James Allen's Conflict-Free Diamond Policy

At James Allen, every diamond we sell is certified conflict-free, assuring you that our inventory was procured through legal sources. In compliance with the Patriot Act, the Kimberly Process, and various United Nations resolutions, the diamonds we sell have been obtained using legitimate means.

Conflict-Free Diamonds - Our Guarantee

Conflict-free diamonds are those gems which were not obtained in association with human rights abuses, child labor, violence, or environmental degradation. Although the United Nation’s Kimberley Process only covers diamonds under the control of legitimate and recognized governments, conflict-free goes one step further by rejecting diamonds from governments that trade in diamonds to bankroll their conflicts.

Blood Diamonds - Financing Death and Environmental Destruction

Throughout the 1990s, most of the world's diamonds came from Africa, particularly regions undergoing civil unrest. Rebel armies in parts of Africa were exploiting alluvial diamond fields to fund their wars against established governments, putting people and the environment in the middle of their conflicts. Alluvial diamonds are found just inches to a few feet below the surface, making them easier to mine, but having an adverse impact on the environment. The people working these fields were often very young and subject to exploitation, with some losing their lives or becoming permanently maimed as wars raged around them. Hence, the term blood diamonds came into being to describe these types of gems.

Kimberley Compliant and America's Patriot Act

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was established to certify the origin of rough diamonds from sources known to be conflict-free. A 2000 meeting of southern African diamond producing countries established guidelines for the KPCS, which were later adopted by the United Nations. To ensure compliance, independent auditing systems are tasked with tracking diamonds from their place of origin to delivery. Polished diamonds sold in the U.S. must adhere to the Patriot Act which requires that every U.S. dealer maintain Kimberley compliance or be subject to penalties from Homeland Security, the U.S. Justice Department, and the U.S. Treasury.

The James Allen Initiative

At James Allen, we are doing our part to make sure that our customers receive conflict-free diamonds. Specifically, our internal guidelines exceed government requirements, an initiative that provides the following:

• James Allen manufactures most of our own diamonds. Since we are the source, James Allen has first-hand knowledge of the conflict-free origins of our rough diamonds.
• James Allen does not purchase polished diamonds from sources which are not members of the professional diamond trade.
• James Allen has binding contracts with our suppliers which guarantee that the diamonds they offer to us for sale are conflict-free.

We understand that our customers care where their diamonds come from and we share that concern with you. By shopping James Allen, we strive to maintain the highest standards, which include sourcing diamonds from reputable providers.