WHAT IS THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS AND DOES IT GUARANTEE THAT DIAMONDS ARE ETHICALLY SOURCED?

The Kimberley process is a certification scheme established in 2013 by a United Nations Resolution following a series of reports which first exposed the link between the diamond trade and the financing of conflict. Most Jewelry companies that claim to offer "conflict-free” diamonds confine themselves to the Kimberley Process's definition of “conflict-free” which has proved inefficient at weeding out unethically mined diamonds.

The process has two main flaws. Firstly, its narrow terms of certification focus solely on the mining and distribution of conflict diamonds, meaning that broader issues around worker exploitation - the health and safety of working conditions, the use of child labor and fair pay – are not addressed. It also fails to deal with entire populations being evicted from their ancestral homes to make way for mining.

Secondly, a Kimberley Process certificate does not apply to an individual stone but to a batch of rough diamonds, which are then cut and shipped around the world. Without a tracking system, this is where the trail ends. The Kimberley Process has failed on its own terms: corruption and smuggling are rife, and in the past few years, the system has begun to unravel further from the inside. The main reason it was destined to fail was because, in context to the blood diamond issue, there has not been significant or meaningful public accountability in the jewelry sector. The deaths of millions of Africans in the conflict diamond wars have become statistics and “a marketing problem”.

HOW DOES BASHFORD JEWELRY VERIFY THAT ITS DIAMONDS ARE ETHICALLY MINED?

We use Canadamark diamonds because it is fully traceable and responsibly mined in Canada’s Northwest Territories, with respect for the sustainability of the natural environment and northern people. Employees in the industry are paid fair wages. Canadian diamonds are the only diamonds in the world monitored from the mine throughout the manufacturing process with a unique diamond identification number (DIN). 

Every Canadamark Diamond comes with the assurance that it has been mined in a way that prioritizes workers’ health and safety, upholds labor laws, pays employees fairly and benefits local communities.

We start by cautiously selecting the countries and mines that will supply our diamonds. The diamonds we use are newly mined diamonds from Canada. They are all certified as conflict-free and must be mined, cut and polished responsibly. Newly-mined diamonds from the Canadian Arctic adhere to strict standards outlined by the Canadian Code of Conduct and other government authorities.

Unless you know where a diamond was mined and cut, you cannot be certain that it was ethically produced. Canada is currently the only country in the world to operate a system to monitor and track diamonds from the mine to retail.

DO CONFLICT FREE DIAMONDS COST MORE?

Conflict diamonds are able to keep their prices down because of slavery-type conditions, inhumane working conditions and use of child laborers. They also do not have to adhere to any standards or quality assurance practices.

Because our diamonds are responsibly and ethically sourced, they will be a bit more expensive than diamonds mired in blood. Our diamonds are mined in Canada where labor and environmental standards are rigorously enforced. Employees in the industry are paid fair wages, and efforts are made to reduce the negative environmental impact as much as possible. Canadian miners are also protected by strict health and safety regulations and Canadian employment laws preclude child labor and any form of “sweatshop” working conditions.

ARE YOUR DIAMONDS CERTIFIED?