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Q: Manmade Diamonds ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Manmade Diamonds
Category: Reference, Education and News > Consumer Information
Asked by: davextreme-ga
List Price: $50.00
Posted: 07 Nov 2003 11:39 PST
Expires: 07 Dec 2003 11:39 PST
Question ID: 273610
I recently read the Wired New article
(http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/diamond.html) about manmade
diamonds.  I would like to buy a dimaond engagement ring, but won't
buy one from a DeBeers mine.  I am interested in "cultured diamonds,"
but haven't been able to find many resources online about them.  Of
the two labs listed in the article, Gemesis only seems to sell colored
diamonds, which I don't want, and Apollo Diamonds hasn't responded to
my query.  Google searches bring up "RostarSR," which don't appear to
be actual diamonds but fake ones.

I'm looking for stores where I can buy manmade diamonds.  I live in
the Washington, DC metro area, so they should be either available
online or from semi-local retailers.  I'd prefer something made by
Apollo Diamonds, but any non-DeBeers manmade diamond will do.

The answer I'd like would either be:
1) stores where I can buy manmade diamond rings for a lower cost than
those of DeBeers' diamonds

or

2) information on how/where to buy natural diamonds that didn't come
from a DeBeers mine.

Request for Question Clarification by tar_heel_v-ga on 07 Nov 2003 20:55 PST
Would something like this suffice?

http://www.phoenixice.com/

Clarification of Question by davextreme-ga on 07 Nov 2003 22:07 PST
The Phoenix option looks interesting, and I'm going to try to track
down some info on them.  My major concern is 1) getting a real diamond
that didn't came from DeBeers, and 2) not paying thousands and
thousands of dollars for it.  This isn't because I'm cheap, but
because diamonds aren't actually rare and DeBeers are the only ones
keeping the price artificially high.  Are there natural diamond
sellers out there who came from independent mines?
Answer  
Subject: Re: Manmade Diamonds
Answered By: digsalot-ga on 07 Nov 2003 23:30 PST
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hello there

This answer is based on the second acceptable answer to your question:
"2) information on how/where to buy natural diamonds that didn't come
from a DeBeers mine."

If I am reading your question properly, it seems a sense of 'ethics'
lies behind it as much as price or whether the stone is man made or
natural.  I also feel you would like to get the best possible in the
way of quality for price.  I agree that African mined stones carry a
lot of political baggage and a surprising amount of baggage caused by
human suffering through mistreatment and death of miners, the
unethical holding hostage of host governments by outside concerns and
other practices which give a moral cloud of uncertainty to the most
brilliant of African stones. Too many of these stones are "conflict
diamonds," or diamonds that fuel conflicts in Africa and terrorism
elsewhere.

However, there is another source of fine diamonds which is
unfortunately unknown to large numbers of diamond buyers, especially
to those who are looking for conflict and bloodshed free stones.

The diamonds of Canada.

Since in your question you stated "online" would be acceptable, it
might be the best way to go.  The reason being, I feel you would want
to be certain your stone was a Canadian Certified gem rather than one
being "passed off" as a Canadian stone by some who may be less than
scrupulous.  As of now, there is only one sanctioned dealer in the US
for stones from the diamond mine of Canada, EKATI.  These online
merchants also let you where in Canada the stone was mined and some
are even direct mine outlets.  I am mentioning that because there are
also diamond sellers in Canada who advertise "ethically mined" stones,
yet later on their website they also admit to purchasing from
international brokers.  These sites may very well be legit, but it is
just something you might want to look for if you decide to purchase a
Canadian diamond.

I will provide a small list of dealers who are in the category of
marketing certified, mine identified Canadian stones..  I have no
commercial relationship with any of them and offer no recommendations.
 However, it will give you a place to begin your ring shopping.  I
have seen Canadian stones.  They are beautiful.

http://www.elegantjewellery.com/AboutCanadianDiamonds.asp - "Elegant
Jewellery.com - This companies stones are mined and cut in the
Northwest Territories and carry certification.  They explain how their
stones are certified and identified.  They ship to the US and to the
UK.  Overnight shipping on orders of more than $200.

http://www.diamonds.ca/igloodiamonds.htm - "Igloo Diamonds" - This
company specializes in loose stones you can have mounted as you wish. 
They also have a page explaining why it is good to buy your Canadian
diamond loose, including the following two important items - - "Its
mining had been subjected to rigorous environmental impact studies and
a bond had been posted to guaranty removal of all environmental
damage, if any, during or after termination of mining, All employed
manpower benefits from Canada's high Labour Standards,..."

http://www.aurias.com/en/index.shtml - This is the website of AURIAS
Diamonds.  You can learn the history of the discovery and mining of
Canadian diamonds.  While they do not sell directly, you can find a
listing of certified and trusted dealers.  So far, the only one in the
US is in San Francisco.  AURIAS diamonds are a product of EKATI mine
in the Northwest Territories.

You may be interested to know that diamond mining in Canada did not
begin until 1998.  It is an amazing story.  You will find it here:
http://www.nature.ca/discover/treasures/trsite_e/trmineral/tr3/tr3amaze.html

As for Apollo diamonds - - - "The Apollo process begins with a seed
diamond, about one-tenth of a carrot. It's placed in a vacuum where
carbon gas is added, atom by atom. Those atoms stick to the surface of
the seed and grow into a diamond. Apollo said that the gemstones are
as pure in composition as the purest mined diamonds." - quote from
theBakersfieldchannel.com - - - The Apollo diamond may be beautiful,
but the seed diamond has to come from someplace and African production
mines are the major source for such seeds and other small stones.  I'm
not saying that the seeds "are" from there, but unless it was
demonstrated otherwise, it would seem logical that at least some of
the seed diamonds are from African or DeBeers sources.

Search - Google
Terms - non conflict diamonds, canadian diamonds, and remembering a
news story I heard on CNN several months ago.

Websites used are included in the answer.

If I may clarify anything, please ask.

Cheers
digsalot

Clarification of Answer by digsalot-ga on 07 Nov 2003 23:44 PST
I noticed your clarification response after I posted the answer.  Go
to the Elegantjewellery website in the answer and click on "rings." 
You will find many beautiful engagement rings which do not cost
thousands and thousands of dollars.

digs
davextreme-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars
Thank you!  That was a very informative response and seems to have
given me just want I wanted.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Manmade Diamonds
From: shiva777-ga on 07 Nov 2003 16:56 PST
 
I believe that the colored diamonds are where the money is at. Until
these diamons are being mass produced (which they are not yet), you
may not be able to find an uncolored one. I'm not positive, but
believe this is the case.  -shiva777
Subject: Re: Manmade Diamonds
From: alanna-ga on 07 Nov 2003 19:51 PST
 
It would appear that deBeers has a monopoly in virtually all
diamond-mining countries except Russia. Perhaps an email or phone call
to the Russian Diamond Syndicate in New York might be useful to you:

http://www.russiandiamondssyndicate.com/

It is probable that Apollo didn't answer your query because they are
not yet marketing their stones:

http://www.diamondcuttersintl.com/diamond_education/ask/view_item.asp?id=9809

Yours is a noble quest.  Good luck,

Alanna-ga
Subject: Re: Canadian Diamonds
From: wenanator-ga on 19 Nov 2003 19:53 PST
 
If you are looking for a Canadian Diamond and don't want to spend a
heck of a lot more, but want more interesting ring ideas as opposed to
bland 4 prong mass produced rings, I would suggest
www.canadian-diamonds-wholesale.com  That's where I got my fully NWT
certed Canadian Diamond Ring, minus the Debeers monopoly.

Cheers and good luck.
Subject: Re: Manmade Diamonds
From: mcmurphy-ga on 30 Nov 2003 06:17 PST
 
Canadian Diamonds as well as Russian Diamonds (official stones)  are
controlled by De Beers.
If you like Monopolies or not, the fact remains. Since Mr. Oppenheimer founded
the Syndicate, it not only controls the diamond prices world wide, it also brought
stability to the whole trade. If you purchase a diamond that never passed through
the Diamond Trading Company (De Beers), you could easily sponsor the Russian Mafia
and worse. I got pretty involved in the story before I finally bought
my rock, I would only
purchase a Natural Diamond, and it took me about 6 month of search and
research. I am very happy
with my Diamond and know today that I made the right decision. Try my
source, it is the Canadian based
(Ontario) DWC Inc., their web site:
www.DiamondWholesaleCorporation.com , top quality stones for the
lowest price that I could find in these (intensive) 6 month.

Good luck to you!

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