Break Up With Blood Diamonds

In general, companies must have ethical standards and boundaries even in their never ending quest for easy profits. The companies buying blood diamonds for resale are subsidizing gross humanitarian crimes - and they know it. If they cannot collectively control their lust, they must be regulated to assure that their customers are not unknowingly and unwillingly sponsoring corrupt regimes.

This can be resolved by simply certifiying that the source of diamonds that they sell did not come directly or indirectly from identified countries, and with stiff financial penalties for any falsification of their records, 

Yes, it's good to avoid buying diamonds and other gems that have problematic origins. 

However, I think the industry needs to do a better job of telling consumers the origins of their gems. If they don't do that, how can consumers know?

Never been a diamond fan.

On top of that there is alot if markup between the mine factory stores and retail shops. So one of my friends who is a jeweler that wanted to buy diamonds traveled to Africa to a mine factory store to buy the diamonds and mailed them back via regular postal service in plain white envelopes to avoid taxes though you can hand carry uncut stones into the US without duty unless they are set. Saved a substantial amount of money on a diamond ring.

And then the appraised value is so high it spends more time in a vault then being worn to keep insurance rates down.

There are just so many less costly options to enjoy like white topaz or white sapphires, or lab created stones which my jeweler friend can't differentiate between without a jewelers loop.

I've never liked diamonds anyway. They're boring. I like Opals, Sapphires, Pearls...diamonds are a scam AND a crime.

Diamonds are just graphite under pressure. They can be made artificially, so any rarity is by choice of big companies

I'm game to try anything within reason that will put an ending to purpetual war.  Not being Catholic, I have to agree with the pope on this one.  I also agree that consumers need to be told the origin of their diamonds or any other precious gem.  If people want to buy them anyway, that is their choice.  I feel that some people would refuse to purchase them which would hit the problem in the end.

How do you know which ones are 'blood diamonds'?  It's not like they're marked.  

Another cancel culture article to put a stain on people that own diamonds. Have you ever heard the phrase Diamonds are a girl's best friend?

If you purposely buy a known blood diamond then that should be wrong. However if you are buying diamonds from reputable companies like KAYS JEWELRY or DIAMOND INTERNATIONAL I believe that you are relying on them to know the source of the diamonds. For them not to know the source would ruin their reputation and business if it was found they were receiving blood diamonds. 

I would also believe that almost all precious stones would all be mined and have the same waste and environmental impact correct me here if I am wrong. 

In fact to mind any minerals from the earth such as gold silver coal sulfur salt mercury etc all when mined have similar levels of waste and environmental impact if not more. Notice I used the term MINED. 

Knowing the source of the origins of your diamonds is like saying when you go to any department store like Walmart and you buy that beautiful large screen TV have you done your research as to the source of that TV? Do you know the source of every single part in that TV as to how it was made by what country and by what people such as child labor or slave or captive labor? No I did not think so. 

Seems like this great country also used in almost every business and factory child labor. 

When did child labor laws start in the US?
 
 
1938
 
Quick links. The federal child labor provisions, authorized by the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938(FLSA), also known as the child labor laws, were enacted to ensure that when young people work, the work is safe and does not jeopardize their health, well-being or educational opportunities. So from 1500's to 1938 we had child labor. We are now calling the kettle black. Yes we finally did pass a law on the subject but it only took 400 years. 

Even today children work in certain businesses like fast food, don't go to your local restaurant or fast food joint. Shame on you for stopping there. Does any family farmer not have most of their children working on their farms and that can be dangerous as I can testify on that. 

Yes

Research where it came from prior to purchase!

diamonds are not inherantly valuable. they are just pretty rocks, and not as rare as the market would imply. 

We need to stop the exploitation of these poorer countries for our own greed!

CAUSES ASKS: "Are you ready to break up with blood diamonds?"  ME?  Causes is pretty late to the plate -- broke up with them years ago.  Conflict gems of all kinds -- not merely "blood diamonds" -- have been a topic among responsible people for a very long time.  Some (for example, Burmese rubies) have even been banned for sale in the US for many years now.

This is another man-made problem.

Does anyone actually NEED these??? No.

Diamonds used for jewelry are not a necessary commodity. I would love to see legislation that forbids American Companies from buying or selling blood diamonds. This would be a boon to those producing diamonds and reduce the money used to finance wars by the African Warlords and Russians. 

This black market industry is tough on humanity  and it supports things that are even worse . It is definitely worth addressing . 

Hasn't this sick issue been settled years ago?

Buy costume jewelry not diamonds

They should be destroyed so the ones killing for them don't have the money.

It's one of the reasons I don't invest