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INTERVIEW WITH THE FOUNDER OF BASHFORD JEWELLERY
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You CAN Buy Diamonds and Be Eco-Friendly – But Make Sure They’re The Right Ones!
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Meet Mildred Stephens, A third-generation jeweler, Mildred was born
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and raised in the Philippines. Her parents immigrated to the United States
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This is a Guest Post From Bashford Jewelry
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in search of greater opportunity, leaving Mildred and her brother behind
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with a grandparent. When everything was in order she came to America,
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lood Diamonds. Who hasn’t heard the phrase or mention of the atrocities inflicted because of the troubling nature of this industry? Knowing this, it is easy to dismiss outright the use of diamonds in your jewelry. But, did you know that there are legitimate conflict-free diamonds available?
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her parents strong work ethic in hand determined to take full advantage
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of the opportunities, to live the American dream.  
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Let’s look at what conflict-free diamonds really are – and how you as a consumer can identify them.
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Mildred’s experiences left her focused on family, community,
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What are Conflict Diamonds?
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environment and opportunity -- values that underpinned the founding of
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To understand what conflict-free diamonds are and how to identify them, you first must understand the idea behind conflict-diamonds. According to the Kimberley Process “conflict diamonds, also known as ‘blood’ diamonds, are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments”.
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Bashford Jewelry in 2013. Today, Mildred oversees operations at
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For many years, blood diamonds have been a staple of the diamond industry. Conflict mines are managed by rebel groups or corrupt governments, and under their reign, millions of innocent citizens have lost their lives – either in the mining of diamonds or due to the conflict that the industry caused.
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Bashford from her base in Seattle. She picks her craftsmen as carefully as
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she does her gemstones. She recognizes that the path to a growing
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Blood diamonds – image via Getty Images
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business is paved with sustainability, quality components, equal parts
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But, unfortunately, the Kimberley Process is also very limiting in what it may allow. It doesn’t account for human rights abuses and ecological damage from the mining of diamonds. And that’s a problem.
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craftsmanship and artistry, and unsurpassed service from first click to
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delivery.
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The Ecological and Human Damage of Improper Diamond Mining
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Diamond mining can be extremely destructive and disruptive to the environment. Not to mention the harsh conditions under which some miners have to work to extract these precious stones.
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How retailers and consumers evaluate different ethical products
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I believe that our ethics come from the influences that shaped us in our
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Photo via Amnesty International
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lives. I grew up in a household for which the jewelry industry was always
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So, when ethical brands want to source their diamonds, they look not just at what the Kimberley Process says, but also:
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a part of our lives. So, I have always heard the stories about blood
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* The Human Impact. Millions of people have lost their lives to the pursuit of diamonds. Whether because of the mining practices or conflict, the atrocities meted out in unregulated industries is concerning, in addition to child labor and low wages.
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diamonds as well as the issues faced with child labor, poorly paid workers
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* Ecological Damage. Improper extraction can lead to destruction or degradation of the environment. Sometimes the impact of diamond mining is so grave that when the mines are closed, the land has to be abandoned. The land cannot be reclaimed for any activity, and this is a serious threat to the ecological system.
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and horrible working conditions.
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As I got into the industry myself, I also started to focus on ethically
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This used to be pristine rainforest. Photo via Time Magazine
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conscious supplies for my jewelry. I couldn’t reconcile the Kimberly
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Why Conflict-Free Diamonds are so Important
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Process because it only focused on whether the sale of diamonds was
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Even today you can find conflict diamonds in the market, either freshly mined or being circulated from previous use. Because of this, it is important that you can identify conflict-free and ethically sourced diamond jewelry.
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fueling wars. We focus on more than what is considered conflict
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Conflict-free diamonds are significant because it means that people aren’t being exploited or killed for them.
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diamonds by the Kimberly Process. We are concerned about the human
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Conflict-free diamonds therefore, are essential for your peace of mind. You can enjoy your diamonds knowing that they did not cost someone their lives or irreparable damage the environment for you to wear.  Plus, knowing how to recognize these diamonds show that you are ethically conscious about your environment and fellow man.
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rights abuses and environmental degradation. And this is in part due to
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How To Identify Conflict-Free Diamonds
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my upbringing but also because of who I am as a person today and the
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legacy I want to leave behind.
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Conflict-free diamonds adhere to certain traits. One of them is traceability – they can be traced from source to a retailer. This means that your jeweler should be able to prove where your diamonds originated, and the process that was followed to get to you.
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This is important because conflict diamonds can be slipped into the production cycle, especially where the items are cut and polished for use.
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Some retailers will focus on ethically made vs ethically sourced because
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At Bashford Jewelry, we (like other ethical brands in the industry) have also expanded our concept of conflict-free to include environmentally-friendly. For us, this means a limited impact on the environment.
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this allows for greater flexibility in where diamonds come from.
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Mining for diamonds is naturally disruptive to the environment. But, this does not mean that it has to be destructive. And for this very fact, that’s why most conflict-free conscious diamond users work with diamonds out of Canada.
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In my estimation, for some consumers, ‘ethical jewelry’ is trendy and
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social media and marketing has made this so. So, even if they are not
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Example of a CanadaMark inscription on a diamond
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actually interested in ethical gems and precious stones, to be able to say
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And that leads us to one of the easier ways to distinguish a conflict-free diamond from the rest – looking for the CanadaMark™ symbol.
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that their jewelry was ethically-sourced is a talking point.
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CanadaMark™ diamonds are mined under highly regulated conditions, including environmental requirements. [https://bashfordjewelry.com Conflict Free Diamonds]  Mining takes places in a way that the land can be recovered and used for other purposes after the mines are closed.
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On the other hand, there are people who are genuinely interested in
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ForYou CAN Buy Diamonds and Be Eco-Friendly – But Make Sure They’re The Right Ones!
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where their diamonds come from and the process by which they were
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mined. We want to appeal to both those demographic and educate those
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who are not aware of the issues in the industry.
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This is a Guest Post From Bashford Jewelry
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“Ethical havens” – productions sites favored for their ethical credentials
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lood Diamonds. Who hasn’t heard the phrase or mention of the atrocities inflicted because of the troubling nature of this industry? Knowing this, it is easy to dismiss outright the use of diamonds in your jewelry. But, did you know that there are legitimate conflict-free diamonds available?
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– are formed and challenged over time
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I think ethical havens sprang up because of the limitations of the Kimberly
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Let’s look at what conflict-free diamonds really are – and how you as a consumer can identify them.
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Process. There were reports of conflict diamonds making their way into
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What are Conflict Diamonds?
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the general market and so companies saw a way to make their brand
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To understand what conflict-free diamonds are and how to identify them, you first must understand the idea behind conflict-diamonds. According to the Kimberley Process “conflict diamonds, also known as ‘blood’ diamonds, are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments”.
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stand out from the rest.
+
For many years, blood diamonds have been a staple of the diamond industry. Conflict mines are managed by rebel groups or corrupt governments, and under their reign, millions of innocent citizens have lost their lives – either in the mining of diamonds or due to the conflict that the industry caused.
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Marketing of Canada as the ‘ethical haven’ for sourcing diamonds did play
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a role in our decision to take our diamonds only from Canada at this time.
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Blood diamonds – image via Getty Images
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We were worried about the reported conflicts between local Canadian
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But, unfortunately, the Kimberley Process is also very limiting in what it may allow. It doesn’t account for human rights abuses and ecological damage from the mining of diamonds. And that’s a problem.
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indigenous groups and the diamond companies. But, we liked the fact
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that the oversight and regulatory bodies are independent, and that the
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The Ecological and Human Damage of Improper Diamond Mining
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companies are required to restore the environment when a mine is
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Diamond mining can be extremely destructive and disruptive to the environment. Not to mention the harsh conditions under which some miners have to work to extract these precious stones.
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closed. And that there are processes in place to track and trace a
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diamond from mine to retail.
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Photo via Amnesty International
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I think this in part allows ethical havens to continue because they have
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So, when ethical brands want to source their diamonds, they look not just at what the Kimberley Process says, but also:
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set up the necessary structures to give people what they want – peace of
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* The Human Impact. Millions of people have lost their lives to the pursuit of diamonds. Whether because of the mining practices or conflict, the atrocities meted out in unregulated industries is concerning, in addition to child labor and low wages.
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mind that they can trace the origins of their diamonds. This is something
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* Ecological Damage. Improper extraction can lead to destruction or degradation of the environment. Sometimes the impact of diamond mining is so grave that when the mines are closed, the land has to be abandoned. The land cannot be reclaimed for any activity, and this is a serious threat to the ecological system.
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the Kimberly Process has seriously fallen short of over the years and
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which has led to the negative stigma with African based diamonds.
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This used to be pristine rainforest. Photo via Time Magazine
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I also understand why such havens are being challenged because they
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Why Conflict-Free Diamonds are so Important
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seem to exclude other markets, especially those that have suffered with
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Even today you can find conflict diamonds in the market, either freshly mined or being circulated from previous use. Because of this, it is important that you can identify conflict-free and ethically sourced diamond jewelry.
−
 
+
Conflict-free diamonds are significant because it means that people aren’t being exploited or killed for them.
−
conflicts diamonds. This is also part of the reason to support genuine
+
Conflict-free diamonds therefore, are essential for your peace of mind. You can enjoy your diamonds knowing that they did not cost someone their lives or irreparable damage the environment for you to wear.  Plus, knowing how to recognize these diamonds show that you are ethically conscious about your environment and fellow man.
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initiatives aimed at restoring credibility to the markets and developing
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How To Identify Conflict-Free Diamonds
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sustainable production.
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Types of ethical considerations that go in retailers and consumers’
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Conflict-free diamonds adhere to certain traits. One of them is traceability – they can be traced from source to a retailer. This means that your jeweler should be able to prove where your diamonds originated, and the process that was followed to get to you.
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evaluations
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This is important because conflict diamonds can be slipped into the production cycle, especially where the items are cut and polished for use.
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Not all consumers are interested in the nitty gritty of ethical
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At Bashford Jewelry, we (like other ethical brands in the industry) have also expanded our concept of conflict-free to include environmentally-friendly. For us, this means a limited impact on the environment.
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consumerism. They are ok with hearing that a company is keeping them
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Mining for diamonds is naturally disruptive to the environment. But, this does not mean that it has to be destructive. And for this very fact, that’s why most conflict-free conscious diamond users work with diamonds out of Canada.
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safe from tarnishing their product. So, we take the responsibility seriously
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to allow them that peace of mind.
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Example of a CanadaMark inscription on a diamond
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I believe that the feeling of wanting to do no harm also influences
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And that leads us to one of the easier ways to distinguish a conflict-free diamond from the rest – looking for the CanadaMark™ symbol.
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consumers’ choices. And they make these decisions based on the
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CanadaMark™ diamonds are mined under highly regulated conditions, including environmental requirements. Mining takes places in a way that the land can be recovered and used for other purposes after the mines are closed.
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knowledge available to them. They may want to voluntarily participate in
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For us, this is important because as an ethically conscious brand, we could not sit by and use diamonds from a process that abuses human rights and damages the environment.
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making what they consider the right choice and doing something good in
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Conclusion
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the world, even if it is simply knowing that part of a sale goes towards
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So, not all diamonds are conflict diamonds. But, not all diamonds labeled conflict-free are actually so. Make sure you or your jeweler can trace your diamond’s origin. Plus, ensure that your jeweler sources from conflict-free ethical sources before you buy.You CAN Buy Diamonds and Be Eco-Friendly – But Make Sure They’re The Right Ones!
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benefiting a worthy cause. This is something that a lot of corporations
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have embraced. Consumers may not voluntarily give but they will readily
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support a company that does.
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This is a Guest Post From Bashford Jewelry
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For retailers, it can be a little different. Profit, unfortunately, plays a part
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in some of those brands that market themselves as ethical. For others,
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lood Diamonds. Who hasn’t heard the phrase or mention of the atrocities inflicted because of the troubling nature of this industry? Knowing this, it is easy to dismiss outright the use of diamonds in your jewelry. But, did you know that there are legitimate conflict-free diamonds available?
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especially those that are not part of large chains, it is based on the
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owners’ personal ethical standards. And these are the companies that
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Let’s look at what conflict-free diamonds really are – and how you as a consumer can identify them.
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pay more attention to the ethical sourcing and processing of diamonds.
+
What are Conflict Diamonds?
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Part of the reason for choosing Canadian diamonds is that ethically
+
To understand what conflict-free diamonds are and how to identify them, you first must understand the idea behind conflict-diamonds. According to the Kimberley Process “conflict diamonds, also known as ‘blood’ diamonds, are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments”.
−
conscious consumers already know about them and are predisposed to
+
For many years, blood diamonds have been a staple of the diamond industry. Conflict mines are managed by rebel groups or corrupt governments, and under their reign, millions of innocent citizens have lost their lives – either in the mining of diamonds or due to the conflict that the industry caused.
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them already. And most of all we are satisfied with their local processes.
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Blood diamonds – image via Getty Images
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The organizations and sources of information that are influential
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But, unfortunately, the Kimberley Process is also very limiting in what it may allow. It doesn’t account for human rights abuses and ecological damage from the mining of diamonds. And that’s a problem.
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The companies themselves in the industry are quite influential. They are
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providing the information about what is happening to consumers and can
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The Ecological and Human Damage of Improper Diamond Mining
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influence the most. Organizations that are working to make a difference
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Diamond mining can be extremely destructive and disruptive to the environment. Not to mention the harsh conditions under which some miners have to work to extract these precious stones.
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are often limited in scope and budget. And because most are non-profit,
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Photo via Amnesty International
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it becomes difficult for them to show the world what they are doing and
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So, when ethical brands want to source their diamonds, they look not just at what the Kimberley Process says, but also:
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to influence change on a macro level.
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* The Human Impact. Millions of people have lost their lives to the pursuit of diamonds. Whether because of the mining practices or conflict, the atrocities meted out in unregulated industries is concerning, in addition to child labor and low wages.
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Therefore, it is left to the retailers to market the industry and influence
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* Ecological Damage. Improper extraction can lead to destruction or degradation of the environment. Sometimes the impact of diamond mining is so grave that when the mines are closed, the land has to be abandoned. The land cannot be reclaimed for any activity, and this is a serious threat to the ecological system.
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people’s perception over time.
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How ethical orientations may be influenced and change over time
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This used to be pristine rainforest. Photo via Time Magazine
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Look at the current situation with Leonardo DiCaprio and his ethically lab
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Why Conflict-Free Diamonds are so Important
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created diamonds. As an influential actor promoting this type of diamond
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Even today you can find conflict diamonds in the market, either freshly mined or being circulated from previous use. Because of this, it is important that you can identify conflict-free and ethically sourced diamond jewelry.
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business, he is in a position to influence the ethical orientations of this
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Conflict-free diamonds are significant because it means that people aren’t being exploited or killed for them.
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generation, same as he did in his movie on blood diamonds.
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Conflict-free diamonds therefore, are essential for your peace of mind. You can enjoy your diamonds knowing that they did not cost someone their lives or irreparable damage the environment for you to wear.  Plus, knowing how to recognize these diamonds show that you are ethically conscious about your environment and fellow man.
−
So, the types of persons leading or who are at the forefront of shifts
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How To Identify Conflict-Free Diamonds
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greatly influence the process.
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A large influencer would be needed to help transform the perception of
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Conflict-free diamonds adhere to certain traits. One of them is traceability – they can be traced from source to a retailer. This means that your jeweler should be able to prove where your diamonds originated, and the process that was followed to get to you.
−
the situation in for example Africa where the Diamond Development
+
This is important because conflict diamonds can be slipped into the production cycle, especially where the items are cut and polished for use.
−
Imitative is working towards building sustainable and ethical diamond
+
At Bashford Jewelry, we (like other ethical brands in the industry) have also expanded our concept of conflict-free to include environmentally-friendly. For us, this means a limited impact on the environment.
−
practices. With their work, eventually it will be easier to shift the negative
+
Mining for diamonds is naturally disruptive to the environment. But, this does not mean that it has to be destructive. And for this very fact, that’s why most conflict-free conscious diamond users work with diamonds out of Canada.
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stigma of all African diamonds as unethically produced but it will take
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time to make an impact.
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Example of a CanadaMark inscription on a diamond
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Public policy debates on ethical market access and outcomes for
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And that leads us to one of the easier ways to distinguish a conflict-free diamond from the rest – looking for the CanadaMark™ symbol.
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countries and firms alike
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CanadaMark™ diamonds are mined under highly regulated conditions, including environmental requirements. Mining takes places in a way that the land can be recovered and used for other purposes after the mines are closed.
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Canada is a prime example of public policy debate affecting ethical
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For us, this is important because as an ethically conscious brand, we could not sit by and use diamonds from a process that abuses human rights and damages the environment.
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market access and making a positive contribution to the industry. With
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Conclusion
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independent oversight, governance issues can be addressed to develop
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So, not all diamonds are conflict diamonds. But, not all diamonds labeled conflict-free are actually so. Make sure you or your jeweler can trace your diamond’s origin. Plus, ensure that your jeweler sources from conflict-free ethical sources before you buy. us, this is important because as an ethically conscious brand, we could not sit by and use diamonds from a process that abuses human rights and damages the environment.
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and maintain relevant standards in an industry. It may not be supported
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Conclusion
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by all, but the human rights and environmental issues are being
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So, not all diamonds are conflict diamonds. But, not all diamonds labeled conflict-free are actually so. Make sure you or your jeweler can trace your diamond’s origin. Plus, ensure that your jeweler sources from conflict-free ethical sources before you buy.
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addressed.
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Within the African region, the Kimberley Process is working to build those
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countries that have been negatively affected with conflict diamonds. But
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governance still poses a challenge as well as enforcement and
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transparent processes. Public policy debates can highlight the issues and
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provide ideas to help. [https://bashfordjewelry.com Conflict Free Diamonds]  But without the resources and the people
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dedicated to carrying out the changes, we will always have new ideas for
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ethical diamonds and sources of ethical diamonds to contemplate with
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while the rest of the industry continues to suffer through the atrocities.
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How do countries/individuals gain ethical consumer’s and retailers’
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trust and allegiance
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Marketing plays an important role in first bringing the consumer/retailer
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in the know and then working to gain trust. It is about letting the
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consumer/retailer know what is happening and what changes have been
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made and processes put in place to ensure that their standards are
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maintained or improved.
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Canada came into the picture as an ‘ethical source’ because of the
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international outrage over blood diamonds in developing countries. And
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they’ve managed to maintain their hold not only because of their
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marketing and continued oversight of their processes, but because of the
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continued issues in the rest of the world. The problems with the Kimberly
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Process are much publicized and so cannot positively influence
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consumers on the benefits of taking diamonds from the African
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continent. It is as if the KP is its own worst enemy.
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As a diamond retailer, we work to gain the trust and loyalty of our
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consumers by providing quality products and being socially responsible.
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Because our brand is built on being a responsible company, we have to
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work hard to show that we are taking steps to contribute to the industry
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and trying to make a difference. Our buyers respond to this and so it
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becomes an ongoing effort to keep improving our contributions to the
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industry and maintaining ethical practices ourselves.
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Why Bashford was founded on ethical sourcing and philanthropy
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When we were looking at ways to become a socially responsible
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company, we thought about allowing consumers to choose the area that
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they would prefer to donate to, and it would range from a variety of
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topics and industries from clean water, to replacing forests. But we
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market as an ethical based company in a conflict-ridden industry and
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realized that would not help to make a difference in the industry. Instead,
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we chose to support the Diamond Development Initiative.
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It is our hope that over time, with true support and proper regulatory
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practices, the taint of blood diamonds will be removed from developing
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countries and they are able to supply diamonds that do not fuel conflicts,
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and are sourced in a way that benefits the people who mine these gems
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and the environment.
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The movie Blood Diamond, while bringing attention to the issues, have
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also caused a negative connotation to be assigned to diamonds
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originating from Africa. We hope that with the DDI, things will change
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eventually and there are more options for consumers to identify with
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‘ethical’ diamonds.
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Your perspective on the ethical diamond market
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The concept of what constitutes an ethical diamond market has been
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evolving. Consumers are bombarded with a good deal of different
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information and each idea of ‘ethical’ is being marketed as being better
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than the other.
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Synthetic and lab grown diamond engagement rings want to prove that
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they are the most ethical diamond sources and are trying to influence
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thought away from natural diamonds. This gives no thought to the
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millions who can potentially lose their livelihood. We are also moving
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away from only focusing on war-fueled diamonds as the conflict regions
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are reduced to the things that I consider to also matter more – human
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rights abuses and environmental issues. It’s not perfect, but if each does
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what she or he can do to make a difference then we can at least make it
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better for those who suffer the most in this industry.
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It is a competitive industry with large producers pitted against small
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artisanal miners. And the winners will be those that can influence and
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appeal to consumers’ ideas of what is their ethical considerations.
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Ours are based on our past, family history and what I’ve seen and
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researched over the years. And that is what continues to guide our
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operations.
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Текущая версия на 15:47, 17 мая 2019

You CAN Buy Diamonds and Be Eco-Friendly – But Make Sure They’re The Right Ones!     This is a Guest Post From Bashford Jewelry B lood Diamonds. Who hasn’t heard the phrase or mention of the atrocities inflicted because of the troubling nature of this industry? Knowing this, it is easy to dismiss outright the use of diamonds in your jewelry. But, did you know that there are legitimate conflict-free diamonds available?  Let’s look at what conflict-free diamonds really are – and how you as a consumer can identify them. What are Conflict Diamonds? To understand what conflict-free diamonds are and how to identify them, you first must understand the idea behind conflict-diamonds. According to the Kimberley Process “conflict diamonds, also known as ‘blood’ diamonds, are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments”. For many years, blood diamonds have been a staple of the diamond industry. Conflict mines are managed by rebel groups or corrupt governments, and under their reign, millions of innocent citizens have lost their lives – either in the mining of diamonds or due to the conflict that the industry caused.  Blood diamonds – image via Getty Images But, unfortunately, the Kimberley Process is also very limiting in what it may allow. It doesn’t account for human rights abuses and ecological damage from the mining of diamonds. And that’s a problem.  The Ecological and Human Damage of Improper Diamond Mining Diamond mining can be extremely destructive and disruptive to the environment. Not to mention the harsh conditions under which some miners have to work to extract these precious stones.  Photo via Amnesty International So, when ethical brands want to source their diamonds, they look not just at what the Kimberley Process says, but also:

  • The Human Impact. Millions of people have lost their lives to the pursuit of diamonds. Whether because of the mining practices or conflict, the atrocities meted out in unregulated industries is concerning, in addition to child labor and low wages.
  • Ecological Damage. Improper extraction can lead to destruction or degradation of the environment. Sometimes the impact of diamond mining is so grave that when the mines are closed, the land has to be abandoned. The land cannot be reclaimed for any activity, and this is a serious threat to the ecological system.

 This used to be pristine rainforest. Photo via Time Magazine Why Conflict-Free Diamonds are so Important Even today you can find conflict diamonds in the market, either freshly mined or being circulated from previous use. Because of this, it is important that you can identify conflict-free and ethically sourced diamond jewelry. Conflict-free diamonds are significant because it means that people aren’t being exploited or killed for them. Conflict-free diamonds therefore, are essential for your peace of mind. You can enjoy your diamonds knowing that they did not cost someone their lives or irreparable damage the environment for you to wear.  Plus, knowing how to recognize these diamonds show that you are ethically conscious about your environment and fellow man. How To Identify Conflict-Free Diamonds  Conflict-free diamonds adhere to certain traits. One of them is traceability – they can be traced from source to a retailer. This means that your jeweler should be able to prove where your diamonds originated, and the process that was followed to get to you. This is important because conflict diamonds can be slipped into the production cycle, especially where the items are cut and polished for use. At Bashford Jewelry, we (like other ethical brands in the industry) have also expanded our concept of conflict-free to include environmentally-friendly. For us, this means a limited impact on the environment. Mining for diamonds is naturally disruptive to the environment. But, this does not mean that it has to be destructive. And for this very fact, that’s why most conflict-free conscious diamond users work with diamonds out of Canada.  Example of a CanadaMark inscription on a diamond And that leads us to one of the easier ways to distinguish a conflict-free diamond from the rest – looking for the CanadaMark™ symbol. CanadaMark™ diamonds are mined under highly regulated conditions, including environmental requirements. Conflict Free Diamonds Mining takes places in a way that the land can be recovered and used for other purposes after the mines are closed. ForYou CAN Buy Diamonds and Be Eco-Friendly – But Make Sure They’re The Right Ones!     This is a Guest Post From Bashford Jewelry B lood Diamonds. Who hasn’t heard the phrase or mention of the atrocities inflicted because of the troubling nature of this industry? Knowing this, it is easy to dismiss outright the use of diamonds in your jewelry. But, did you know that there are legitimate conflict-free diamonds available?  Let’s look at what conflict-free diamonds really are – and how you as a consumer can identify them. What are Conflict Diamonds? To understand what conflict-free diamonds are and how to identify them, you first must understand the idea behind conflict-diamonds. According to the Kimberley Process “conflict diamonds, also known as ‘blood’ diamonds, are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments”. For many years, blood diamonds have been a staple of the diamond industry. Conflict mines are managed by rebel groups or corrupt governments, and under their reign, millions of innocent citizens have lost their lives – either in the mining of diamonds or due to the conflict that the industry caused.  Blood diamonds – image via Getty Images But, unfortunately, the Kimberley Process is also very limiting in what it may allow. It doesn’t account for human rights abuses and ecological damage from the mining of diamonds. And that’s a problem.  The Ecological and Human Damage of Improper Diamond Mining Diamond mining can be extremely destructive and disruptive to the environment. Not to mention the harsh conditions under which some miners have to work to extract these precious stones.  Photo via Amnesty International So, when ethical brands want to source their diamonds, they look not just at what the Kimberley Process says, but also:

  • The Human Impact. Millions of people have lost their lives to the pursuit of diamonds. Whether because of the mining practices or conflict, the atrocities meted out in unregulated industries is concerning, in addition to child labor and low wages.
  • Ecological Damage. Improper extraction can lead to destruction or degradation of the environment. Sometimes the impact of diamond mining is so grave that when the mines are closed, the land has to be abandoned. The land cannot be reclaimed for any activity, and this is a serious threat to the ecological system.

 This used to be pristine rainforest. Photo via Time Magazine Why Conflict-Free Diamonds are so Important Even today you can find conflict diamonds in the market, either freshly mined or being circulated from previous use. Because of this, it is important that you can identify conflict-free and ethically sourced diamond jewelry. Conflict-free diamonds are significant because it means that people aren’t being exploited or killed for them. Conflict-free diamonds therefore, are essential for your peace of mind. You can enjoy your diamonds knowing that they did not cost someone their lives or irreparable damage the environment for you to wear.  Plus, knowing how to recognize these diamonds show that you are ethically conscious about your environment and fellow man. How To Identify Conflict-Free Diamonds  Conflict-free diamonds adhere to certain traits. One of them is traceability – they can be traced from source to a retailer. This means that your jeweler should be able to prove where your diamonds originated, and the process that was followed to get to you. This is important because conflict diamonds can be slipped into the production cycle, especially where the items are cut and polished for use. At Bashford Jewelry, we (like other ethical brands in the industry) have also expanded our concept of conflict-free to include environmentally-friendly. For us, this means a limited impact on the environment. Mining for diamonds is naturally disruptive to the environment. But, this does not mean that it has to be destructive. And for this very fact, that’s why most conflict-free conscious diamond users work with diamonds out of Canada.  Example of a CanadaMark inscription on a diamond And that leads us to one of the easier ways to distinguish a conflict-free diamond from the rest – looking for the CanadaMark™ symbol. CanadaMark™ diamonds are mined under highly regulated conditions, including environmental requirements. Mining takes places in a way that the land can be recovered and used for other purposes after the mines are closed. For us, this is important because as an ethically conscious brand, we could not sit by and use diamonds from a process that abuses human rights and damages the environment. Conclusion So, not all diamonds are conflict diamonds. But, not all diamonds labeled conflict-free are actually so. Make sure you or your jeweler can trace your diamond’s origin. Plus, ensure that your jeweler sources from conflict-free ethical sources before you buy.You CAN Buy Diamonds and Be Eco-Friendly – But Make Sure They’re The Right Ones!     This is a Guest Post From Bashford Jewelry B lood Diamonds. Who hasn’t heard the phrase or mention of the atrocities inflicted because of the troubling nature of this industry? Knowing this, it is easy to dismiss outright the use of diamonds in your jewelry. But, did you know that there are legitimate conflict-free diamonds available?  Let’s look at what conflict-free diamonds really are – and how you as a consumer can identify them. What are Conflict Diamonds? To understand what conflict-free diamonds are and how to identify them, you first must understand the idea behind conflict-diamonds. According to the Kimberley Process “conflict diamonds, also known as ‘blood’ diamonds, are rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance armed conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments”. For many years, blood diamonds have been a staple of the diamond industry. Conflict mines are managed by rebel groups or corrupt governments, and under their reign, millions of innocent citizens have lost their lives – either in the mining of diamonds or due to the conflict that the industry caused.  Blood diamonds – image via Getty Images But, unfortunately, the Kimberley Process is also very limiting in what it may allow. It doesn’t account for human rights abuses and ecological damage from the mining of diamonds. And that’s a problem.  The Ecological and Human Damage of Improper Diamond Mining Diamond mining can be extremely destructive and disruptive to the environment. Not to mention the harsh conditions under which some miners have to work to extract these precious stones.  Photo via Amnesty International So, when ethical brands want to source their diamonds, they look not just at what the Kimberley Process says, but also:

  • The Human Impact. Millions of people have lost their lives to the pursuit of diamonds. Whether because of the mining practices or conflict, the atrocities meted out in unregulated industries is concerning, in addition to child labor and low wages.
  • Ecological Damage. Improper extraction can lead to destruction or degradation of the environment. Sometimes the impact of diamond mining is so grave that when the mines are closed, the land has to be abandoned. The land cannot be reclaimed for any activity, and this is a serious threat to the ecological system.

 This used to be pristine rainforest. Photo via Time Magazine Why Conflict-Free Diamonds are so Important Even today you can find conflict diamonds in the market, either freshly mined or being circulated from previous use. Because of this, it is important that you can identify conflict-free and ethically sourced diamond jewelry. Conflict-free diamonds are significant because it means that people aren’t being exploited or killed for them. Conflict-free diamonds therefore, are essential for your peace of mind. You can enjoy your diamonds knowing that they did not cost someone their lives or irreparable damage the environment for you to wear.  Plus, knowing how to recognize these diamonds show that you are ethically conscious about your environment and fellow man. How To Identify Conflict-Free Diamonds  Conflict-free diamonds adhere to certain traits. One of them is traceability – they can be traced from source to a retailer. This means that your jeweler should be able to prove where your diamonds originated, and the process that was followed to get to you. This is important because conflict diamonds can be slipped into the production cycle, especially where the items are cut and polished for use. At Bashford Jewelry, we (like other ethical brands in the industry) have also expanded our concept of conflict-free to include environmentally-friendly. For us, this means a limited impact on the environment. Mining for diamonds is naturally disruptive to the environment. But, this does not mean that it has to be destructive. And for this very fact, that’s why most conflict-free conscious diamond users work with diamonds out of Canada.  Example of a CanadaMark inscription on a diamond And that leads us to one of the easier ways to distinguish a conflict-free diamond from the rest – looking for the CanadaMark™ symbol. CanadaMark™ diamonds are mined under highly regulated conditions, including environmental requirements. Mining takes places in a way that the land can be recovered and used for other purposes after the mines are closed. For us, this is important because as an ethically conscious brand, we could not sit by and use diamonds from a process that abuses human rights and damages the environment. Conclusion So, not all diamonds are conflict diamonds. But, not all diamonds labeled conflict-free are actually so. Make sure you or your jeweler can trace your diamond’s origin. Plus, ensure that your jeweler sources from conflict-free ethical sources before you buy. us, this is important because as an ethically conscious brand, we could not sit by and use diamonds from a process that abuses human rights and damages the environment. Conclusion So, not all diamonds are conflict diamonds. But, not all diamonds labeled conflict-free are actually so. Make sure you or your jeweler can trace your diamond’s origin. Plus, ensure that your jeweler sources from conflict-free ethical sources before you buy.

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