The Truth About "Blood Diamonds"

“Blood diamonds,” or “war diamonds,” refer to diamonds that are mined in a war zone and sold to fund violent insurgent activities. 

The awareness of “blood diamonds” sky-rocketed after the 2006 release of the movie “Blood Diamond” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. This movie focused on “blood diamonds” being mined and sold during the civil war of Siearra Leone in the 1990’s.

This film showed the horrors of this war in graphic detail. Entire villages being destroyed in an afternoon. Soldiers cutting off hands, mutilating women, and “recruiting” child soldiers into their ranks. This was a terrible conflict, and conflicts like them continue in Africa to this day.

BUT...

What most people don’t realize is that when this movie was released in 2006, the Kimberley Process had already been in place since the year 2002. 

And what The Kimberley Process does is... It requires its members to certify that the trade of rough diamonds are not used to finance armed conflicts.... And the Kimberley process has been a success. 99% of the world’s diamond supply now comes from conflict free sources.

And, because the United States is the largest consumer of diamonds, it has also been enacting legislation that bans the importing of diamonds from suspicious sources since 2001*. This has made the Kimberley Process even more effective in the U.S.... Virtually eliminating the mainstream trade of conflict diamonds.*

*executive order 13194 under President Bill Clinton in 2001, executive order 13213 under George W. Bush in 2001, and the “Clean Diamond Trade Act” implemented in 2003 underexecutive order 13312.

Here at Garcia & Co. Jewelers, we have taken this even further in delivering Responsible diamonds to our customers... Our diamonds are sourced through conflict-free sources, mined through state-of-the-art “low impact” environmentally friendly methods, and we offer a variety of diamond alternatives (including man-made diamonds).

We go the extra mile to give you total peace of mind:

From Mine to Mounting

This is one of the reasons why working with a trained, certified, professional jeweler is so important. Part of what separates a professional jeweler from a person who just sells jewelry is knowing the inner workings of a very complex international industry...

Not just knowing the quality of what something is, but being able to verify the integrity of where it came from.

Now, when it comes to diamonds, here’s the bottom-line reality: With the Kimberley Process in place...

...AND the federal legislation guarding what comes into our country...

...AND the efforts of agencies like the American Gem Society protecting consumers...

...AND with the active efforts of responsible suppliers and independent jewelers...

Diamonds are the most “humanitarian” and most tightly regulated, precious gem stone available in the U.S. today.

So... Mind at ease.

If this is something you’re concerned about when it comes to buying a diamond, don’t be afraid to stop by and ask questions.

Also, visit diamondfacts.org for more information.