Engagement Rings
Ethically-Sourced, Conflict-Free Diamonds
At Bashford Jewelry, we work to ensure that the diamonds you receive are not tainted by any human rights abuse or which contributed to endangering the environment. You can enjoy the beauty of your diamond knowing that from extraction to sale, your diamond was not at the root of any conflict in the world. We truly believe in using ethically sourced diamonds and protecting the environment and you benefit from our ingrained values.
The term “conflict” diamonds or gemstones, also known as “blood diamonds”, refers to gems that have at one point or another been used to finance civil wars and insurgency against legitimate governments. This is also a reference to diamonds that have been mined through unethical means such as slavery.
At Bashford, we only use diamonds that were sourced under strict labor and environmental standards. They were mined ethically, conflict free and tracked through highly-audited processes. As such, we rely on a trusted partner for our diamonds and gems, one who mirrors our values – CanadaMarkTM.
Newly-Mined Conflict-Free Canadian Diamonds We use newly mined diamonds from the Canadian Arctic that adhere to strict standards outlined by the Canadian Code of Conduct and other government authorities. These diamonds are all certified conflict-free and have been cut and polished responsibly. Employees that mine them are paid fair wages and efforts are made during the mining process to reduce negative environmental impact.
Sourcing and Processing Requirements
Canadian environmental protection laws require that a thorough environmental assessment is carried out before a diamond mine can be approved. In fact, systems must be in place to protect local wildlife and miners are protected by strict health and safety regulations that must adhere to child labor laws while avoiding “sweatshop” conditions.
As part of their commitment to preserving the environment, the mines operated by the Dominion Diamond Corporation are also signatories to specific environmental agreements that involve local groups and the government. As part of these agreements, the land must be able to be restored once mining has ceased.
Following extraction of the diamonds, and once they have been cut and polished by approved manufacturers, each diamond or gemstone is independently audited to ensure traceability, laser-inscribed with a CanadaMarkTM logo and unique serial number, and then given its own official certificate.
Remember, unless you know where a diamond was mined and cut, you cannot be certain that it was ethically produced. Canada is currently the only country in the world to operate a system to monitor and track diamonds from the mine to the jeweler.
Taking the Extra Step
Standard jewelers confine themselves to the Kimberley Process when it comes to the diamond process. Engagement Rings While admirable, this process has proven to be inefficient at best, and unethical at worst. In fact, the entire certification process fails to determine whether the diamonds they certify are completely conflict free due to accountability issues. The Kimberley Process only certifies diamonds that were not used to fund the rebel side in a conflict. It does not take into account labor laws, child labor or environmental issues.
To us, those efforts are not enough because we want to ensure, without a doubt, that we aren’t contributing to the enslavement and death of millions of Africans. As such, we adhere to stricter checks and balances with our CanadaMark diamonds that includes maintaining local, national and international laws and practices in mining, labor laws, diamond transport and more.
With Bashford Jewelry, the beauty of our diamonds does not hide a horrible past. You can always be confident in the pure history of your diamond when you purchase from Bashford.
