Diamonds – is there anyone who doesn't love them?
Who can resist that sparkle? As beautiful as they are, the process of mining and selling can have ugly sides. Fortunately, there are established methods to prevent the trade of so-called “blood diamonds”. Learn more about the Kimberley Process and how we make sure our diamonds are mined and traded under fair conditions.
Definition Kimberley Certificate
The Kimberley Certificate is a document that confirms that mining and trading of the diamonds comply with the Kimberley Process (hereinafter referred to as KP). For each trade of rough diamonds, this document is required to stop and prevent the flow of so-called blood and conflict diamonds. Since the introduction of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS for short) in 2003, international trade in rough diamonds is only possible with a valid Kimberley certificate and with Kimberley certified partners. The trade in rough diamonds is limited to those countries participating in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Definition blood/ conflict diamonds
According to the definition of the KP, rough diamonds are called blood or conflict diamonds if they are traded by rebel groups with the goal to finance civil wars in Africa.
How did the Kimberley Process come about?
For decades, a multitude of civil wars in Africa were heavily financed by the trade with blood diamonds. The diamonds were mostly illegally mined and traded.
Around 2000 and onwards, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), companies in the diamond industry and representatives of states involved in the production of diamonds, met in the South African city of Kimberley to develop a strategy to stop the trade with blood diamonds.
This resulted in 2003 in the introduction of the Kimberley Certificate. Since the implementation of the Kimberley Process, diamonds can only be traded if official certificates of origin from the respective participating countries are available.
How the process works
The Kimberley Process Certification is a system to control the import and export of rough diamonds. The mining and transport of rough diamonds is controlled from the mine to the point of export. The rough diamonds are sealed in appropriate containers and a Kimberley certificate is issued for each shipment. Imports of rough diamonds without certification are prohibited. The shipment is performed by a member of the Kimberley Process or by a non-member.
Diamond Facts
Diamonds are of nature’s rarest and most valuable minerals. According to reports, the oldest diamond finds date back to the 4th millennium before Christ in India. For a very long time, diamonds were believed to have magical powers, which is why they were used as talismans.
In the 13th century it was discovered that the material could also be processed. However, this was rejected at the beginning because people believed the diamond would lose their magical power in consequence.
In the 18th century, a few diamonds were found in Indonesian mines. A Portuguese discovered the first diamond outside of Asia in Brazil whilst digging for gold. This first South African diamond was found in the town of Kimberley in 1869.
South Africa subsequently became the main supplier for diamonds.
- 1908 first finds in South West Africa
- 1955 first artificial man-made diamond
- 1961 first discovery of diamonds off the sea bed
Today Australia is the key supplier for diamonds (Argyle Mine).
How diamonds are used
- Industrial use for grinding and cutting instruments
- As gemstone in jewelry pieces
- As investment pieces
Diamond is the hardest known mineral with a Mohs hardness of 10.
This qualifies them particularly well for finger rings, as their robustness makes the jewelry piece very suitable for daily use. It also makes the perfect symbol to represent enduring and everlasting love.
The 5 C´s - Carat, Clarity, Colour, Cut and Confidence
Carat
Carat is the unit in which the weight of diamonds is indicated. The carat number indicates the weight of the diamond and says nothing about its size.
In order to determine the size of a diamond, two factors are considered:
- The measurements of the diamond in millimeters and the form and overall proportion.
Clarity
The fewer inclusions the diamond has, the more valuable it is. There are four main clarity grades:
flawless (FL)
The diamond is absolutely flawless and has no inclusions at all.
very very small inclusions (VVS)
Very very small inclusions are found.
small inclusions (SI)
The diamond has small inclusions.
These specifications are based on a 10x magnification.
You can find more information about the clarity here.
Colour
The colour specifies how colourless or how colored a diamond is. The whiter a white diamond appears, the higher is the quality of the diamond. There is a general colour scale for the classification of colours:
Cut
Cut means how perfectly the shape, proportions of the angles and the polishing have been executed. The brilliance and fire of a diamond are enhanced and emphasized through optimal angles and proportions. In a perfect cut, light is reflected from one facet to another in the whole body of the stone and shines back through the top of the diamond. There are also four grading standards:
- Excellent: The diamond has perfect proportion and symmetry. The light that enters the body of the diamond is completely reflected back through the top of the stone.
- Very good: The diamond has very good proportions and symmetry. The stone has a very good brilliance.
- Good: The proportions of the diamond show slight deviations. The symmetry and brilliance are good.
- Medium: Proportions and symmetry present larger deviations. The brilliance is mediocre, some light is lost.
Confidence
This fifth C is relatively new. Confidence is about a guaranteed, certified origin of the diamonds according to the guidelines of the Kimberley Process. Sometimes this fifth C also stands for "certificate" and means that the quality and the value, but also the conflict-free origin is proven with a certificate. Other interpretations of this new C stand for "conflict free, child labor free, corruption free". In any case, these aspects are becoming more and more important in the diamond trade.
Photo: Diamond | Product-No.: D60001 | 0.29 carat | 3.6x3.6 mm
Launch Diamonds by GEMHYPE.COM
Starting today, you can shop for diamonds online at GEMHYPE.COM! Starting 14.02.2021, you will find the diamonds in a new product category in our shop. We get the diamonds from a local partner selected according to our standards from the Idar-Oberstein region.
Of course, all of these diamonds have gone through the Kimberley Process and are conflict free.
There are still questions or do you have an individual request? We look forward to hearing from you. info@gemhype.com
Your GEMHYPE.COM Team
Source:
Generalzolldirektion DE
Europäische Kommission
KIMBERLEY PROCESS
Edelsteine und Schmucksteine - Walter Schumann
IMAGE SOURCE:
first picture - your younique diamond