Diamond origins

[EnalyRemem]

I want to be wary of conflict diamonds during my search. My understanding is that the KPCS was a very good step but has had some shortcomings: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2029482,00.html

How concerned should I be about this?

How do I make sure that a diamond was obtained through peaceful means? Can I ask a vendor about its country/area of origin?

 

[kenny]

You can ask your vendor about origin but I sense you are not likely to get an answer.
People who sell diamonds don't seem to want to talk much about the companies they get them from.
I'd guess this is more likely to be appropriate concern for their proprietary business relationships than a need to cover up anything unethical.

Canada has made it part of their brand to tout Canadian origin - but if you are cynical you can also wonder about someone between the mine and the showroom being paid to swap/launder diamonds from elsewhere for some bribe money.
I mean if you are going to doubt the Kimberly Process because of unethical people, why not doubt Canadian diamonds too.
Surely unethical people can be found in every country; we don't want to discriminate.

IMHO, the only way to be absolutely 100% certain of a diamond's origin is to get some sunscreen and travel to that park in Arkansas and find your own diamond in the ground.

http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/

Then again, somone may have dropped a few blood diamonds there too, just for fun.

If getting a sore back and sunburn doesn't appeal to you then you have to trust someone.

 

[EnalyRemem]

Ha ha, love the suggestion

I agree that there will likely be ethics issues in this or any industry. What I'm predominantly concerned about, though, is people dying in relationship to the mining. After all, there's ethics... and then there's murder. Right?

(Note: I really don't intend for my posts to be incendiary. Just want to have some honest thoughts and conversation.)

 

[kenny]

Sure, no problem.
This subject has been discussed to death (pardon the pun) if you'd like to have a go with PS's search function.

People die in coal mines but that does not stop everyone from using energy.

Are you equally concerned with deaths or human rights abuses related to providing you with 87.124% of the other products currently in your home?

How bout oil wars?
How many humans have died so I can drive an SUV with no passengers, as fast as possible?
Do you drive any car?
Does it get really good mileage?
Do you accelerate gently and avoid braking at the last minute to save gas . . . that is price very low because the US goes to war over oil, which results in lots of deaths, likely way more than blood diamonds even?
Do you combine trips or make your kids WALK to school?
Do you walk to the store when you can?
Do you carpool?
Did you move to an overpriced crappy neighborhood with bad schools near work to save lives lost to oil wars?
Did you select a career that does not require jet travel?

Oh, and do you wear tennis shoes, or shop at Walmart?
Look into what happens at those factories.
The list goes on and on.

I'm not saying being bad is okay.
Everyone should be good.
It's just that people love to pick on diamonds as if it is the only product that may be associated with yuky-poo stuff.
I've yet to hear about the Kimberly process for tennis shoes or oil.

 

[denverappraiser]

'Conflict diamond' is a bit hard to define but the Kimberley folks have taken a stab at it and it has to do with certifying diamonds produced in a way that is reasonably tracable by the authorities of the producer countries and that come from countries tha have agreed to not use them as funding for war. That's not exactly what you've desecribed as what you are trying to avoid but it's a place to start. As Kenny points out above, the Canadians have made an effort to promote themselves as a good place to get diamonds and that they are responsible folks (there are some indiginous people who take exception to this but their concerns aren't part of the whole 'conflict diamond' issue). There are responsible miners in countries ranging from Botswana to Australia but none seem to have latched onto this issue with the same enthusiasm as the Canadians. You can also avoid the whole thing by buying a stone with paper documenting that it was mined prior to 2001. There were bad guys before 2001, of course, but they also are outside the scope of what is classically called a 'conflict diamond'.

 

[yssie]

I believe Crafted by Infinity traces the rough? I have seen pics of the rough beside the finished stone on their website.

 

[EnalyRemem]

Hey everyone, thank you for the thoughts and suggestions!

I do realize that this has probably been discussed in great detail. Thanks for your patience.

I'll check out those sites, and I've heard from a good buddy who purchased two years ago about Canadian diamonds, as well.