“Instead of blessings, our diamonds bring us nothing but misfortune,” says Zacharie Mamba, head of the provincial capital Tshikapa’s, mining division. According to the Times, thousands of miners have lost their lives to search for diamonds to fund for genocidal and brutal civil wars. These civil wars started in 1991 and continued until 2002 causing people to suffer killings, rape, torture and abduction. All committed by rebel groups.
There were growing concerns over the sale of rough and uncut diamonds that were used to fund the atrocious acts of warlords in the civil wars of Angola and Sierra Leone, which inspired the 2006 film Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Subsequently, the Kimberley Process was formed to meet these apprehensions just in case of a consumer boycott.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was established in 2003 to prevent “conflict diamonds” from gaining entrance into the mainstream rough diamond market. This process was organised to ensure that the diamonds being purchased were not used to fund the violence by rebel movements.
In the 1990s, Congo suffered numerous looting wars, but with the Kimberley Process in place, it now exports about 8% of the world’s diamonds.
In Congo, the situation is getting a fair bit muddled as there are problems to be managed. Resources are not allocated wisely, and this just marks only the beginning of the problems. Even if consumers stopped buying diamonds, it will not make things better. Many depend on the sale of these diamonds for income and putting an end to its purchase will not change the state of the country. This just means that Congo is not ready to offer free trade diamonds.
Educated consumers are now looking for ethical diamonds, and they want to be aware of the environmental impact, labour practices, and if the communities have benefited from the diamonds they are mining. Diamonds from the South African and Indian mines are generally considered more sustainable.
Today, many are purchasing diamond simulants as they think it might be a better fit. This is because they do not have to face the ethical dilemmas when buying real diamonds.
Why might diamond simulants considered to be a worthier choice over real diamonds? We have delved deeper to give you a better insight on this.
1) Being Socially Responsible
Throughout the years, nearly 50,000 families and lives are lost due to the warfare waged by rebel groups. Every year, hundreds of miners die in tunnel collapses and these deaths are rarely reported because they happen all so often.
Another problem that has not been addressed till date is the source of these diamonds.
If you want to purchase a real diamond, it is necessary to be mindful of its origins as well as choosing an ethical jeweller who works with an independent trusted source for fair trade diamonds.
Diamond simulants appears to be a great choice as it counts for being socially responsible. We would like to believe that humanity supersedes unethical mind-sets.
At Eclat by Oui, we have a range of jewellery embellished with the best simulated diamonds for you to choose from.
2) Environmental Impact
As we all know, the process of mining is painstaking, and it brings about the destruction of natural sites such as rivers and ecosystems around mines. To find a 1.0ct rough diamond, 1750 tons of earth has to be extracted. Consumer demand for larger diamonds are on the rise now, increasing the average size of engagement ring diamond from 0.30ct to 1.5ct.
Conflict-free diamond mines are mostly built in environmentally fragile ecosystems and have ecological footprints. However, the construction of these mines will significantly impact the bears, wolverines, fishes, plants, fauna, and many other wildlife in the ecosystem.
Science has progressed considerably that we can now make diamond in a modern-day lab environment. At Eclat by Oui, we believe that purchasing a diamond simulant while giving back to mining communities without digging holes in the earth is a great solution. This will help to improve and sustain the earth’s resources. Purchasing one diamond simulant can go a long way and save 20 tons of mined waste which goes into making one gold ring to hold that diamond!
It is time to make that change today and reverse the damage done.
At Eclat by Oui, you can stay not only eco-conscious but show immense love to mother earth by purchasing the best simulated diamonds we have available.
3) Affordable
Generally, diamond simulants cost a fraction of the price of a mined diamond. It is getting more affordable now especially for those who are looking to stretch their dollar. Natural and simulant diamonds are indistinguishable to even the most specialised jewellers. It requires sophisticated testing tools and equipment to be able to identify it as “real”.
If you are ever worried about your diamond being real, take the time to think from an ethical perspective. You can hardly tell the difference between a simulant and a real diamond. Also, when you are travelling overseas, you can look good and elegant, without the heavy burden of worrying about damage, theft and loss of your outrageously expensive precious diamond ring. This peace of mind can allow you to fully immerse yourself in the overseas experience and live freely in the moment.
Diamond simulants can be created to resemble a top-grade diamond based on the 4C (Cut, Clarity, Colour, Carat). It is quite impossible to mine all diamonds with the highest grade in the 4C, but with diamond simulants, they can be hand crafted to the best Cut, Clarity, Colour, Carat of your choice.
At Eclat by Oui, each diamond simulant is cut and polished to resemble the brilliance of a natural, fine diamond. Every stone is crafted to a flawless perfection with excellent clarity. We are confident to introduce the best simulated diamonds in the market.
