WARNER BROS.
Djimon Hounsou uses a blood diamond to get back his family in the movie "Blood Diamond," which opens tomorrow.
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'Diamond' will make consumers face facets
THOSE who see the film "Blood Diamond," opening tomorrow, may start wondering about the provenance of the diamonds they own. Or, if shopping for diamonds over the holidays, they may wonder what kind of assurances consumers have that their diamonds are "blood-" or conflict-free.
Over at Carats & Karats, owner Brenda Reichel has been running advertisements announcing "No blood diamonds" at her shop and provides necessary documentation.
Lance Ishibashi of Phil's Gold & Diamonds also assures, "All the vendors we work with have sent statements that their diamonds are conflict-free.
"Big companies track their diamonds so they know where they're coming from," he said. "It's when you deal with smaller companies that you may have questions. When people are selling diamonds really cheap, you start to wonder what's wrong with it."
The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou, is set in Sierra Leone circa 1999, during a bloody civil war financed by the precious stones.
AN EPILOGUE informs viewers that trade in blood diamonds has been reduced due to the introduction of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme in 2003. The program requires participants to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are conflict-free. In the United States, the KPCS is enforced by the Clean Diamond Trade Act, also introduced in 2003, which requires annual reviews of U.S. entities that issue KP certificates.
The diamond industry also implemented a system of self-regulation to support the Kimberley Process, covering the entire diamond supply chain, from mine to point of sale.
Reichel saw the film twice in previews earlier this week and, as an advocate for consumer education who will teach a course in gemology at the Honolulu Academy of Arts Linekona School beginning in January, says she welcomes reaction and questions. The film's poster hangs in her store window and she says, "I want people to know that I'm an ethical jeweler who complies with ethical standards."
She seems glad to have the opportunity to open dialogue about the controversy over conflict stones. "At the end of the movie, the audience reaction is very quiet. You could tell they were thinking about it. It's a thinking person's movie.
"Consumers will now be aware of a problem I've been aware of for years. Other dealers have not prepared themselves for this movie. They just want to stick their heads in the sand and hope it goes away, but this will not go away. It's a damaging movie for jewelers and people in the industry who have not done their homework."
"The movie is a wake-up call, not just for the industry, but for consumers," Ishibashi added. "If you're buying cheap diamonds or buying from someone selling out of their home, you might be buying a conflict diamond."
Conflict diamonds still exist, but Reichel did want to clarify one point: The film posits that at the time depicted in the movie, 15 percent of diamonds were conflict diamonds. She said the actual number was closer to 4 percent, and that that number has been reduced to 1 percent.
"More customs agencies are aware of them and will stop them from coming into a country, and a majority of jewelers are ethical. But there are always a few bad apples. That's why it's so important for consumers to take time to know who they're dealing with."
Consumers must also take responsibility for their own actions, Reichel said. She constantly sees people seeking appraisals after buying pieces on the street, only to get angry after finding out the pieces are not what they thought they were buying. While they are quick to blame the dealer, she said, they don't face up to their part in the deception. "They still don't want to admit they've made a mistake."