Diamonds are notorious for being a major funding source for many conflicts and wars around the world, especially in Africa. Many people have lost their lives, hands and legs, and the lives of their loved ones due to this “precious” stone. Diamonds that are mined and sold by African militias to buy guns and weapons for use against civilians are known as blood diamonds, or conflict diamonds.
Today many international organizations work hard to combat and raise awareness about the dark side of diamonds and their role in fueling conflicts and killing of innocent people in several African countries, where most of the world’s diamonds come from.
Some procedures and processes are implemented to ensure that a diamond came from legitimate sources. The most widely-used of these is the Kimberly process.
But despite all governmental and non-governmental efforts to eliminate blood diamonds from the global market, it’s almost impossible to trace every diamond from the mine to the jeweler’s showroom, and a fair amount of illegitimate diamonds still find their way today to unmindful consumers in the United States and all over the world.
Note: All jewelers featured and reviewed on RingBuyerGuide.com sell certified conflict-free diamonds, according to their claims.
The following documentary about blood diamonds may be an eye-opener for those blinded by this flashy stone.