Diamonds, since ancient times, have been used by people to adorn themselves. These are beautiful and shiny gemstones that are used to make jewelries. Many people like to express their love and appreciation for their loved ones by gifting them a diamond jewelry. That is not the only way diamonds can be used. Diamonds are expensive gemstones that can also be used as source of money based on how these diamonds are obtained and how the money from their sales are utilized.
Diamonds are classified into three categories:
- Blood diamonds
- Conflict-free diamonds
- Ethically sourced diamonds.
Blood diamonds
Blood in blood diamonds refer to the bloodshed during the process of mining or selling the diamonds. Some criminal organizations, rebel groups, etc., use and sell diamonds to fund and support their criminal or rebellious activities. These diamonds can also be used to fund war activities that pose great threat to human lives. Apart from that, diamonds obtained from unethical sources and means also refer to blood diamonds. These include diamonds obtained from artisanal mining, underpaying the workers, involving child labor, etc.
Conflict-free diamonds
Conflict-free diamonds are referred to diamonds that are not used to support any conflict. In simple words, the money obtained from selling these diamonds is not used to fund any rebellion, conflicts, or war activities. However, these diamonds do not ensure how these diamonds were obtained. When you are buying conflict free diamonds, you cannot be sure if healthy and standard mining practices were employed. If workers were paid properly for their hard work or child labor was not involved.
Ethically sourced diamonds
Ethically sourced diamonds fill all the loopholes associated with conflict-free diamonds. Ethically sourced diamonds ensure that the money from the transactions of these diamonds were not used to support any conflict or war. Moreover, it also ensures that standard mining practices were employed, workers were paid properly and child labor was not exploited during the mining process.
Why is it important to buy ethically sourced diamonds?
It is important to buy ethically sourced diamonds if you are conscious about how the diamonds you purchase were mined. Are you someone who does not like conflicts and wars, and destruction and causalities caused by them? Then you would not like the idea of buying diamonds that were used to fund such conflicts. Moreover, we need to promote sale and purchase of ethically sourced diamonds to ensure that blood diamonds do not enter diamond market.
If you are looking to find ethically sourced diamonds, you can shop at Rare carat. Rare carat commits to ensure transparency at every stage from mining to delivering their products to their customers. The company uses advanced algorithms to provide customers with recommendations according to their preferences. You can learn more about how Rare carat works to provide their customers with fine and high-quality diamonds.
Tips to buy ethically sourced diamonds
You can use these tips to know if a diamond is ethically sourced:
Ask the jeweler
If you intend to buy an ethically sourced diamond, then do not shy away from asking questions. You need to ask questions to the jeweler to ensure that the diamond you are buying is ethically sourced. The jewelers are supposed to answer customers’ questions regarding the ethicality of the diamond. If the jeweler is not willing to answer your questions, then you need to reconsider buying any diamond from them.
Ask for diamond certifications
There are many certifications to ensure that the diamonds are ethically sourced. One such certificate is Kimberley Process. Kimberley process aims to prevent getting blood diamonds entering the diamond market. Kimberley Process issues certificates for diamonds and allows the selling and purchasing of diamonds only among the members. That is to say, a member can only sell diamonds to other members only.
There are some other certificates as well such as GIA certificates and Canadamark. These certificates ensure the diamond you are purchasing is an ethically sourced diamond. You can ask the jeweler to provide these certificates to prove the ethicality of the diamond.
Inquire about the origin of the diamond
When purchasing a diamond, it is crucial to inquire about the origin of the diamond. The origin of diamonds provides you an insight about how the diamonds were mined.
Here is how you can find it:
- Get the origin of diamond from the jeweler and do your own research.
- Research about the mining practices used.
- Study about unethical practices to mark them in the process.
- Validate your sources during research and evaluation.
- Be the part of a community helping you in the process.
You can consider diamonds produced in Canada as these diamonds come with the Canadamark. Canada also employs strict laws to ensure that mining companies use ethical practices during mining of the diamonds. Other than Canada, diamonds produced in Namibia and Botswana are also considered ethically sourced diamonds. The government of these countries enforce strict laws to ensure the ethicality of their diamonds.
Purchase recycled diamonds
Another way to ensure the diamond you are purchasing is ethically sourced is by buying recycled diamonds.
- Recycled diamonds are old diamonds or antique diamonds.
- Jewelers transform these diamonds by cutting in modern styles.
- Recycling made them exempted from the condition of ethical sourcing.
However, these are not being used in any conflict anymore. Hence, these can be used as an alternative to ethically sourced diamonds.
Consider ethically sourced alternatives
Natural diamonds are mined from the earth crust and there can be some ambiguity about their origins. You can also opt to alternatives to ethically sourced diamonds such as lab grown diamonds.
- These diamonds are easy to track their origins.
- There are no doubts about unethical mining practices.
- These diamonds have same chemical composition and appearance as natural diamonds.
- These are a lot cheaper than the natural ones.
Conclusion
Ethically sourced diamonds are of great value as they ensure they have never been a part of any conflict. These also ensure healthy and ethical mining practices and revenue generated was used to develop the diamond industry and improve the lives of the workers. That is why it is important to buy diamonds only from well-reputed dealers such as Rare carat as they ensure the ethicality of their diamonds. You can watch this video to see how they produce finest quality products for their customers.