Diamonds have long been thought of in terms of "the four C's" but we at Leber Jeweler Inc feel it is necessary for yet another "C": Country of origin.
While origin is not as important in the technical evaluation of diamonds as it is for colored gemstones, certain areas of the world are known to produce higher quality material than others. Just as many customers want to know more about the farm where their food was grown or the factory where their clothes were made, they can gain satisfaction in knowing where their diamond was born.
In our quest to provide customers with diamonds from verifiable origins, since the 1990's we at Leber Jeweler Inc have been working with high quality, well-cut diamonds that have their origins in Canada's Northwest Territories. As the first jeweler in the United States to actively embrace and promote Canada as a source for ethically mined gemstones, we have worked closely with the Canadian diamond industry as it has grown into an internationally recognized source.
FROM THE ARCTIC — A BETTER WAY
Rare in the diamond world, every major Canadian diamond is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Origin that details technical information about each individual stone as well as the serial number that identifies that stone. This certificate assures that your diamond came from Canada, with no risk that this symbol of love posed any unnecessary human hardships in its journey from the mine to our store.
Canadian-origin diamonds have set the standard for responsibly mined diamonds. Meeting and often exceeding Canada's environmental laws, the development of the mining projects has made efforts to incorporate the local indigenous communities into the process. With this, local economies have benefited from the relatively new mining operations first opened in the 1990's. (A recent study showed the only First Nations communities in northern Canada that were economically viable were those that possessed diamond or other natural resources.) While the topic of illicit diamonds brought Canada's diamonds to the world's attention, the environmental issues remain a key component of the Canadian process as the conflict diamond issue has begun to be addressed with African origin diamonds.
CONFLICT DIAMONDS — AFTER THE WARS
The issue of conflict diamonds is not as clear-cut as it was back in 1996 when the issue first gained pubic attention. It was in that year that a groundbreaking report issued by the UK-based human rights group Global Witness detailed the trade of illicit diamonds between a well-known diamond cartel and groups banned by the United Nations.
Since that time the jewelry industry has begun to address the issue (albeit slowly) through a certification system called the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). (While not perfect, this UN-sanctioned program lays the groundwork for a global chain of custody.) Organizations like the London-based Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices (CRJP), which is a partnership between several key industry leaders and representatives from non-governmental organizations, are working on programs to raise standards for Africa's diamonds and gold. (Leber Jeweler Inc is an active member of this Council.) The two major wars taking place in Angola and Sierra Leone that were fueled in part by conflict diamonds (along with oil, col-tan, and other natural resources) are over. Africa is entering a stage of rebuilding. While a growing wave of e-tailers are seeking to exploit the conflict diamond issue for commercial purposes by over-simplifying the topic, at Leber Jeweler Inc our primary mission is to work to solve the problem rather than to seek ways to benefit from it. While this is a more difficult path, it is one we feel worthy of the extra effort.
A small percentage of diamonds sold on the open market still carry the unfortunate stigma of "conflict diamond" and dictators like Charles Mugabe of Zimbabwe continue to profit from the sale of diamonds. However, other African nations desperately needs the revenue from diamonds to begin to climb out of poverty and despair. While we actively support a range of humanitarian efforts in countries like Sierra Leone and Malawi, aid to the continent is not enough. The people of Africa have the right to become self-sufficient and free of unpayable debts, AIDS, and unfair trade standards. This can only be accomplished through the development of their natural resources like diamonds.
A CONTINENT'S HOPE
Admittedly, the continent of Africa has years to go to achieve the high ideals many hold for their future. While there are success stories in countries like South Africa and Botswana, other nations including Sierra Leone and Angola are just now emerging from the civil wars that tore the countries apart. Exploitation of miners still exists in countries like Angola. Diamonds continue to fund violence in countries like Zimbabwe. We must simultaneously encourage these under-developed nations to persist in their efforts to achieve working, democratic governments without punishing those that are making genuine efforts to be better simply because they have not yet met the standards of a country like Canada. It is a difficult journey, but one well worth supporting.
To this end, we at Leber Jeweler Inc. continue to offer Canadian-origin diamonds as they are a paradigm of how diamonds can best be mined and processed in ways that help local communities without undue harm to the Earth and are currently the only diamonds with a verifiable country-of-origin. However, we are working on several projects to source African-origin diamonds that offer a fair and equitable return to the people of this very diverse continent without offering revenue to brutal regimes who funs ongoing violence from the sale of precious gems. Simultaneously, we will continue to work directly with other members of the jewelry industry and in an advisory role with human rights organizations and the United States government to encourage sustainable development in the continent of Africa.
As the first retail jeweler to speak out publicly against conflict diamonds, Leber Jeweler Inc. continues to maintain a strong stance in opposition to "conflict diamonds" in any form. In addition, we will continue to work toward an effective solution that will fully eliminate any questions regarding these diamonds entering the legitimate supply chain.
AFRICA — FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE
The diamond industry has a long history in Africa, in many cases providing positive benefits for the burgeoning economies of several African nations. We strongly support continued efforts within the diamond industry to move away from any past association with conflict in Africa and the exploitation of the people whose land provides us with the products we sell. We look forward to increased self-regulation, independent monitoring, and cooperation in aiding these developing nations as they emerge into legitimate partners in a global system of supply. We believe that one day each diamond-producing nation in Africa will be able to offer stones identified with their own country's name that are both responsibly sourced and fairly traded.
Leber Jeweler Inc strives to deliver not only the finest in diamonds and colored gemstones, but we take pride in doing so responsibly.
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