Origin - Why It Matters
Diamonds are mined in all types of regions - from the icy Canadian Tundra, to the desert beaches of Namibia, and even to the thick jungles of Borneo. Knowing the origin of a diamond can add to its prestige and value (such as Rio Tinto's famous Argyle Pink diamonds), or can sometimes be an indicator of quality to the connaisseur (such as the historical Golconda diamonds of India). In our opinion these are not necessarily the right reasons to care about a diamond's origin. We care because of ethics, transparency, socio-economic and environmental impact.
Most of us have seen how devastating the economic power of diamonds can be when supply falls in the wrong hands. In Sierra Leone during the 1990s warring rebel factions took control of the diamond mining areas and exchanged these precious stones with unscrupulous dealers to fund weapon purchases leading to many horrors being committed. Nowadays diamonds from Sierra Leone are doing good for their communities, it's important to remember that any major resource such as oil and gas can be misused to fund violence or can be used for positive socio-economic developments. More recently in the Central African Republic and Russia diamond sales are used to fund local and international armed conflict. Due to the attention to these problems, people often forget how much positive impact diamonds create worldwide. In most cases, diamond purchases fund the building of critical infrastructure such as roads, schools, and hospitals. This ensures even more economic, health, and social prosperity for the mining regions. Richdiam has always been and always will be committed to only sourcing stones from locations where there is a demonstrable positive impact.
Recently the Gemological Institute of America has introduced its Diamond Origin Program and we are committed to submitting every rough diamond we purchase for rough analysis before cutting and polishing. By having origin verified and certified for each new stone we produce, our customers can be guaranteed that their purchase has helped improve the lives of many people and has been unearthed in the most ethical and environmentally friendly way. You can even know which specific region exactly you are economically supporting with your purchase. The infographic below explains how exactly the GIA verifies and certifies each stone that goes through this program.
If you have any questions surrounding diamond origin, we invite you to schedule a commitment free 30 minute consultation with one of our team members.
