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A conflict-free diamond is one whose origins do not fund armed violence. For most people commissioning a piece, the question runs deeper than that single guarantee. Below we set out how the trade polices itself, where those safeguards stop, and the practical routes a responsible jeweller takes to source a stone with a clear conscience.
The Kimberley Process is an international certification scheme introduced in 2003 to keep rough diamonds that fund armed conflict out of the legitimate trade. Member countries agree to trade only with one another, to ship rough stones in tamper-resistant containers, and to accompany each shipment with a government certificate confirming it is free of conflict goods.
It has reshaped the trade. The large majority of diamonds reaching the market today move through this system, and the flow of so-called blood diamonds that financed wars in the 1990s has been substantially reduced.
The scheme is narrow by design, and honesty matters here. Its definition of a conflict diamond covers rough stones used by rebel movements to fund war against a legitimate government. It does not, on its own, address several concerns a thoughtful buyer may hold.
Treating Kimberley certification as the whole answer would overstate what it sets out to do. It is a floor, not a ceiling.
Responsible sourcing means going further than the certificate requires. We work with established, reputable suppliers and ask for provenance and traceability wherever it is available, favouring stones whose chain of custody can be documented. Where a documented origin matters to you, tell us at the outset and we will source accordingly.
Two paths sidestep the questions around mining altogether. Laboratory-grown diamonds are created in a controlled setting and are chemically and optically identical to mined stones, with no extraction involved. Recycled and heirloom diamonds are a second responsible option: an existing stone, often from a family piece, recut or reset into something new. Both sit alongside natural diamonds in the work we do, and every stone we offer is independently graded.
Hatton Garden Bespoke Jewellery has designed and made fine jewellery in London since 1999, and we deal only in conflict-free, responsibly sourced stones. Pricing depends on the piece and is quoted per commission after a consultation. We are happy to talk through the provenance of any diamond before you commit to it, and to set out clearly what we know and what we do not.
Yes. We source only conflict-free, responsibly sourced stones, working with reputable suppliers and seeking provenance and traceability wherever it can be documented.
No, and we would not claim otherwise. The Kimberley Process targets diamonds funding armed conflict. It does not by itself cover working conditions, pay or environmental impact, which is why we look beyond it.
It is one strong option because it involves no mining at all. Recycled and heirloom stones are another. We will set out the trade-offs honestly so the choice is yours, not ours.
To talk through a stone and its origins, book a consultation at our private London studio. You can also read more about our approach to bespoke engagement rings.