“The Kimberley Process has been confronted by many challenges in the past five years, and it has failed to deal quickly or effectively with most of them: smuggling and fraud in Brazil, and issues of even greater importance in Côte d’Ivoire/Ghana, Guyana, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and now Guinea and Lebanon.”

The above is a quote from Ian Smillie, the driving force behind Partnership Africa-Canada (PAC), the immensely influential conflict diamonds NGO, who recently announced his departure from participation in the KP governing bodies. 

Ian is one of the founders and architects of the rough diamond certification  mechanism and has earned the respect and trust of all sides. “I am leaving Partnership Africa-Canada (PAC) because I feel that I can no longer in good faith contribute to a pretense that failure is success, or to the kind of debates we have been reduced to,” he says in a farewell letter to KP members. 

Read the full article on Diamond Intelligence Briefs, the online publication of Tacy Ltd, a strategic consultancy serving the stakeholders of the international diamond industry.

Ian’s announcement is an unfortunate blow to the sustainable jewelry movement.

Posted by: Meghan | 20 April 2009

NBC forms relationship with unethical jeweler

As part of NBCs “Green is Universal” campaign the crown placed on the winner of the Miss USA pageant, which aired on NBC earlier this week, was made by Diamond Nexus Labs. Miss USA crown

NBC seems to be very proud of its new relationship with a jewelry company they can claim is “eco-friendly,” but it appears that NBC did nothing to determine if that is actually true. Is NBC color blind?

The thing we don’t understand is how the crown can be considered “green.” Our research uncovered nothing about the metals used, the environmental practices of Diamond Nexus Labs or about the diamonds themselves. In fact, the information on the DNL website about their diamonds makes it clear that they are just simulants…not lab-grown diamonds.

As we have stated in previous posts, lab-grown diamonds are indeed genuine diamonds that have been created in a lab, rather than in nature. Simulants are plain fake.

Diamond Nexus labs employs grossly unethical marketing practices. They lead people into believing that they are purchasing real, lab-grown diamonds. They do produce genuine, lab-grown rubies, emeralds and sapphires, but according to their website, Diamond Nexus Labs does not produce lab-grown diamonds.

Read about lab-grown diamonds here.

Visit www.C5company.com for more information about sustainable fine jewelry.

Posted by: Meghan | 5 April 2009

Botswana and diamond dependency

Botswana is on borrowed time if it does not wean itself off its diamond dependency.”

Between 1966 and 1997 Botswana recorded an average annual growth rate of 9.2 percent, the highest in the world, but at the price of being the world’s most diamond-dependent economy.”

These are quotes from an article posted to World News Journal discussing the impact of the diamond industry on sustainable development in Botswana. While the industry is responsible for providing jobs and funding education and health care, is the country’s growth, which is largely a result of the diamond indutry, really sustainable? And do the positive impacts of the industry out weigh the negative?

Posted by: Meghan | 3 April 2009

C5 founder interviewed by FairJewelry.org

FairJewelry.org, founded by Marc Choyt, is doing more to promote sustainability in the jewelry sector than probably any other single site. Marc consistently posts great information about the realities of the traditional jewelry sector. His straightforward approach is what the movement needs.

Read Marc’s recent interview of C5 sustainable fine jewelry founder and principal, Meghan Connolly Haupt.

Check out www.C5company.com to learn about jewelry you can feel good about purchasing, gifting and wearing.

Posted by: Meghan | 30 March 2009

Marketing scheme of “conflict-free”

Marc Choyt at FairJewlery.org recently posted an article titled “Kimberley Process Certification: Everyone knows the deal is rotten.” We are sharing it with you in response to the maddening blogs popping up everywhere encouraging consumers to purchase “conflict-free.”

What most don’t understand is that “purchasing conflict-free” is just as much of a marketing scheme as “diamonds are forever.” Those of you sincerely trying to purchase jewelry that you can feel good about shouldn’t settle for simply conflict free. Consider where the jewelry is made, the gem sourcing and the metal used to find jewelry with minimal social and environmental impact.

Here is an excerpt from Marc’s post…

Just about everyone sees KPCS as an honest and valiant attempt by the international diamond industry that works with NGOs and governments to create a better platform. The stakes for the treaty are high. The image of diamonds since the blood diamond tragedy has fully depended upon KPCS.

Yet there are no means through which to insure that jewelers sell diamonds that have been Kimberley certified.

KPCS absolutely does not address labor and environmental abuses resulting from diamond mining. Nor does it assure ethical labor in the digging of diamonds, unless you consider diamonds produced by under compensated small scale miners, or child workers in unregulated environmental conditions as “ethical.”

Wear Your Commitment – contact C5 sustainable fine jewelry company to learn more.

As reported on the National Jeweler website, The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), a jewelry industry watchdog, has expanded its definition of a diamond to include those that are laboratory-grown.

The RJC expanded the definition in order to welcome lab-grown diamond producers as RJC members and, therefore, as participants in the RJC System of Certification, which involves having third-party auditors verify that diamond producers are conforming with RJC’s ethical, human rights, social and environmental standards.

The RJC now defines a diamond as:
“A mineral (natural or laboratory-grown) consisting essentially of pure carbon crystallized with a cubic structure in the isometric system.”

The definition also states that a diamond’s hardness on the Mohs scale is approximately 10; its specific gravity is approximately 3.52; it has a refractive index of approximately 2.42 and can be found in multiple colors.

Amended in the RJC’s membership application forms and on its Web site, the new diamond definition also will be incorporated in the core system documents of the RJC’s certification system later this year.

In addition to the expanding the definition of a diamond, the RJC also renamed its “mining membership” category to “diamond and/or gold producer.”

Lab-grown (also called lab-created, man-made or cultured diamonds) are considered by many to be the most socially and environmentally responsible alternative for conscious consumers. C5 offers only ethically sourced diamonds including lab-grown. Learn more at www.C5company.com.

Posted by: Meghan | 23 March 2009

Blood diamonds in Zimbabwe

We have written about Zimbabwe quite a few times, but this article by Scott A. Morgan that appeared on the Nairobi Chronicle website provides a good overview for anyone just entering the dialogue.

Here is the full article….

The world has been cautiously optimistic over the new National Unity Government currently in Zimbabwe. After a year which saw controversial election results, a crackdown against supporters of the political opposition , a free falling economy and a devastating cholera outbreak, there was optimism within the country that things could actually improve in Zimbabwe.

Sadly it appears that Zimbabwe will be suffering from an old African problem. This is a problem that plagued Sierra Leone and Liberia back in the 1990s. It is also a small part of the ongoing cycle of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This problem that has only been addressed seriously for the last decade is the amount of blood diamonds that have hit the streets with impunity.

The stories that made the rounds were horrific. People not meeting their daily quota of mining precious stones had their hands cut off. It has been alleged that terrorists have used them to finance operations around the world and even been used to purchase weapons to fuel these conflicts.

First of all what is a blood diamond? Basically the best definition of a blood diamond is a gem that has been mined for illicit purposes. Since the inception of the Kimberley Process some years ago, the use of diamonds to fuel conflicts and acts of terrorism was thought to be on the decline. All gems were to be laser inscribed with a specific code that would tell where this particular stone was mined from. There have been several attempts to circumvent the process and most of these attempts involve Zimbabwe.

There has been more than one attempt by ZANU-PF to use diamonds to meet budgetary shortfalls. In 2007 there were allegations that the Zimbabwean government was skimming diamonds mined in the Congo in order to raise badly needed funds. So when these stones hit the streets via South Africa traders would assume that they came from Zimbabwe. In 1998 during the first of the many conflicts of the post-Mobutu Zaire, Zimbabwe was one of several nations that intervened in the conflict that turned into looting of the abundant natural resources in the Congo.

While most of the international media was focused on the elections that should have been resolved in March 2008, there was an attempted extortion plot last month that garnered little interest among major media outlets but specialists sure knew about . It appears that one of Zimbabwe’s two Vice Presidents, Joyce Mujuru, tried to threaten a British diamond executive after the firm refused to handle $15 Million worth of blood diamonds that her daughter wanted to sell.

This is not the first time that Joyce’s family has been involved in controversy regarding the diamond trade. The family has a stake in River Ranch Diamond Mine. From 2004 to 2007 the mine received aid from a UN owned company called African Management Services Company. It was also reported that vehicles from the United Nations Development Program took diamonds from her mine into South Africa. An investigation into this matter that was conducted last year has yet to release its report.

According to recent press reports it is believed that it will take at least $ 5 Billion to rebuild the fractured Zimbabwean economy. With the current state of the world’s economy it may be some time before the international community is able to provide the proper amount of funds desperately needed in the country. So this could be a decent explanation about why Zimbabwe is engaging in underhand diamond deals. It needs to raise funds but with international sanctions in place, the leadership of the country feels that they need to work around the system.

And that will create more problems for Zimbabwe.

[C5 company carries only ethically sourced diamonds, both fair-trade and lab-grown. Visit www.C5company.com to discover jewelry options you can feel good about.]

Posted by: Meghan | 16 March 2009

Sustainable jewelry showcase

* EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT *

C5 company has partnered with the exclusive San Francisco W Hotel to bring you the Sustainable Fine Jewelry Showcase this Thursday.

Guests will be able to purchase beautiful jewelry from well-known designers who are all committed to sustainability. All of their jewelry is made from recycled precious metals and ethically sourced gems.

The event introduces the Bay Area to Zultanite – a rare gem ethically mined in the mountains of Turkey that is one of only a few color changing stones in the world. Zultanite transforms from pale sage green to captivating champagne and deep pink hues in various lighting. It is as beautiful as it is sustainable. Come see for yourself!

Top Sustainable Designers:

You won’t want to miss this event:

  • Complimentary Drinks, Hors d’oeuvres and Chocolate Tasting by Vice Chocolates
  • Deep Discounts on Sustainable Jewelry and Gems
  • Promotions, Giveaways and more!

The event is open to the public. Please plan on attending.

  • Thursday, March 19
  • 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
  • W Hotel (181 Third Avenue, San Francisco)

The Sustainable Fine Jewelry Event benefits Under the Baobab Tree, a nonprofit organization providing educational and economic opportunities to communities in Africa most impacted by the metal and gem mining industry.

For more information:

Posted by: Meghan | 9 March 2009

Zimbabwe, Diamonds and the Wrong Side of History

A new paper by Partnership Africa Canada, a nonprofit organization, titled Zimbabwe, Diamonds and the Wrong Side of History provides deep insight into the diamond industry in Zimbabwe.

In reading the article, I was very much reminded of images from The Last King of Scotland, which I watched only recently. The most shocking thing about the movie is that the bloodshed in Africa in the 1970’s is still going on today. Though the leadership may be different, the root causes of violence remain the same. Read the report to learn about the devasting impact of the Mugabe regime.

The government of Zimbabwe has taken control of the mines in order to control the wealth of the country. In 2008, national exports from platinum and diamonds amounted to more than $500 million and this figure is rising. Platinum is the largest export of the country. The jewelry industry plays an important role in the stability of Zimbabwe.

“Zimbabwe is in a humanitarian crisis as a result of a political crisis.” – Human Rights Watch report

Posted by: Meghan | 2 March 2009

Honor Earth Day with the Embrace Pendant

Hitting the market just in time for Earth Day, the Embrace Pendant is as sustainable as it is beautiful. Made with almost no social and environmental impact compared to traditional fine jewelry, this is truly a purchase to feel good about.

The Embrace Pendant, created by top jewelry designer Jennifer Dawes for C5 company, is the perfect marriage of craftsmanship and sustainability. Hand-made from recycled 14 Karat yellow gold, the necklace features a ¾ inch charm that reads “embrace” on one side and has the outline of the Earth on the other. The split ring from which the charm hangs also hosts a 1 carat, bezel set Zultanite stone.

As sustainable as it is beautiful. The Embrace pendant is hand-crafted from recycled metals.

As sustainable as it is beautiful. The Embrace pendant is hand-crafted from recycled metals.

Zultanite is a natural, tri-color gem that transforms from shades of pale green to champagne browns to deep pink in various lighting. Zultanite is exclusively mined in Turkey and less than 3% of all of the rough harvested results in cut and polished gem-quality stones. The rare, sophisticated gem is not only breathtaking with a light dispersion greater than that of a diamond, but one of the most socially and environmentally responsibly mined gems in the world.

With the limited edition piece, C5 seeks to raise awareness about sustainable fine jewelry and promote ethical practices in the jewelry sector. The Zultanite gem alone typically retails for $600, but the Embrace Pendant is available for only $495.

It is also available without the gem in recycled sterling silver for $80.

Call 888.536.4555 for more information.

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