Diamonds are one of the most sought after gemstones available for jewelry and larger gems fetch thousands of dollars. They are unearthed from mines and often found in riverbeds after being washed up out of the earth. Their beauty is unparalleled and their prices reflect this beauty with many clear, large diamonds selling for tens of thousands of dollars, used for rings, necklaces and other fine jewelry. These loose stones can be purchased online or at jewelry stores in town and all diamonds are certified to assure that you are getting what you pay for in the retail market.

Many years ago, the diamond trade was a source of funding for violent activity in Africa. The government had been seeking a way to reduce the finding of violent activities against its citizens by monitoring the diamond trade to dissuade other countries from buying diamonds that were linked to violent rebel groups. In the late-1990’s it all came to  ahead and leaders began devising a way to certify that the diamonds that were being exported were not related to these groups and that countries would be reprimanded for buying diamonds from these groups. They assumed that if they were able to dissuade others from buying these diamonds, the groups would not have the money or wherewithal to continue fighting and killing innocent people.

Many of the diamonds found and used in jewelry are found in Africa, but many people have used these diamonds to fund uprisings against the countries governments. The Kimberley process was instituted in 2002, and conceived in Kimberley, South Africa in the year 2000. As of 2008, there were 49 members representing 75 countries who were part of this legislation put in place to prevent diamonds from funding violence. The board is governed in a rotating basis and all members must certify that the diamonds they buy and sell are “conflict-free”. Many have scrutinized and criticized the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process which has led some to resign. Recently, Zimbabwe has been at the forefront of this criticism.
Originally, the Kimberley process representatives met to discuss expelling

Zimbabwe due to the overt violence that is reported at the mines in the eastern part of the country, but the motion was dismissed and a monitor was chosen to oversee the export of the diamonds from those mines. This representative was rejected and the government finally settled on a South African to helm the monitoring.

Unfortunately, this monitor will have no real power to stop abuses taking place at the mine as he is only there to make sure that the diamonds exported have the correct certifications, which is one area in which the Zimbabwe mines have no issues. So, the Kimberley Process is being monitored in this area, but the real atrocities will continue as the monitor has no way of stopping such activities until the board figures a way to change their power tactics.

Diamond mining in these poor countries is essential to their economy and there are two companies who claim to own the mines in the region, so there is a power struggle that has resulted in an African court ruling that states that all diamonds found in the mines must be held in a neutral manner until the rightful owner is awarded custody. Later, in a more concentrated effort, the court rules that no mining should take place in eastern Zimbabwe but there have been reports of continued work in that area. Due to the many problems and issues that have arisen, it is possible that Zimbabwe will be expelled from the Kimberley Process, but have vowed to continue to sell diamonds to whomever is willing to buy from them.

There is quite a bit of interest in one particular raw uncut diamond on the market today. This extremely large 507-carat raw uncut diamond was speculated at having the ability to bring in over $30 million on the open market last fall, and today it has been recorded that this rough diamond managed to be sold for a total of $35.3 million, which makes it the absolutely highest selling price for any raw uncut diamond on the market today or in the past. When examining the overall value of this rough diamond, one can break down the worth to a remarkable $69,557 per carat. Nowhere in the world will any individual find a more precious stone that can reap as much as this particular raw uncut diamond. It seems that with this rare diamond, the Petra diamond company is quickly rebounding back from the recession lows that it had experienced in the past year.

The Petra diamond company who possessed this precious gem had it appraised previously at over $25 million by several special analysts and is known as one of the top 20 largest raw uncut diamond gems in the world today. Found last September at the Cullinan mine in South Africa, the Petra diamond company has reflectively named this precious rough diamond the “Cullinan Heritage”. Raw diamond mining at the Cullinan mine near Pretoria in South Africa has been known as one of the best sources of biggest diamond finds, yielding the world’s largest diamond that was discovered back in 1905. This other rare diamond sits at an outstanding 3106 total carats that currently belongs in Britain’s Crown Jewels.

This egg-sized rare diamond find is quickly becoming known not only for its large size but also its remarkable color and clarity as its more significant attributes. Currently there are no plans in place for any further jewelry design ideas or how one would proceed with such a large rare gem, but effectively this celebrity diamond can yield a remarkable ‘D-flawless’ clear and polished stone anywhere between 170-180 carats. A diamond of such beauty can also fetch a significant resale price on the open market. Before any individual of the general public has the opportunity to view and possibly purchase the Cullinan Heritage diamond, it will be certain that much analyzing will occur. Teams of diamond experts and cutters will have to be assembled so that they are sure to scrutinize every possible solution and strategy for how the Cullinan Heritage diamond could be cut and made presentable for possible resale.

The Cullinan Heritage raw diamond was recently purchased by a tender from Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Company Ltd. The purchase and sale of the Cullinan Heritage diamond puts specific emphasis on the interest that China has on the global diamond market and how they are growing contributors, bouncing back from the economic crisis of past years. Many are recognizing China with significant interests in the global diamond market, overtaking Japan as the second most influential country for rare gems. It is not known currently what the plans are for this remarkable rare diamond find, but the ability of this rare diamond to be cut into many other rare stones is a possibility, while keeping the diamond intact can also bring forth an extraordinary treasure for many jewelry designers.

Even though depleting markets and the global recession over the last few years has touched many individuals and businesses, many rare gems including the Cullinan Heritage have sparked a high level of interest, significantly more than first assumed. The diamond market today is currently increasing back to levels seen in 2008 before the economy had suffered a negative impact. Many feel that this raw uncut diamond is just a small step in helping the diamond market regain its notoriety and continues to grow for the open market as part of a successful economy. The interest in raw uncut diamonds is quickly growing, helping make rare diamond finds such as the Cullinan Heritage an even larger find due to its worldwide interest.

Although it may be difficult to imagine such a large rare gem being bought and sold for such a substantial amount of money, many individuals are sure to see other raw uncut diamonds come from diamond mines in South Africa that have been known to produce such rare gems.

Marilyn Monroe made famous the saying “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. These days there is a company that seems to be going beyond that phrase. For a fee, you can now have a diamond made from your best friend, be they human or animal, when they are gone.

LifeGem is a U.S. based company that will take the carbon from the cremated remains of your loved one and turn it into a diamond. They will even let you choose the color of the stone, and for an additional fee will even have it mounted into the setting of your choice. The idea is disturbing for most, but many people have already used the service, and more people appear to be signing up every day. Continue reading »

Diamonds are the most precious jewels with which a jeweler can practice their trade. There are no gems that are so prized as are diamonds and none that commands such a high price. Because of this, some of the most famous jewelers in the world have built their reputations based on their diamond creations. Where the creation of an elegant, glamorous and oftentimes show-stopping piece is concerned, there is no better medium in which these artists may work. Continue reading »

There are very few women who would turn down a large, sparkling diamond. In fact, most are in agreement that the bigger the diamond the better! Where are the biggest stones to be found? While most people have a general idea of the geographic locations of the world’s most significant diamond lodes, most are not aware of the places where the largest diamonds have, or can be found.Interestingly, diamonds appear in many diverse locations around the globe – from Arkansas to South Africa, and some areas are known for producing colored diamonds, while others are known for simply providing true “whoppers”, or stones of outrageous carat count and size

For example, Arkansas yielded the largest diamond ever found in North America, the “Uncle Sam Diamond” weighing in at an impressive forty carats, while the “Star of Africa”, or the Cullinan I was originally part of three thousand one hundred carat monster of a diamond found in a South African diamond mine in the early 1900s. Continue reading »

The collapsing economy has led to a major drop in imports and exports of luxury items. Diamonds are at the top of that list. Diamonds are not mined in the US but the majority of them are cut here. There are only a few deposits in the US that have been discovered. The vast majority of diamonds are imported from other countries. Continue reading »

One of the most amazing things about diamonds is that there are no two alike. Diamonds are mined in Brazil, India, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and Russia, and they are all extraordinarily beautiful. This stone is the hardest known substance and the most durable, which is why it is the perfect choice for any kind of jewelry. These diamonds took millions of years to form deep below the surface of the Earth, making them true treasures. Continue reading »

Diamonds are known to be the hardest naturally occurring substance on earth. They are used as decorative stones, jewelry gifts and very efficient industrial saw blades. By now you probably know that diamonds form deep within the mantle layer of our planet Earth, which is about 200 kilometers deep in the ground. This happens when carbon atoms arrange themselves into a lattice under high pressure from the rocks above. How old are the oldest diamonds and how young are the youngest diamonds? Continue reading »

Diamonds are among the world’s rarest and most precious gems. They are sought all over as pieces of jewelry-from the giant flawless diamonds of the wealthy stars to the slightly yellowed, small and flawed engagement rings of ordinary Americans. Diamonds were first discovered and mined in India in about the year 800 B.C. Very few were mined, and only royalty and those of high wealth could afford to own diamonds. Diamonds have been a popular stone for engagement rings since the founding and exploration of the South African diamond minds by the British in the late 19th century. Before then, only royals and the excessively wealthy could afford jewelry made of diamonds, but these mines made diamonds reasonably priced enough for the public to buy. Continue reading »

The idea of diamonds is a lot of fun for everyone, especially as they are able to purchase beautiful diamonds, regardless of their size. Now, there is one more way that people can purchase diamonds and that is through the new Kono diamond mine.Loose diamonds can be purchased through individuals or through diamond dealers, which will then set the diamonds in different pieces of jewelry. Often, it is the individuals who purchase just the diamond and just the jewelry to have them later pieced together that will get the best deal possible. However, for many people, including celebrities and the social elite, it may not be possible to meet with big diamond companies that sell massive amounts of diamonds to jewelers and businesses with an enormous amount of cash. Continue reading »