Conflict Free Diamonds
Conflict Free diamonds are diamonds that
have been mined and brought to the market in a controlled,
recorded process. All Novori Diamonds are conflict
free diamonds. Conflict diamonds, simply stated, are diamonds
that are illegally traded to raise funds to finance
wars particularly in Central and Western Africa where
the bulk of the world’s
diamonds are mined. In diamond trading markets, these
diamonds are often referred to as conflict diamonds,
blood diamonds, hot diamonds, or war diamonds.
Historically speaking, conflict diamonds
came to the notice of the world during the conflicts
in Sierra Leone during the late 1990s. At this time,
market reports suggested that conflict diamonds constituted
approximately 4 percent of the world's total diamond
production. Fortunately much has changed for the better
since then.
 It
is also a fact that illicit rough diamonds were used
by rebels to fund wars in Angola, Liberia, Ivory Coast,
the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of
Congo (also known as Congo Brazzaville). The redeeming
news is that the trade in conflict diamonds has drastically
come down to a meager 1 percent after the global diamond
industry announced in July 2000 its zero tolerance policy
towards conflict diamonds. The diamond industry today
is committed to offering only conflict free diamonds
to the market.
Strangely, the bulk of the conflict diamonds
used to fund wars and bloodshed emanate from countries
that are overall peaceful. The Kimberley Process Certification
System that was adopted during 2003 keeps vigil over
conflict diamonds intruding into the lawful diamond
supply chain and to record and control conflict free
diamonds as they moved to the markets of the world.
Today more than 75 governments the world
over have incorporated into their respective national
laws the Kimberley Process Certification System, and
you can be reasonably confident that almost all of the
diamonds now in the market are from conflict-free
diamonds.
The diamond industry coordinates with world governments,
NGOs and the United Nations to strengthen the Kimberley
Process and the System of Warranties. Novori Jewelry
only deals with conflict-free diamonds and takes steps
to ensure that all our suppliers do so.
Based on the universal respect for human
dignity, the world nations realized the barbaric use
the diamonds are put to and that led to an international
ban on trade in rough diamonds used to finance rebellion
and brutal bloodshed. But the fact remains that however
sincere and effective the ban may be, there still could
be some unscrupulous elements that may try to trade
in conflict diamonds.
The onus is also on the buying community
and every buyer of diamond should demand a certified
conflict-free diamond and if this happens, diamond merchants
will be forced to desist from trading in conflict diamonds.
This is important to Novori Jewelry and all the suppliers
we deal with.
 It
is therefore necessary that when you buy engagement
rings to solemnize weddings and wedding rings for your
partners as a symbol of eternal bonds of marital love
or diamond rings for any other auspicious occasion– you
should ensure that you are not deceived into buying
conflict diamonds.
While buying diamond rings, you should
insist on conflict-free diamonds duly certified and
guaranteed that they are not obtained through the use
of brutal violence, abuse of human rights, child labor,
or environmental degradation. Novori Jewelry only sells
conflict free diamonds.
Leading jewelers like Novori, who a reputation
to defend, are deeply committed not to trade in conflict
diamonds. Novori understands and fully appreciates that
people invest heavily when buying diamond rings and
they also buy engagement rings and wedding rings to
mark some landmark events in their personal lives and
therefore they ensure they trade only in untainted diamonds.
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