CONFLICT FREE DIAMONDS

What does it mean when a diamond is conflict free?

‘Blood Diamonds’, or alternatively “Conflict Diamonds”. These are specifically diamonds that are produced in areas controlled by rebel forces that are opposed to recognised governments. These rebel forces sell the diamonds in order to purchase arms or to fund their military operations. In 2002, a coalition of governments, non-governmental organizations, and the diamond industry established the Kimberley Process to control the export and import of rough diamonds to eliminate the trade in conflict diamonds. Today 99% of diamonds in the marketplace are conflict free.

Our Commitment to Conflict Free Diamonds

Sadly for many decades the mining of these precious stones has, in some countries, been at the expense of serious infringements of human rights, in detriment to social conditions and harmful to the environment.

From these atrocities within the diamond industry arose the phrase ‘Blood Diamonds’, or alternatively “Conflict Diamonds”. These are specifically diamonds that are produced in areas controlled by rebel forces that are opposed to recognised governments. These rebel forces sell the diamonds in order to purchase arms or to fund their military operations.

Extensive reports of potentially unsavoury practices in diamond mining have been widely featured in the world’s media. Perhaps the most infamous and shocking example of these being reports of repression in the diamond fields of Marange in Zimbabwe said to be the home of one of the world's richest diamond deposits.

Conflict Free Diamonds

In order to stamp out these atrocities within the global diamond industry official measures have been implemented such as The Kimberley Process which was launched in 2003 to track and certify diamonds. The aim of the scheme is to enable its members to certify shipments of diamonds as being ‘conflict-free' and therefore prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate jewellery trade.

This government-led scheme requires member states to meet minimum requirements and put in place strict legislation, import, export and internal control systems. The Kimberley Process also stipulates that member states must be open and transparent in their dealings with rough diamonds and provide for the exchange of statistical data.

Those participating in the scheme can only legally trade with other member states who also comply with the minimum requirements. Under The Kimberley Process all international shipments of rough diamonds will be certified by a Kimberley Process guaranteeing their authenticity as conflict free diamonds.

More than 75 of the world's diamond producing, trading and manufacturing countries now participate in the Kimberley Process scheme.

Rêve Diamonds & Fine Jewellery Commitment to Conflict Free Diamonds

Rêve Diamonds & Fine Jewellery recognises that the jewellery trade’s purchase and distribution of blood diamonds is funding a continuing cycle of horrific human rights violations and providing funds for illegal operations. Therefore Rêve Diamonds take a strong stance that they are totally opposed to ‘conflict diamonds’ and are wholly committed to sourcing diamonds that are conflict free.

They will only purchase the very finest quality diamonds from suppliers who adhere to the highest human rights, social and environmental standards.

As part of their ethical trading policy Rêve Diamonds are proud to be registered with StopBloodDiamonds.org and have shown their support for conflict free trading by signing the Stop Blood Diamonds campaign

When you make that all important decision to invest in a fine diamond from Rêve Diamonds & Fine Jewellery, you can be 100% confident that your diamond has been purchased from a verifiable legitimate source not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. In fact Rêve Diamonds & Fine Jewellery provide all their valued customers with a written declaration that guarantees that all their diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.

We also include the following declaration to all our invoices:

"The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations Resolutions. The undersigned hereby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free, based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds"