Quezi

Diamonds (Photo by swamibu - CC-BY)

What story could a sparkling diamond tell about its journey from mine to engagement ring? More and more people want jewellery with no hint of the storyline in Blood Diamond where Leonardo DiCaprio plays a mercenary smuggling diamonds against a background of civil war in Sierra Leone. The film reflects the way diamonds mined in Africa have too often been traded to raise funds for armed conflicts.

Over the last few years there have been efforts to guarantee some diamonds as conflict-free, conflict-neutral, or ethical. The World Diamond Council has tried to help by introducing Kimberley Process certification with tamper-proof containers for rough diamonds crossing international borders. The idea is that if you can trace a stone every step of the way it can’t pass through bloody hands on the way to the jeweller. Critics, like Global Witness, say this scheme hasn’t been effective enough.

Ideally, buying an African gem would help channel money from wealthy countries to poor ones. That’s why some people trying to be ethical consumers don’t wish to avoid diamonds from that continent – which, by the way, produces well over half the world’s supply.

So what options are there for someone wanting to buy an engagement ring or other diamond jewellery that has definitely not helped fund killing in turbulent parts of the world? Many people accept that the Kimberley Process has really improved things, even though certain countries are still not meeting those standards. There are alternatives to diamonds from turbulent areas, but they’re not necessarily perfect solutions. For example…

• Canadian diamonds? Communities in the mining areas feel both the ecosystem and their traditional way of life are threatened by open pit mines.
• Buy from a fairly stable country like Botswana? Profits are not reaching the poorest people according to the BBC and others.
• Laboratory-synthesised diamonds? The best ones will not save you much money. The others aren’t “real” enough to please everybody.
• An antique or vintage ring? A very green way of recycling with no effect on the environment, but your money doesn’t go to the third world – and you may prefer newer designs.

You needn’t be discouraged from buying a diamond ring. Think about which ethical issues matter most to you. If you want to avoid financing violent conflicts, let your jeweller know you care about the route the stones take from mine to store. Find out if they have any written information or policies to show you. Ask questions.

You’ll be in stylish company. Celebrities who seek out conflict-free diamonds include Jane Fonda, Gwyneth Paltrow, Minnie Driver, Angelina Jolie, and Jamie Foxx, according to news reports.