What Are Ethically Sourced Diamonds? Here’s What You Need To Know

Diamonds are popular because they symbolize memories and promises, yet many were mined in hazardous or war-torn regions.

It might be tough to guarantee that your diamond is both ethical and conflict-free. Here's a guide to purchasing ethically sourced diamonds so you can buy with a clear conscience, just like a highly polished stone.

Everything You Need To Know About Ethically Sourced Diamonds

When it comes to purchasing high-end jewelry, it is a highly personal process most of the time. It has such a strong connection with our private life, memories, and loved ones that we are naturally more careful when purchasing a diamond.

If you're buying diamonds or other precious jewelry, it's vital to understand what precisely a blood diamond is. Here are some things to think about:

Where Diamonds Come From

First and foremost, it is critical to comprehend where diamonds originate and how they are created. Diamonds are created deep below the Earth's surface, where they are compressed into crystals over millions of years. Then they come from mines deep underground, forming mined deposits today. They are mined using open-pit, underground, or alluvial mining.

Large mining companies with cutting-edge equipment generally carry out open-pit and underground mining, but alluvial mining may be unlicensed and is done by hand. In addition, it entails hard physical work that the wrong people can mishandle.

Blood Diamonds

The diamond business in many African countries has been used to finance civil conflicts and corrupt governments, making it even more dangerous. As a result, the United Nations branded these diamonds "blood diamonds" in the early 1990s, popularized them, and brought them to public attention in "Blood Diamond," the 2006 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The term "blood diamond" refers to diamonds that have been mined in a war zone, usually by underpaid or enslaved workers, and are sold to fund rebel militias and various warlords. The money is used to finance weapons and infrastructure, then utilized to commit horrible crimes against innocent people in their nations.

Diamond mines are also a source of conflict among rebel groups, contributing to even more bloodshed. Because of this violence and savagery, these blood diamonds have come to be known as "conflict diamonds," and diamonds obtained lawfully by businesses are referred to as "conflict free."

The Kimberley Process

In light of these occurrences, many nations in the UN joined to create the Kimberley Process to regulate artisanal diamond trading. This procedure requires that member countries certify their diamonds as conflict-free and verify each stage of the supply chain.

A diamond must be continuously certified after it is mined, polished, cut, and sold to qualify as a precious stone. Only countries that are members of the Kimberly Process can trade with one another.

The Kimberley Process has significantly improved accountability and transparency in the diamond industry since it was implemented. Because of the Kimberley Process, 99.8 percent of diamonds are now conflict-free, a significant improvement over previous decades when less than 0.1% of diamonds were certified conflict-free.

Unfortunately, even if the Kimberly Process has evaluated a diamond, it does not guarantee that it is ethical or free of conflict. There are numerous flaws in the system and far too many diamonds that fund violence end up in the glittering glass cases of jewelry stores.

However, there are several things you can do to ensure you’re buying ethically sourced diamonds.

Do Your Research

The first step in determining the origin of a diamond is to learn about the region from which it came. Consider diamonds mined in Angola, Zimbabwe, or The Democratic Republic of Congo, where severe labor and human-rights abuses have been documented. Namibia and Botswana are the most significant countries to surface diamonds from Africa since they have strong labor rules and environmental requirements. If you buy from the appropriate locations, the diamond sector may be utilized to finance economic growth and assist small artisanal miners.

It's critical to speak with your jeweler about the origin of your diamond and ask questions to ensure that your diamond is acquired ethically.

You should employ a jeweler that can tell you exactly where your diamond originated and is aware of any disputes in the country of origin. They should also be able to provide appropriate certifications and records to support their assertions.

Recycled and Antique Diamonds

Another alternative to getting an ethical diamond is to go with a recycled diamond. These can be found at antique shops and various online retailers, and they may still have the same brilliant sparkle and clarity as a freshly cut diamond.

Though the history of used diamonds is considerably less evident and well-documented than that of new diamonds, your purchase would not add to the demand for diamonds. Instead, it would re-purpose something that was previously manufactured. If you want to obtain a naturally grown but ethically sourced diamond, a used or recycled stone is a considerably less expensive alternative than a Canadian diamond.

Lab-Grown Diamonds

One of the most secure ways to ensure that your diamond is free of all flaws is to buy a lab-grown diamond. Above Ground diamonds are identical in chemical and visual appearance to natural diamonds, but they are manufactured rather than extracted from natural resources.

This technique eliminates all of the problems that come with diamond mining throughout the world and any questionable transactions that might lead to a blood diamond being sold at a jeweler.

Synthetic diamonds are also more environmentally friendly since they prevent the ecosystem from being damaged by mining and drilling for diamonds below the Earth's surface. There will be no doubt about its origin if you know your diamond is lab-produced, which may provide you with complete confidence.

Lab-grown diamonds are far less expensive than their naturally grown counterparts, so that you can get a bigger diamond for the same price. In addition, you may purchase lab-made diamonds from various internet merchants where you may personalize the perfect ethically manufactured custom jewelry item.

Conclusion

Only Above Ground diamonds are used in ModSet Jewelry's designs. They're responsible and conflict-free, as the stones are created using environmentally responsible methods. Visit their website to learn more about their impressive collections of handcrafted jewelry.