A diamond free from conflict? Films like Blood Diamond and many others have raised questions about where your diamonds are coming from...

A diamond free from conflict?

Films like Blood Diamond and many others have raised questions about where your diamonds are coming from...

Consumers now want to buy diamonds that are mined and exported ethically, which has sparked the demand for conflict free diamonds globally. What’s more, there seems to be an increased awareness about the negative impact of diamond mines on the environment as well. With so many parameters at play, how does a diamond get classified as an ethical one? Rajeshree Naik, marketing head, Forevermark talks about the Forevermark promise. “Each Forevermark diamond comes with a promise that it is beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced. When we started, we realised that consumers was now aware of the industry’s tarnished reputation, and their faith in diamonds had to be restored. Our diamonds have helped people get involved in the process,” she says. As for the environmental impact, Forevermark takes it upon them to fill up every hole dug by us. “After a mine has lived its life, we close it down and plant trees to return the land back to its original state.” Aware of the impact that diamond mines have on the environment, the western markets have developed a new trend — lab-cultured diamonds. Shashikant Shah, a diamond consultant explains, “A cultured diamond is a lab-grown stone, produced in a tiny chamber and is free from the blemishes that natural diamonds come with.” Shah also explains the process of making a diamond, “Carbon is vaporised and then crystallised to form diamonds. And, since this activity is carried in a chamber, no harm is caused to the environment. So, that makes these diamonds conflict-free and environment friendly.” While these diamonds can help you keep guilt at bay, will they command the same value in the market as their naturally mined counterparts? “Why not? If the money is going to benefit a community and the brand promises to take responsibility to see that it’s done, then definitely?” says Rolf James, 30, who thinks that the awareness is extremely positive. Trends that catch on in the West always find takers in our domestic markets, say experts. But will Indian consumers eventually opt for conflict-free diamonds over a mined diamond? Only time can tell.