri....something must be working.

 

[VRBeauty]

If you're trying to save money, it's best just to buy a secondhand diamond. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be.

And if it came from a divorce, it's kind of a conflict diamond.

http://www.idonowidont.com/home

 

[arkieb1]

This is all helpful. I didn't know if conflict free was some gimmick used by some dealers to jack up prices or the law of our country, which apparently it is.

When you think about it, it's really no different if my diamond purchase is financing a war in some african country I don't care about than the gas in my car is financing a centrifuge in Iran or the electricity for this computer made by a windmill that kills the bald eagles that fly through it. We only have so much control over what bad people choose to do to each other.

My cousin is married to a native African girl. I have been told first hand about the horrific conditions that the miners work in, forget about the diamonds funding civil wars for a moment (which they also do), workers who are trying to feed their families get paid barely anything, many die in the worst possibly way attempting to get paid tiny sums to live or if they dare steal a tiny spec of rough, they can have their hands cut off or be shot, stabbed and so on, so that people like you can feel great blissfully wearing something sparkly and worth far far more than the workers will ever earn in an entire lifetime.

For the record most diamonds that get into countries like China (I have been to China a couple of times) are not the amazing bargains you seem to think that they might be, anything with a decent cut, colour and clarity is priced accordingly. If you are after a bargain then once again you will be far better served learning all you can about cut, colour and clarity and then going preloved like Ebay and other places to find something cheaper. There are other ways to obtain a bargain without condoning poverty, human suffering and illegal activities.

If we all stuck our heads in the sand or in your case your head up your backside, shrugged our shoulders and said that shooting endangered species is someone else's problem, that encouraging the violation of the most basic of human rights is someone else's problem and whole long list more that I won't name here then the world would be a very ugly place to live in. I have travelled to a number of countries where the value of human life is worthless, people will stab, shoot, murder and rape you for no reason other than you are there. You are fortunate to have been born into a society where you have free education, jobs that pay wages so you can live in a comfortable life and a life where you wake up every day and your beliefs mean you are free, you don't get shot or put in jail because you read something that you should not, because you have a different religion or a differing view to the people that govern you. It's a shame that your ancestors (irrespective of how you or they made it to a free country) are not given more credit for your obviously taken for granted liberties, because I am sure they would be ashamed of your attitude.

I am starting to agree with the others you must be a troll trying to make inflammatory statements trying to get a reaction, either that or you really do need to get on a plane to Africa and meet some of the people that deal in blood diamonds.

 

[Ferdi_the_yak]

There are so many things wrong with this OP's posts that I'm not even going to dignify them with a response.

I agree with the other posters who smell troll.

If he (?) is a real person, I'm with Wink.

 

[joelj]

Yes I'm real and yes I'm just looking for the best deal I can find. Like I've already stated, I didn't know if the conflict thing was just some gimmick to extract more money from the consumer.

I'm curious why a used, or "pre-loved", diamond would be any cheaper than a "new" diamond. I would think most diamonds being sold in stores have been around the block and probably on someone else's finger or setting at one time or another. Diamonds don't get tarnished or worn with time or use, correct? If I sold a diamond to a jeweler doesn't he just resell it in some other "new" setting?

 

[Niel]

Yes I'm real and yes I'm just looking for the best deal I can find. Like I've already stated, I didn't know if the conflict thing was just some gimmick to extract more money from the consumer.

I'm curious why a used, or "pre-loved", diamond would be any cheaper than a "new" diamond. I would think most diamonds being sold in stores have been around the block and probably on someone else's finger or setting at one time or another. Diamonds don't get tarnished or worn with time or use, correct? If I sold a diamond to a jeweler doesn't he just resell it in some other "new" setting?

yes.

But thats not what we are talking about.

If you go into a store and try and sell a diamond you have, they will offer you a fraction of what its worth, and a fraction of what they will turn around and sell it for.

So.. people who want to get rid of diamond they own, istead of selling it to a dealer for 60% of what its worth they will sell it themselves to a buyer and get 80%. Cut out the middle man

 

[VRBeauty]

I'm curious why a used, or "pre-loved", diamond would be any cheaper than a "new" diamond. I would think most diamonds being sold in stores have been around the block and probably on someone else's finger or setting at one time or another. Diamonds don't get tarnished or worn with time or use, correct? If I sold a diamond to a jeweler doesn't he just resell it in some other "new" setting?

Actually, diamonds can get damaged over time... chips around the girdle are pretty common and can be detected pretty easily, but surface scratches and are also possible and might be more difficult for the consumer to detect.

 

[AN0NYM0US]

This is all helpful. I didn't know if conflict free was some gimmick used by some dealers to jack up prices or the law of our country, which apparently it is.

You clearly don't understand the business. Most (all?) PS approved vendors advertise "conflict free" diamonds and they offer some of the best prices out there. Conflict free diamonds do not cost more at a consumer level. The term "conflict free" may be used as a selling "gimmick" as you put it, but that doesn't affect the price. Basically all diamonds sold are/should be conflict free. Some people advertise this, some don't.

What is your budget and specification preferences?