What Diamond Shape Should I Choose?

December 1, 2012 · 0 comments

When most people think of diamonds, the immediate image that comes to mind is that of a stunning round stone that sparkles brilliantly. See that diamond and you think wedding rings, engagement rings, and anniversary gifts. But what some people don’t realize is that diamonds actually come in several different shapes that you can choose from.

Knowing the shapes can help you to decide which is best for you based on your preferences and body type.

Round Brilliant Cut Diamond

Round brilliant. As mentioned above, this is the shape most commonly associated with diamonds. And why not? – over 75 per cent of all commercially sold diamonds feature this shape. It features a 58-facet cut that uses a specific formula so that jewellers can create the optimal level of brilliance and fire. These diamonds are appropriate for just about anyone.

 

Oval Cut

Oval. This diamond shape is exactly what it sounds like. Imagine an egg as a diamond and you’ve got a pretty good idea. Women with small hands often prefer this diamond shape because it makes their fingers and hands appear longer.

 

Marquise Cut

Marquise. Elongated like an oval, but with ends that are pointed, this shape is rumored to be based on the Marquise de Pompadour’s smile. Though it is still beautiful by itself, these diamond shapes are often matched with smaller diamonds to complement them.

 

 

Pear Cut

Pear. A Marquise with only one pointed end, these diamonds look like teardrops and are ideal for earrings as well as hands and fingers of typical size.

 

 

Heart Cut

Heart. Another diamond shape that’s easy to imagine from the name alone, this cut is essentially a Pear that has had a cleft added at the top to create a heart. These shapes take quite a bit of skill, so you know that you’re getting a good cut.

 

 

Emerald Cut

Emerald. Talk about a complicated shape. A rectangle with corners that have been cut, this diamond shape also features flat, broad concentric planes that look like stairs. Because this shape can make poor colour and inclusions more pronounced, people interested in this cut should take their time and watch for these potential issues.

 

Princess Cut

Princess. This relatively new diamond shape is a square or rectangle that has been cut so that it has many facets and extraordinary depth so that the brilliance is maximized. Those with longer fingers love how the shape works.

 

Trilliant. At its most basic, the Trilliant shape is a triangle, but depending on the preferences of the designer and the natural characteristics of the diamond being cut, the corners can also be more rounded.

Radiant Cut Pink Diamond

Radiant. Yes, the Radiant is another square or rectangular cut, but the soft edges also make it have many characteristics similar to Round diamonds and the 70 facets serve to show off an amazing level of colour refraction.

 

 

Cushion Cut Sapphire

Cushion  Cut. Halfway between rectangular and round, this diamond shape mimics one common from the late-19th and early-20th centuries (the “Old Mine Cut”) with large facets and a deep cut.

 

 

Asscher Cut

Asscher Cut. Popularized by the Asscher Diamond Company in Amsterdam, this diamond shape is a square with the corners cut and was used in a lot of art deco jewellery that was popular in the 1920s. Asscher went out of business during the Depression, but recently these cuts have made a comeback.

It is said that if you prefer a round diamond it means that you hold more traditional values, while those who prefer square or fancy shaped diamonds are more modern, forward-thinking people. Ultimately, though, there are no hard and fast rules when choosing your diamond shape. The important thing is that you pick the shape that best suits you and your hand.

Photo Credits: Jewels Globe

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Largest “Perfect” Diamond Ever to Be Put Up for Auction

November 29, 2012 · 0 comments

On November 13, Christies is going to put the Archduke Joseph Diamond up for auction in Geneva, Switzerland. Normally, a diamond being auctioned isn’t big news, but this one is exceptional and has a bit of history.

First off, experts believe that it is the largest and finest perfect Golconda diamond to ever be auctioned. It is 76 carats, which means that it’s about the size of a quail’s egg or a half-inch-thick domino, and fits snugly in most adult hands. Internally, it is considered flawless, and it’s labelled as a D-colour gem – the “perfect” colour. Compare it with that gorgeous stone Jennifer Aniston’s been flashing around and it’s about 10 times the size.

Beyond the stats, though, this diamond also carries with it a bit of fame. A number of stars have worn it over the years, including Celine Dion on a CBS special, and actress Laura Harring. It comes from the world-renowned Golconda mines in India, long believed to be the only place in the world where diamonds could be found (other than one mine in Borneo) until the discovery of diamond mines in Brazil in the seventies.

The Famous Hope Diamond, Which is Also from the Golconda Mines (Photo Credit: Levork)

The Golconda mines have been home to many other illustrious jewels over the course of their operation. Just a few of these include the Koh-i-noor, which is part of the crown jewels that are housed in the Tower of London, the Hope Diamond now housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and the Regent, which many experts say is the most impressive of the diamonds in the French crown jewels. Now those mines are shut down, though, so there will be no more amazing diamond discoveries coming from there.

Though the diamond is about 400 years old, it is named after one of its more recent owners (relatively speaking), Archduke Joseph August of Hungary. He was the highest ranking official in that nation when he came into possession of the stone in the 19th century, and it’s believed that he passed it on to his son (Archduke Joseph Francis) in 1933. Three years later, an anonymous buyer purchased the diamond and left it in a safe, where it somehow managed to elude the attention of the Nazis when they invaded. No one knew of its whereabouts until it suddenly reappeared at a London auction in 1961.

The Crown Jewels House the the Koh-i-noor Diamond, Which is Also from the Golconda Mines (Photo Credit: Ariaski)

Before this upcoming auction, it was also sold by Christies in 1993, when it fetched $6.5 million, and since then, it has been purchased by another buyer whom Christies has declined to name. Estimates have the diamond selling for at least $15 million this time around, almost three times the price it attracted just 19 years ago. Many people even see the bidding going higher than that, with more interest from countries that aren’t usually represented at these auctions.

This wouldn’t be completely out of the question, since recent auctions have seen prices for rare diamond of high quality skyrocket. In 2008, Christies in London sold the Wittelbach Diamond for $24.3 million, and in Geneva just two years ago, a bidder paid more than $46 million for a 25-carat pink diamond. Still, experts don’t expect the Archduke Joseph Diamond to set any records. Before it is auctioned off, the stone will be exhibited in a tour that will head to Hong Kong, New York, and – of course – Geneva.

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Diamonds: Should You Go Big or Look for the Highest Quality – and What About Price?

November 26, 2012 · 0 comments

Platinum Diamond Ring (Photo Source: Rose Robinson)

It’s the age-old question: Is bigger always better?

When shopping for a diamond ring, this question isn’t always easy to answer. Certainly, larger diamonds tend to have more visual impact than smaller ones, but if you opt for a big, low quality stone, that just means that it will be easier for people to notice the imperfections.

In contrast, you can go for a tiny diamond of impeccable quality, but unless you’re buying for someone who really knows their jewellery, chances are they’re not going to notice the difference between that and a diamond of medium quality.

It’s also important to remember that price has to factor into there somewhere, and that cost tends to increase faster based on size than it does from increased quality.

What’s “right” depends a lot on your budget and the person for whom you are buying, so the answer’s not always the same for everyone. There are, however, some rules for the road that are good to know and specific things to keep in mind when you’re making this big decision.

Platinum and Diamond Wedding Set (Photo Source: Renee V)

The breakdown. No matter what kind of diamond you decide to get, jewellers will tell you that you typically want to spend about 15 per cent of your total budget on the ring itself and the other 85 per cent on the stone/s. Obviously, that says nothing about the actual amount you’re going to spend or the type of diamond, but it’s good information to have while planning and saving. And of course, if you find some unique, amazingly designed ring that you just have to have, those percentages can easily change. Really, they are just a rule of thumb.

Where the money goes. How much does quality matter? A lot – at least in terms of finances. A 1ct diamond engagement ring can cost you anywhere between $10,000 and $15,000 depending on how high in quality it is. That’s a difference of $5,000! Of course, the size of a diamond will greatly impact the price also. If two diamond rings are of comparable quality and a quarter of a carat’s different in size, the larger one can easily be $1,000 + or more.

You need an expert. Only an experienced jeweller can help you to choose the absolute best diamond based on your needs and price range. A top quality diamond will be visibly brighter and more dazzling than most diamonds offered at “retail,” but you might want to try a step or two down if you were hoping for a stone of larger size.

Gold Diamond Ring (Photo Source: Bongo Vongo)

The best jewellers know how to make sure that you get the most stone for your money so that you won’t worry if you should have gone bigger or shelled out for something with more sparkle. Plus, it’s a lot easier to feel at ease with your diamond purchase if you’ve got an expert backing up the decision.

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An Immodest Proposal: When Amazing Engagement Rings Just Aren’t Enough

October 5, 2012 · 0 comments

We live in such a jaded world that it’s not often something featuring concepts like love, marriage, and togetherness goes viral and becomes an internet sensation – but that’s exactly what’s happened with the recent wave of highly-choreographed marriage proposals!

The men in these videos went far above and beyond the old tradition of shelling out two months’ salary for their engagement rings – the below videos show creativity, planning, showmanship, and probably the powers of their persuasive skills, because it can’t be easy getting so many people to stop their lives to become a part of your master plan.

So before you decide to just get down on one knee and pop the all-important question, check out these ideas to see if they give you inspiration.

“Lisa, Will You Marry Me?”
We’ve all heard of a guy hiring a plane to spell out his marriage proposal in the sky or fly across the horizon with a banner proclaiming his love, but what about spelling out your heart’s desire using building lights? That’s exactly what happens in this video, and it’s clear the man’s girlfriend is utterly shocked.

The Limo Driver.
This guy got creative when his girlfriend was returning home from a trip to Paris and dressed up as her “limo driver” while holding a sign board asking her to marry him.

The Happiest Marriage Proposal on Earth.
Proposing to your girlfriend at Disneyland or Disneyworld has been done before, but Nando here goes the extra mile by creating a “birthday” scavenger hunt that involves various park employees and ends with him proposing to cheers from everyone at the park.

Welcome Home from Iraq.
This man’s girlfriend was so excited about her returning home from the war in Iraq that he incorporated his marriage proposal into her unit’s welcome home ceremony. Watch her reaction as she’s called forward and he goes down on one knee and displays that engagement ring in front of everyone she’s been serving with.

Cell Phone Wedding Chimes.
It’s just a normal dinner out at a busy Tokyo restaurant for this Japanese couple – until the future groom leaves to go to the bathroom and cell phones all around the restaurant start playing wedding chimes. Needless to say, this catches the woman’s attention, but she still appears shocked when he reappears and proposes.

The Lip-Dub Marriage Proposal.
How do you convince your friends and family to act out a Bruno Mars song and lip-sync the lyrics to your girlfriend as your way of proposing? We’re not sure, but this guy not only did it, he became an internet sensation because of it.

A Flowery Marriage Proposal.
This New Yorker filmed himself planting his Philadelphia girlfriend’s favourite flowers all along the two-hour route and leaving “promise” notes at each site. Then, just as she’s about to finish watching it, he shows up and proposes to her.

The Movie Trailer.
This one took some time, effort, and creativity. The future groom in question made a “movie trailer” of himself asking her father’s permission for her hand and him running to the theatre, all the while also filming her reaction. When he finally arrives and proposes, she realizes that her entire family has been in the back of the theatre the whole time.

 

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How the World of Today Uses Gold

September 29, 2012 · 0 comments

We’re used to seeing gold engagement rings, gold bridal jewellery, and gold designer jewellery, but most people are surprised to learn that gold is used in a number of different ways outside of bling. Gold jewellery, of course, is still the main way this precious metal is used, but gold is so incredibly useful and versatile that it is prevalent in many other industries and products.

So, besides the gold jewellery we all know and love, where is all that gold going?

Dentistry. No, we’re not just talking about those people who have their teeth capped in gold or get gold grilles! Gold and gold alloys are used for everything from crowns and orthodontic gadgets to bridges and fillings. Why gold? Well, besides that fact that it’s aesthetically appealing, the malleability of gold makes it easier for dentists to work with, and the fact that it’s non-allergenic and chemically inert make it safer for patients.

Gold went out of fashion in the late 1970s in dentistry because the price was just too high, but recently it’s had a bit of a resurgence thanks to research showing that other, less inert metals might not be as safe for us over the long term.

Gold Resistor (Photo Source: Bengt-re)

Electronics. Not only is gold a fantastic conductor of electricity, it doesn’t corrode. Why is this important? Because solid state electronic devices use currents and voltages that can easily be interrupted if the contact points are tarnished – but using gold makes it nearly impossible for this to occur.

In fact, gold is so great that if you have any kind of sophisticated electronic device (GPSs, calculators, cell phones, TVs, computers), chances are that they contain gold. Most cell phones, for example, have about 50 cents worth of gold in them!

Glass-making. Who would have thought that gold could be used in the production of glass? Well, it’s true, and there are two completely distinct ways that gold effects glass. The first is that it can be used as a pigment to give the glass a gorgeous ruby colour. Glassmakers achieve this effect by putting a tiny amount of gold into the glass when it’s annealed.

Gold can be used in glassmaking. (Photo Source: raichovak)

The second way that gold can be used in glass-making is to reflect solar radiation by spreading gold throughout the glass or coating it on the outside. Many big buildings use this to help them stay cool in the summer (by reflecting solar rays outward) and warm in the winter (by reflecting internal heat back inside). Even astronauts use it on the glass of their visors to protect their eyes and skin in space!

Medicine. Do you know anyone who suffers from arthritis or cancer? Well, there’s a chance that gold might be part of their treatment. Some doctors use weak injections of aurothioglucose or sodium aurothiomalate to help with rheumatoid arthritis, and certain cancers can be treated by implanting particles of a radioactive gold isotope into the person’s tissue. A third condition, Lagophthalmos, prevents sufferers from closing their eyes all the way. The solution: gravity. Doctors inject a small amount of gold into their upper eyelids to weigh them down so they can close.

Gold Designer Jewellery

Gold can also be used to diagnose problems by mixing it into a solution that is injected into the body and tracked while it makes its journey. And a large number of medical devices – including surgical instruments – contain small amounts of gold as well.

So the next time you’re looking at gold designer jewellery or gold engagement rings, just try to imagine where else that gold might have ended up.

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How Precious Metals Factor into the Economy

September 25, 2012 · 0 comments

Most people going into their local jeweller looking for birth stones, engagement rings, or designer jewellery believe that the product they are purchasing is precious and valuable, but they aren’t often thinking about the reason for this.

What is this reason? Often, it’s because of the precious metals involved in creating the designer jewellery they love. These include many things that you would expect like platinum, gold, and silver, but also lesser-known metals like palladium, rhodium, and iridium.

These are considered to be precious metals and imbued with an economic value that’s typically quite high for a number of reasons – how rare they are, their use in industrial processes, and how they are used as commodities for investments.

If a precious metal is used in a number of different ways but there isn’t much of it around, naturally the value rises. But the cost of such metals can also be artificially increased or decreased due to their inclusion in stock markets around the world. When more people buy gold, silver, platinum, and others, it causes the price to go up; when fewer invest in these precious metals, they cost less.

Platinum Ore (Photo Source: Dctim1)

Why would you want to put your money into gold or silver instead of a company like Google? Because unlike paper currency, precious metals are believed to be fairly constant in their value, and therefore less effected by things like an economic collapse or inflation. This steady quality has led many investors to diversify their portfolio by including more precious metals as a “hedge” against sudden economic change. Put as simply as possible: people believe that even if the value of their paper money suddenly drops, having precious metals will at least allow them to retain some of their fortune because its value is constant.

Interested in investing in precious metals yourself but not sure how? Well, we already mentioned that gold, silver, and the like are traded in stock markets worldwide, so that’s one route. You can purchase what are called “futures” contracts for specific metals, which essentially means that you are gambling that the price of that metal will continue to go up in the future. If you’re right, you’ll earn your money back and then some. But if the price dips, you could lose all the money you invested. Another way the stock markets let you invest in precious metals is by purchasing stock in the publicly traded companies involved in producing or exploring for them, such as gold and silver mining companies.

Engagement Ring

Trying to keep out of the crazy ups and downs of the stock market entirely? No worries, you can still “invest” in precious metals by doing something incredibly simple – buying the metal itself! This could mean actual gold bars, or it could mean purchasing engagement rings and other kinds of designer jewellery made from precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. Some investors even seek out gold and silver coins to collect. Silver coins are especially popular because they tend to be cheaper than gold and platinum – plus silver issues often have a worth that’s much greater than their actual bullion value because they tend to be categorized as collectables.

Investing in precious metals can be fun and lucrative if you know what you’re doing – just don’t think you’re going to become filthy rich by buying up all the designer jewellery in your local store!

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How Precious Metals Factor into the Economy

September 25, 2012 · 0 comments

Most people going into their local jeweller looking for birth stones, engagement rings, or designer jewellery believe that the product they are purchasing is precious and valuable, but they aren’t often thinking about the reason for this.

What is this reason? Often, it’s because of the precious metals involved in creating the designer jewellery they love. These include many things that you would expect like platinum, gold, and silver, but also lesser-known metals like palladium, rhodium, and iridium.

These are considered to be precious metals and imbued with an economic value that’s typically quite high for a number of reasons – how rare they are, their use in industrial processes, and how they are used as commodities for investments. read more

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What Are Precious Metal Bullions

September 20, 2012 · 0 comments

Silver, Gold, and Platinum Bullion Coins (Photo Source: Sirqitous)

If you’ve ever shopped for designer jewellery or engagement rings, you know which metals are considered “precious.” Generally speaking, we’re talking about gold, silver, and platinum, though there are a few others that fit the bill as well. What makes a metal precious is a combination of rarity, demand, and market value.

Some of these precious metals are so in demand that it is also possible to get them in bulk form, which is known as bullion. Precious metal bullions like gold, silver, and platinum are used for a wide variety of things, but some of the most common are minting them into coins and casting them into ingots.

How Is the Value of Precious Metal Bullions Determined?

The value of precious metal bullions depends on three things: 1) the market value of the precious metal the bullion is made of, 2) the mass of the bullion, and 3) the purity of the bullion. For the most part, once you figure out number one, numbers two and three are pretty straightforward.

Canada Silver & Gold Maple Leaf Bullion (Photo Source: Calgary Reviews)

Precious metals’ market value is something that fluctuates greatly not only based on the actual, practical use of the metal, but also due to the way they are traded on stock markets around the world and how they work as a “store of value.” In terms of practical use, the price of, say, gold can go up or down based on the amount of gold in circulation in comparison to the demand. More demand tends to mean higher prices.

However, because precious metal futures are also traded, this can artificially increase or decrease the metal’s value. Likewise, people who hoard precious metals can affect prices by keeping them out of circulation.

Once you can determine the price of the precious metal that the bullion is made of, the value of the bullion itself comes down to its weight (mass) and how much of it is really, truly gold instead of a mix of other metals (purity). Obviously, the more pure the bullion is, the more valuable it becomes. Be aware, though, that there is no such thing as 100% purity in bullion. Though some bullion coins come as close to purity as 99.99%, it is impossible when dealing with refined and extracted metals to completely separate out all other elements.

Interestingly, bullion coins have a face monetary value that is far lower than what their value would be as bullion. For example, in the United States, they have a Gold Eagle bullion coin that has a monetary value of $US50, but its worth as bullion is around $US550!

Gold Bullion & 10 Ounce Pure Gold Bars (Photo Source: Digital Money World)

Minting bullion coins, however, does have the effect of verifying the bullion’s level of purity, so there is some extra value in that.

Some countries seem to have taken a special pride in creating the largest and most expensive bullion coins, too, such as our 10,000 dollar Australian Gold Nugget coin – a kilogram of 99.9% pure gold! China is the only country to have produced bigger bullion coins (they’re larger than 8 kg!), but they’ve only done so in incredibly limited quantities.

So, the next time you’re shopping for designer jewellery, just try to imagine those nice earrings or engagement rings in a block of solid gold or silver and wonder what the real value of the metal itself is.

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Anellie Manolas Wants to Make Australia an International Jewellery Auction Powerhouse

September 14, 2012 · 0 comments

Art Deco Jewellery

Chances are, when you think about big international jewellery auction houses, your mind conjures up images of cities like London and New York, and well-known and well-respected companies such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Doyle’s. Sydney, Australia, isn’t even on the international jewellery auction radar – and that’s exactly why Anellie Manolas returned to her home to work as a jewellery specialist for Bonham’s, the only international jewellery auction house left in the city.

Five years ago, Manolas wasn’t even in the jewellery business. She was a young lawyer working at an inner-city firm. Instead of determining the origin and value of art deco jewellery and other fine gems, she was immersed in the incredibly intense world of corporate dealmaking. But eventually the long hours and stressful environment got to her, causing her to have panic attacks on the job.

Eager for a change, Manolas, then 27, “took a hiatus from the law” and decided to pursue her first love: jewellery. Blessed to be born into a wealthy family, she was taught to appreciate fine jewellery at an early age by her mother, who would pore over the jewellery section of Christie’s magazine with her and drag her along to all of the auctions she attended.

At first, Manolas wasn’t even looking for a position in an auction house, she just wanted to get a job as a jewellery saleswoman in a store. Unfortunately, no one would hire her due to her lack of retail experience. At one point, she was even advised by the head of Christie’s to stop looking and go back to her legal career because she wouldn’t make any money working in jewellery.

A year and a half later, after studying at the Gemological Institute of America in Florence, Italy, Manolas proved the head of Christie’s wrong by getting hired in the jewellery department of Christie’s of London. How did she do it? By passing a jewellery evaluation test designed to trick applicants.

Petersen Tanzanite Brooch (Photo Source: Cliff1066)

She was given 50-carat earrings that more than 100 other candidates identified as sapphires because of their close similarity to the gem. But they weren’t sapphires, they were tanzanite. Manolas spotted the difference, and three weeks later she was working a $US8million jewellery auction in Dubai.

During her time in London, Manolas handled a ridiculous amount of high-profile jewellery. Some of her favorites include the La Peregrina necklace, Catherine the Great’s emerald brooch, and Elizabeth Taylor’s diamonds and pearls for the London exhibition that occurred before they were auctioned in New York. Naturally, she couldn’t resist trying on the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, and “the ring fit perfectly!”

The job also taught her some incredibly useful skills (at least in the jewellery auction business), like how to tell where art deco jewellery is from simply by touching it. Her observations: art deco jewellery from the United States and the UK feels “crude and sticky,” whereas art deco jewellery originating in France feel very smooth.

But even though the Australian jewellery auction market deals with much smaller values and doesn’t have as much renown, Manolas jumped at the chance to return home when Bonham’s offered her the job. Besides, she has a few ideas on how to help Sydney make a name for itself on the international stage.

Part of Bonham's Power of Opals Sale (Photo Source: Deidre Woollard)

If Manolas has her way, future Australian jewellery auctions will bring in more items that have “universal appeal” like diamond rings. Because they tend to be in lower supply in Australia and Asia, she believes that this, in conjunction with attracting higher-profile pieces from overseas, will not only bring in more local bidders, but also attract international buyers from China’s growing market and elsewhere in the world.

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Blood Diamonds Are Everywhere, But It’s Possible to Avoid Them

September 6, 2012 · 0 comments

Diamond Ring (photo Source: AMagill)

By now, most people know about blood diamonds, so named because their production and sale funds warlords who often leave death and destruction in their wake. In essence, the price of these diamonds isn’t just found on a tag, but in the human lives that could be lost by handing over your money to people who will use it to purchase arms and engage in criminal activities. Not something most people want to think about every time they look at their diamond engagement ring.

Blood diamonds aren’t a new story, unfortunately. With 65 percent of the world’s diamonds coming from Africa, and with a number of areas across that continent in near-constant turmoil, it’s no wonder many African diamonds are, at the ground level, controlled by men with guns. Organizations have popped up to curb the spread of these diamonds and help cut off funding to these dangerous criminals and regimes, but they can only do so much.

“Conflict-Free” Diamonds Isn’t a Watertight Guarantee

The Kimberley Process, a 2003 agreement by the diamond industry to verify where diamonds are coming from and ensure that they are “conflict-free,” seems like a winner at first blush. Organizations that produce rough diamonds need to be certified, and jewellers are required to know where their merchandise originates.

However, Global Witness walked away from the agreement in 2011 because they found that some suspect organizations were being certified. Beyond that, the agreement only covers rough diamonds, which has opened the door for outfits that don’t follow the Kimberley Process to cut and polish rough blood diamonds themselves, then sell them on the open market – legally!

The World Diamond Council has its own process in place to certify diamonds whereby companies must declare the diamonds they sell to be conflict-free. This system arguably gives some control to the actual customers, because if they want to ensure that the diamonds they’re buying aren’t blood diamonds, they can ask to see the gem’s certificate verifying that it originates from a trusted source free of conflict. If the jeweller doesn’t have a certificate for the diamond, simply don’t buy it.

Diamond Engagement Ring (Photo Source: ljv)

Of course, there’s no way to completely guarantee that some blood diamonds don’t find a way to sneak in the back door. In fact, with 4 percent of the world’s diamond market estimated to be made up of blood diamonds, it’s almost a certainty that they do. Some jewellers even put the percentage of blood diamonds in the market far higher – somewhere between 10 and 20 percent – despite the various processes in place.

Ways to Avoid Buying Blood Diamonds

In spite of all of that, Australian jewellers believe there are two things that conscientious consumers can do to make sure that none of the diamonds they buy have been tainted by blood.

Pink Diamond (PhotoSource: FancyDiamonds.net)

The first is to buy Australian-mined pink diamonds from the western part of the country. Not only will you get gorgeous, high quality diamonds, but you can relax knowing that there’s no way they’re propping up some warlord somewhere.

Of course, pink diamonds tend to be quite expensive, which leads us to the second thing consumers can do: pay more. That’s not something you’ll usually hear from companies trying to make a sale, but generally speaking when you get an amazing deal on a diamond, there’s a dark reason behind it. In this case, paying full price for diamonds is a mark of their quality.

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