Conflict-Free Diamonds
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WHAT IS A CONFLICT-FREE DIAMOND?
Diamonds are one of the most beautiful treasures of the world. They are the hardest known substance and their fire and scintillation are unparalleled. Unfortunately, however, diamonds are found most often in places riven by warfare and injustice. Mined primarily from uncommon sections of Earth called cratons, diamonds are not found everywhere, and this means that jewelers are often caught between the horns of a dilemma: Do they source their diamonds from unethical environments or go without the beloved gemstone in their designs?The solution comes in the form of ethical security policies designed in the 20th century to ensure that customers receive conflict-free diamonds. At Medawar Jewelers, we take pains to ensure that the diamond jewelry we offer comes from ethical sources.
HOW CONFLICT-FREE DIAMONDS ARE CERTIFIED
In the United States, there are two major methods of sourcing ethical diamonds. The first is through KPCS diamonds. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme was devised as a United Nation scheme to ensure that diamonds come from ethical sources. The process prevents trading diamonds with countries that do not opt into a system of reviews, oversight, and regulations on the mining of their regional diamonds. Major diamond-producing nations, such as Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Russia, and Australia, all opt into the KPCS, as do the major jewelry-producing countries. It is also important for individual designers to ensure that they uphold the KPCS, and our brands do!Alternatively, a designer can source their diamonds from a country with extreme transparency and solid systems of social and economic security. The aforementioned Australia and South Africa are two such countries, but for American designers, one of the best answers is right on their doorstep: Canada is another major diamond producer, and they have an internal system of government-regulated oversight in the form of the CanadaMark certification. No matter the choice, it is important to select diamonds that come from ethical sources that prevent conflict diamonds from entering the global supply.