As you shop for diamonds, you’ve likely seen the terms conflict-free diamonds or ethical diamonds. Here, I’m going to answer a few of the most common questions about conflict-free engagement rings and diamond jewelry:

– What does “conflict-free” or “ethical” mean when referring to diamonds?

Conflict-free diamonds are diamonds that have been mined.
– Why is buying a conflict-free diamond important? Brought to market without benefiting any terrorist groups or violently-oppressive government groups.

What are conflict-free diamonds?
– Where can you buy conflict-free engagement rings and diamonds?

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More specifically, conflict-free or ethical diamonds have been mined and sold in compliance with an international trade agreement known as the Kimberley Process. (More on that below.)

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Conflict-free diamonds are the opposite of so-called “blood diamonds”.

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The ‘blood diamond’ problem

Although some industrial diamond mines are owned by regulated international companies, many mines are smaller-scale operations. I’ll call that small-scale mining here. Imagine gashes in the ground. A few men digging in the mud for pennies per hour.

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In the past (and with more difficulty, even now) these militias or terror groups could control small-scale diamond mines. In addition, some groups would torture and kill the laborers mining the diamonds for suspected theft – or even for not working fast enough. They would sell diamonds to unscrupulous traders who could find ways of getting these diamonds into the global supply chain. The diamonds would be cut, sold again, and finally sold to a consumer, who would have had no idea the diamond’s profits went into the pockets of terriorists. These groups would use profits to buy arms. Finance terror campaigns that lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

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The attempted solution: The Kimberly Process

Consumer outrage over blood diamonds eventually grew loud enough to force governments and the diamond industry to take action.

It’s a first step toward combatting the trade of blood diamonds. It aims to freeze any illicit diamonds out of legitimate trade. (The statement assumes 100% success among all participants. That’s a reasonable claim, but it may be slightly optimistic.8% of diamond produced. It’s just not as common as before. It’s designed to make sure that diamonds are mined and shipped without connection to militias, terror groups, or criminal activity. But it’s complicated. Not entirely effective.8% of trade in conflict diamonds worldwide.

Notably, it doesn’t attempt to regulate the ethical treatment of workers, indigenous groups, or residents in or near diamond minds.

How does it work? And at every “stop” along the way to market, this certification is viewed, recorded, and passed along. They have to be transparent with records and statistical data. They must implement export controls, import controls, and internal controls.

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Participants can only trade with other participants who also meet the requirements.

This reduces the ability of rebel groups, militia groups, and terror groups to use diamond mining as a direct source of revenue. And that’s obviously a huge step forward.

Why the Kimberley Process isn’t perfect

The weaknesses of the Kimberley Process include:

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– It’s voluntary

– It’s self-policing, not overseen by a central regulating entity

– It’s subject only to peer review, not to enforcement from a central entity

– It doesn’t attempt to document or discourage unethical behavior other than illicit violence

Why is it important to buy a conflict-free diamond?

Unfortunately, money is an extremely powerful motivation, especially for desperate individuals and groups. It’s also lifeblood to any terror group or militia group.

If a terrorist group has less money, they can buy fewer weapons and pay fewer members. (Many members of militia groups aren’t wild-eyed true believers in the cause, necessarily. Many are simply taking a job. And even if they are true believers, they still need money to buy food for themselves and their families.)

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Even militias who compel members to serve as slave soldiers (as for example, child soldiers) still must pay money to obtain weaponry.

The ability for any violent group to inflict harm or hold power comes down to money. If you can take that money away, you can eliminate their power and capability to murder.

As important as preventing terribly bad actors from profiting off of diamonds, conflict-free diamonds are important in another way: they support the good actors. They support (ideally) employers. Laborers in legitimate mining companies.

That said, it is important to emphasize that conflict-free diamonds are not the same thing as ethical diamonds. It does not ensure, for example, that the laborers who mined the diamond were treated well and paid a fair wage. Or that the mining company was taking steps to minimize its environmental impact.

A true “ethical” diamond is a step above a conflict-free diamond. Ethical diamonds, like fair-trade coffee, are products that come from companies who meet some minimum requirements for fair labor practices and environmental damage amelioration.

How to avoid buying a blood diamond

To avoid buying a blood diamond, the first step is to read the conflict-free diamond policy of any retailer you’re shopping.

Virtually all reputable retailers have such a policy. But it’s worth checking specifically.

While we can’t know for 100% sure that no blood diamonds slip into the mix. It happens. You can at least know that you’re doing what you can.

If you really want to be a stickler, you can ask the dealer what mine or country the diamond you are considering came from.

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If you want to be 100% sure you’re buying a conflict-free diamond, consider a lab-created diamond.

Lab-created or “synthetic” diamonds are real diamonds that are grown in a laboratory rather than mined from the earth.

A lab-grown diamond is not a fake diamond. Lab-created diamonds are physically identical to “natural” earth-mined diamonds! It’s 100% a diamond, just like an earth-created diamond. It’s not a simulated diamond.

Since diamond labs are located in first-world countries, you can feel more sure that the workers are treated fairly, since regulations, laws, and workers’ choices make that much more likely. On the other hand, when you buy lab-created diamonds, you’re also preventing your money from supporting anyone in a third-world country. But if they’re earning a fair wage for their country, your purchase arguably helps them more than you help the first-world employee.

Where to buy conflict-free engagement rings and diamonds

The world’s largest online jewelers all sell conflict-free engagement rings and diamond jewelry. They select only diamonds they have carefully selected for their ethical and environmentally-responsible origins.

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Where not to buy diamonds

We shouldn’t expect that illicit diamonds are any exception.

Conclusion

Now that you know what conflict-free diamonds are, and why it matters, you also know what to do. And, with the protocols in place, it’s fairly easy.

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Buy only from highly reputable retailers with explicit policies in place. To be 100% sure, buy a lab-created diamond.

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