|
Responsible Indulgences
By Talia Berman, WireTap
|
 |
| Open-pit mine in West Africa. |
A further 20 per cent of diamonds are mined from the bottom of riverbeds, called alluvial mining. These diamonds tend to be of exceptional value. Alluvial mining involves removing tons of riverbed in order to expose the diamonds, an act that devastates river ecosystems. Furthermore, alluvial mining has a history of child labor: After the riverbed has been excavated, children often comb the remaining area for diamonds.
Serious charges of child labor and unconscionable working conditions have also been brought against cutting and polishing centers in India and Thailand, where most rough diamonds are rerouted through Belgium and England to be prepared for sale.
 |
| Alluvial mining in Sierra Leone. |
But fear not. There are many possibilities left on your plate for buying diamonds without contributing to this mountain of dread. You can buy secondhand or antique diamonds, Canadian diamonds and synthetic diamonds.
Better options
The smallest footprint prize goes to buying secondhand. The logic is simple: If you buy a preowned diamond, you and the previous owner are splitting the cost of the environmental and social damage by preventing another diamond sale. As the hardest material on earth, diamonds are quite durable, so you don't even have to worry about it looking worse for the wear. However, it should be noted that antique (over 100 years old), estate (from around the 1950s), and vintage (anything preowned) diamonds are an entirely different playing field -- most of these diamonds have been cut by hand and tend to take on a subtler hue. Antique and estate diamonds are in high demand for these unique qualities, so don't expect to pay much less than what you would for a new one.
Secondhand diamonds can be found in vintage jewelry stores and antique stores and markets across the country.
Topazery.com is an online antique, estate and vintage jewelry store located in Atlanta that has some information about the difference between new and old diamonds, as well as buying information.
Faycullen.com is a Florida antique, estate and vintage dealer that sells internationally.
In 1991, diamond deposits were discovered in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Before diamonds were mined, the Canadian government investigated the environmental toll of mining the diamonds, and in 1999, Canada's first diamond mine opened for business. The diamonds are mined, cut and polished in Canada, where these practices are closely monitored and each diamond is issued a government certification that guarantees all environmental standards of operation have been met.
Ascertaining your diamond's country of origin is definitely a good idea, and buying a diamond from a developed country increases your chances of getting a gem that has not been mined, cut or polished by an underpaid and mistreated worker. Kimberley, Australia, is home to the world's largest single producer of diamonds, the Argyle Diamond Mine. Other mines are located in Australia and New Zealand, and the one diamond mine in the United States is at Kelsey Lake in Colorado. Diamonds from these countries tend to be more expensive than those mined in developing countries.
Igloodiamonds.com sells to the U.S. with overnight delivery. Expediency and sustainability guaranteed!<
In this tourism site for Canada's Northwest Territories, there is a large historical and informational section about Canadian diamond mining that includes a timeline and specifics about environmental guidelines.
Synthetic diamonds are chemically, physically and optically identical to found diamonds, and so will satisfy your every sparkling craving, usually at a fraction of the price. Synthetic diamonds have been around since the 1960s, but only in the summer of 2003 did a factory in Florida called Gemesis perfect a process for producing gem diamonds ready for market. Though others are beginning to follow, Gemesis is currently the only U.S.-based supplier.
The De Beers Diamond Trading Co. is so petrified of what synthetic diamonds will do to business that it offers to install synthetic diamond detection machines in gem labs at no charge to the lab owners and have launched a large buyer beware campaign detailing the importance of "authenticity." From a global economic perspective, buying synthetic diamonds is without a doubt the best contribution a consumer can make to toppling the current monopolistic industry and paving the way for a more affordable and environmentally sustainable gem industry. Still, synthetic diamond production involves recreating the conditions under which diamonds are naturally formed 100 miles under the earth's surface, which can be expensive and requires a lot of time and energy from scientists and engineers.
Gemesis.com is former U.S. Army General Carter Clarke's diamond-making company in Sarasota, Fla. Clarke is the first to make synthetic gem diamonds specializing in colored gems. This site has buying options and information about the company and the industry.
Apollodiamond.com is a diamond producer whose products will purportedly be ready for sale in the coming year. This site has details about the technological aspects of production.