Monday, December 21, 2009

What do Canadian Diamond Mines have in common with Land Mines?

canadian diamonds- conflict free
Now-- a lot. All due to Igloo Diamonds(www.diamonds.ca).

And in a good way too! This self-defined as "Not for profit only" on line based brand of Canadian diamonds has entered after its 2003 launch a partnership with the UN affiliate of " Adopt-A-Minefield".

It has been a partnership based on a bold premise: from the markup on each of their sold diamond, mined, each, in Canada, the Igloo brand passes a hefty percentage towards landmine clearing in Mozambique in Africa.

The cleared plot is proportionate in size to the price of its clearing and as determined by the particular diamond's contribution. A certificate, complete with a map indicating the location of the plot cleared of land mines is being issued. A product that used to have a bad wrap for generating wartime havoc in Africa, and rightfully so, is reversing wartime scourge in this very same continent!

Thus, an Igloo Diamond is no longer a generic Canadian diamond but, rather, a diamond with difference. A diamond with a footprint somewhere in Mozambique, intimately connected with it through a cluster of inter-related certificates, whereby the diamond's footprint is of a particular size and location, and where a plot of land has been rehabilitated by it for peaceful and life sustenance purposes..

Each diamond is sent accompanied with several certificates and attestations:


Its official reputable grading report (GIA or AGS), an Igloo Diamond certificate;
An Igloo Certificate of Canadian Origin (complete with its "DIN"--"Diamond Identification Number" tying it to the Canadian origin rough);
In addition, the buyer receives also from Adopt -A-Minefield its certificate of mine clearing (containing the grading report's number);
And... a tax deduction receipt for the mine-clearing contribution.
All above certificates quoting the grading report's number for a definite identification and as a mutual anchore.

The contribution is hefty: a full 40%from the diamond price markup, not an elusive, if not illusive single digit percentage from the brand's profit-- an accounting book figure that more often than not might amount to nothing.

An original tension set diamond engagement ring has been created for the purpose, dabbed "The Igloo Solitaire", its criss-cross patterns represents not only an Igloo, but, also, the clearing pattern of a minefield.


The Igloo Solitaire in black Titanium

Who would have thought that Canadian diamond mines and Land Mines could go that far in... bettering the world!

Visit Igloo Diamonds at their site at www.diamonds.ca, accessible also from the ever befitting www.diamonds.org .

Maria da Costa is an HRD (Belgium) Diamond Grading & Identification graduate and an involved and innovative diamond jewelry dealer and designer since 1998.
Images are courtesy of Adopt-A-Minefield and Igloo Diamonds®

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