Blood diamonds: would you wear them?
Filed under: Rings, Engagement
Modern brides are becoming more environmentally aware, and there's a growing trend to have a green wedding. I think that's admirable - certainly when I got married it wasn't an issue. Nowadays though, we have to try and do our bit for the planet.
Conflict diamonds, also known as blood diamonds, are diamonds which have been mined in rebel-held areas of Africa . They are usually smuggled out of the country, find their way into the retail trade and the profits from their sale are used to purchase arms that are used in overthrowing legitimate and internationally recognised governements. These rebels totally abuse human rights, often murdering the local population, or enslaving them to mine the diamonds.
So, my question is, would you still love your ring if you knew that someone had died because of it?
How could your diamond ring possibly have anything to do with that horror? Well, if it originated from a mine in a country in conflict, then it's quite possible and not at all far-fetched.
Unfortunately, once a diamond is polished and in the market, it's almost impossible to trace its origin.
However, the problem has global awareness and there is a campaign in place to halt these evil practices. There are 45 participants, including the European Community, that have signed up to the Kimberley Process, a voluntary scheme set up to stop the trade in conflict diamonds.It's difficult to be 100% certain of your diamond's origins, but you could, at least, do the following:
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Buy from a reputable dealer, ask him where their diamonds are imported from and ask for a written guarantee that the diamonds are conflict-free.
If you're in any doubt, buy your diamonds from another retailer.
Also, check out The Personal Gemologist for other diamond facts.
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