WASHINGTON DIAMOND

Washington Diamond is a Source of Conflict Free Canadian Diamonds

    FALLS CHURCH, Va., Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- With the release of the
movie Blood Diamond there is a heightened public awareness of the problem
with certain African diamonds. Washington Diamond, located in Falls Church,
Virginia, has made it their mission over the last 7 years to provide people
with conflict free diamonds. Not all diamonds come from Africa, in fact
Australia, Russia and Canada are huge sources of diamonds.
    "We sourced diamonds from Canada three years before the Kimberly
Process even existed," said Walter Via -- Sales Manager. "Washington area
customers are known to be very smart. They are socially and environmentally
responsible and count on us to provide them with conflict free diamonds."
We have been pro active in sourcing diamonds, even when most companies were
either unaware or didn't care about the issues.
    How to avoid buying a Conflict Diamond
    The Kimberley Process, launched in January 2003, is an international
diamond certification system to eradicate the trade in conflict diamonds.
It requires governments to implement export/import controls in rough
diamonds to prevent diamonds from fueling war and human rights abuses and
from financing terrorist activities. The Kimberley Process was negotiated
by governments, NGOs and the diamond trade, in response to a campaign
against the trade in conflict diamonds.
    Some diamonds come with a "Certificate of Origin." There are known
areas where blood diamonds originate, and with these certificates, you have
a way of knowing the origin or "birth place" of your diamond. In addition
to this, Amnesty International suggests asking four questions when you are
shopping for diamonds:
    1) Ask the salespeople how you can be sure that what they are selling are
       conflict free diamonds.
    2) Ask them if they know where their diamonds come from.
    3) Ask for the company policy on purchasing diamonds.
    4) Ask if they can show you a written guarantee from their suppliers.
    If the retailer is unable to answer the questions Amnesty International
suggests that you go someplace else. They might be unable to answer you
simply because they themselves do not have assurances as to the nature of
their goods. If they are unwilling to help you with your questions, they
might have something to hide.
    What some of our customers had to say:

     "My basic reason for wanting a Canadian diamond was that I did not want
     what might be a conflict diamond. Somewhere along the way I heard about
     the diamond mines in Canada.  This solved my concerns.  Now when people
     admire my ring, I can tell them where it came from and why we purchased
     it."

     Pat Donnelly, Washington DC

     "Buying a Canadian diamond was an easy choice.  First off, I knew all the
     benefits.  I knew the person who mined the diamond was paid a good wage.
     I knew the mining process had less environmental impact.  But most
     importantly, I knew where the diamond was coming from.  It was that peace
     of mind that I was not blindly or inadvertently contributing to the
     proliferation of senseless and bloody conflict that made the purchase of
     a Canadian diamond worth every cent.  I did my own research.  I knew that
     any diamond of unknown origin was a risky purchase.  Not just for
     quality, but for the peace of mind.  I bought a beautiful diamond, I knew
     where it came from and I never looked back.  It worked to; almost every
     friend of mine who became engaged after me purchased a Canadian diamond
     or at least a non-conflict diamond certified by the Kimberly Process."

     Jesse Eaves, Washington DC
    The easy way to ensure you have a conflict free diamond is a
"Certificate of Origin" from a continent other than Africa. Are all African
diamonds bad? Nelson Mandela is a supporter of the legitimate diamond trade
and knows what good it can do and how important it is to the African
economy. The UN General Assembly is quick to point out that diamonds mined
and sold legally help the economy and promote prosperity in certain parts
of Africa. Botswana is a prime example of how the diamond industry has
benefited African nations. Before it became a diamond exporter its economy
depended mostly upon livestock. 36% of Botswana's rapid economic growth is
due to its diamond mining industry. It is now regarded by economists to be
one of Africa's major success stories.
    Links:
    http://www.stopblooddiamonds.org/
    http://www.amnesty.org/
    http://www.canadamark.com/
    EKATI Diamond Mine Canada (See Image Library)
    http://ekati.bhpbilliton.com/

    Testimonials:
    http://www.washingtondiamond.com/testimonials.htm?utm=sidenav/

    Washington Diamond
    1243 West Broad Street
    Falls Church, VA 22046
    703-536-3600
    http://www.washingtondiamond.com
    A family owned business, located in Falls Church, Virginia, in
operation since 1969. We sell Conflict Free GIA & AGS certified diamonds.
We are a private consultation and "by appointment only" business. We
specialize in one-of-a-kind, hand made pieces. At Washington Diamond, we
take pride in creating a special relationship with our clients. The jewelry
we produce will be forever tied to an important moment in the recipients'
life.