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BlackSmith & Co.
"Masterpieces created by Men for Men, We are men who invest in the World."
Since the inception of our company, Blacksmith & Co. has been unilaterally against the importation of conflict diamonds. We've proudly vowed to follow a rigid policy that ensures the diamonds we purchase are mined and distributed under the highest ethical standards. As a direct diamond importer, we only purchase diamonds that originate with Diamond Trading Center (DTC) site holders, who are precluded from trading in conflict diamonds. We also steadfastly support and are 100% compliant with The Kimberley Process and The Clean Diamond Trade Act. Thankfully, these worldwide efforts ensure that virtually no Conflict Diamonds come to the United States. We've also gone one step further. We mandate that every one of our suppliers sign documentation verifying that 100% of the diamonds supplied to Blacksmith & Co. are conflict free.
What Are "Conflict Diamonds"?
Conflict Diamonds are diamonds that originate and are mined from areas controlled by forces at war, or otherwise in armed conflict with the region's existing officially recognized government. The diamonds produced from these areas are used to illegally, and often brutally, fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the United Nations Security Council. Conflict Diamonds are also sometimes referred to as "Blood Diamonds."
Measures to Ensure Conflict-Free Diamonds
- The Kimberley Process - In May 2000, Global participants came together in Kimberley, South Africa to create and implement standardization of certification among diamond exporting countries, thereby creating common language, transparency, auditing and monitoring of diamond exportation. Since the Kimberley Process has been put in place, the DTC reports that 99.8% of imported diamonds are certified conflict free.
- Certificate of Origin - A well-structured Certificate of Origin regime has proven to be an effective means of ensuring that only "legitimate diamonds," that is, those only from conflict free government controlled areas, reach the world market. New legislation now levies significant sanctions against those who fail to comply, barring their access to the legitimate diamond market.
- The Clean Diamond Trade Act - In May 2000, the U.S. government signed the Clean Diamond Trade Act, which enables the U.S to implement the procedures developed by more than 50 countries to exclude rough conflict diamonds from international trade, while promoting legitimate trade. The Clean Diamond Trade Act is aimed at protecting the legitimate diamond industry.
How are Gemstones and other various materials mined?
Jadiete
Jade is mined in gross boulder form from mountain sites as well as found in the form of float. Being harder than the material in which it is embedded, it emerges when erosion removes the surrounding, softer stone. Thus it is often found near water sources. Typical pieces can vary from one to two pounds to some that weigh seven to eight tons. It is said that the earliest jade miners were women who, symbolizing the female or "yin" principle, would be "drawn to" the jade, which was said to be symbolic of the male or "yang" principle. Thus, they would find it more easily in rivers and mountains.
Mining today proceeds much as it did in olden times - it is unscientific at best. The monsoon season stops the whole process for six to nine months of the year and, when the rains clear, the locations of the sites are often forgotten. There is one clear improvement: large boulders are no longer broken up at the mining site in order to bring the smaller, more manageable pieces to market. We can only hazard a guess as to how much fine material this primitive process has destroyed over the years. Jade lapidaries now carefully saw all boulders.
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