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Blood diamonds, also referred to as conflict diamonds, are the reason behind much war and death in third world countries. Their value is treasured more than human lives, and many rebels, military organizations and terrorist groups will stop at no length to benefit from the sale of conflict diamonds to more developed countries like Canada and the U.S. But you can put an end to the wars that are created by the trade of these precious stones. This is what you need to do in order to avoid buying a conflict diamond.
Step 1:

Know where they come from. Conflict diamonds come from countries like Sierra Leona, Liberia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. You'll also see them imported from other smaller towns in West Africa. You need to know where conflict diamonds come from so that you can ask jewelers where they receive their diamonds from before purchasing them. If a jeweler mentions any of these countries, beware. Even if he claims they came in labeled as ‘conflict-free diamonds', you should still know that these labels are often incorrect. Avoid buying blood diamonds from the above countries, which are so obviously affected by terrorists and military groups obsessed with the local diamond trade.

Step 2:

Understand the Kimberley Process (or KPCS). In an effort to try to put an end to the sale of rough or conflict diamonds, countries with a legitimate diamond industry began diamond tracking campaigns to provide proof of origin for all diamonds originating from these third world countries. Now referred to as the Kimberley Process, the goals of this campaign are to document the origins of each diamond, shipping gross lots of diamonds in tamper-proof casing in order to show their legitimacy. Although this campaign isn't fully implemented in all countries yet, it is a start in the right direction. For you, the consumer, be sure to ask about whether or not your chosen diamond came through the Kimberley Process before you consider buying it. Avoid buying any diamond that doesn't have proper documentation.

Step 3:

Demand proof. While it is all but impossible to prove that a diamond is not a conflict one, it is still up to you to ask for this proof before you buy a diamond. If jewelers and diamond retailers continually get the message that consumers want to avoid buying conflict diamonds, then they will be more apt to arrange for and provide this type of information to interested diamond purchasers.

Step 4:

Buy local. Another way to avoid buying a conflict diamond is to choose diamonds mined in North America. Canada now has a voluntary code of conduct that helps to authenticate the origin of their diamonds, proving that they are conflict-free. Under this code, a diamond must come with a paper trail detailing its movement from mine all the way to the jewelry store.

When buying a local diamond, request the diamond's ID number, the name and address of the retailer it came from, a proper invoice, a description of the polished diamond, and a copy of the code or standards the jeweler follows when it comes to diamond sales. They might think you're going a bit overboard with your purchase requests, but it will give jewelers a clear picture that you want to avoid buying a conflict diamond.

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