Jewelers buy their stones from a variety of locations, and there are many different options depending on where you live. If you’re in the US, then it is possible to purchase them from wholesalers like Rosy Blue or online retailers like the Blue Nile.
If you’re in Europe, then your best bet would be to go through Antwerp Diamonds or one of its sister companies such as Rapaport Diamonds USA. On the other hand, if you’re in Hong Kong or Singapore where De Beers has an office, then they can be purchased through their retail partner Forevermark.
No matter where jewelers get their diamonds from though, it’s important that they know where these diamonds come from to help them determine their real value.
Also, the type of diamond jeweler you are will determine where you get your stones from!
What Is Diamond Sourcing?
The process where jewelers get their diamonds is called “diamond sourcing.”
In order to have a well-rounded understanding of where do jewelers get their diamonds from, it’s important to understand where they originate from. Diamonds are naturally occurring stones, where they form in the Earth’s crust and take millions of years to be formed. The bulk majority of diamonds today come from Africa where it is said that 70% to 90% of them originate there (a pretty significant percentage).
Although most stones still come from their natural source, they are also created synthetically. As the stones originate in such a way, there is still a risk of human involvement where diamond laundering can take place where it might be difficult to determine what was mined and where it has been sourced from. This practice is illegal as well as unethical considering that many people believe that where they are buying their diamonds from is important.
While it might be difficult to determine where jewelers get their diamonds, there are ways to look out for any signs of diamond laundering so buyers know they have a genuine stone in front of them and not one that has been sourced illegally or synthetically made somewhere else on the other side of the world.
As a result, the process of diamond sourcing involves both looking for diamonds from their source and using lab-created ones. There are significant differences between natural stones and laboratory-made stones which often lead to questions about where jewelers get their diamonds. It is important that buyers know what they’re buying before making a purchase.
In conclusion, diamond sourcing is an extensive process that involves both natural and lab-created stones from sources around the world. It has been said that Africa accounts for a bulk majority of diamonds, but it’s important to remember laboratory-made stones as well when looking at where jewelers get their diamonds from.
What Is Ethical Diamond Sourcing?
There are a variety of factors to consider when it comes to ethical diamond sourcing. Many times, people simply think buying from a company that has an environmental policy is enough; however, there’s more to the story than this. If you want your diamonds and jewelry items sourced in an honest manner, then you will need to be sure you are working with someone who is not only committed to having an environmental policy but also practice what it says.
Diamonds that will be used in jewelry items should never come from mines that pay their workers poorly, if at all. There’s no excuse for this type of behavior and the companies behind these practices need to be held accountable to the fullest extent.
Diamonds that come from these types of mines are often not only mined in a harmful manner, but they will also contain a higher amount of impurities and lead to less brilliant diamonds after being cut and polished. This means you aren’t going to get as much value out of them as you would like.
Diamonds that are mined, processed, and sold in an honest manner will have a higher price tag associated with them because of this. However, they are worth the investment more than anything else for multiple reasons including their ethical nature as well as the quality of product yielded from these diamonds is much better compared to those that were mined in an unfair manner.
When you purchase diamonds from a company that has ethical practices, then it means they will also be better for the environment and society as a whole because of how they were sourced and treated overall. This is something to keep in mind before buying any type of diamond or jewelry item made with these stones.
Understanding The Origin of Diamonds
Many jewelers buy their diamonds from different sources. They need to understand the origin of these stones before they can purchase them as well as how other people perceive these pieces.
The first thing that a person should do is research where the diamond came from and what it’s worth in terms of its value, or clarity, and color assessment. Only then will a person know if they are getting a good deal.
How Diamonds Get From Mines To Stores
There are many steps in getting a diamond from the mines to your local jewelry store. Diamonds get shipped around the world and can be bought by both large stores and individual jewelers looking for profit. The majority of diamonds end up traveling halfway across the globe before they reach their final destination: either in another part of Africa or abroad (to places like America, Japan, and Europe).
Diamonds from Africa are typically brought to either Antwerp or Tel Aviv. In these diamond hubs, they will then be sorted by size, shape, and color into large batches of diamonds that all have similar qualities. Diamonds can also originate in Russia but usually end up shipped through Dubai before making their way to Antwerp.
Diamonds are then sorted again into smaller batches, depending on size and clarity. The larger diamonds will be kept separate from the smaller ones in order for them not to get mixed up when they are being sold or sent off to other countries. Some of these diamonds that have met their standards can be bought by individual jewelers.
While many diamonds are being sent off to other countries, others will be sold on the local market in Africa as well as some parts of India and China. Most diamonds that make it to this stage end up staying within their country since they do not meet the grading standards for international trading yet (they may have small flaws or contain large amounts of graining).
The Most Common Forms Of Diamond Sourcing
There are several common ways to source diamonds. Most jewelers choose one of the following options:
- Diamond mining companies, who provide rough stones wholesale or direct from their mines
- Diamond brokers, who buy and sell finished diamonds at high volumes in order to offer low prices on value grades for resale by independent retailers like your jeweler
Diamond Mining Companies
There are several large publicly traded mining companies based around the world which mine for rough stones and sell them directly to wholesalers or cutters/polishers. Some of the most notable are DeBeers, Rio Tinto Diamonds, ALROSA, and Dominion Diamond Mines.
Pros: Some of the best-known jewelry brands in the world purchase their stones directly from these mining companies because they are guaranteed to be conflict-free and socially responsible. Plus, many retailers find it easier to procure large quantities of stones from a single source.
Diamond Brokers
As mentioned before diamond brokers do not mine for diamonds themselves but buy finished stones from various sources including mining companies, cutters/polishers, or even retailers who have bought them through other channels to resell them in the wholesale market.
Pros: Many diamond brokers offer lower prices than mining companies and even some jewelers because of their sheer buying power in the wholesale market. And while they may not carry every type and grade of stone you could possibly want, if they don’t have what you’re looking for on hand there’s a good chance they can source it for you.
Diamond Brokers Vs Diamond Mining Companies Vs Jewelers
The diamond mining companies and broker channels generally have higher prices than buying diamonds from a jeweler because their margins are lower, but this may not always be the case since some retail brands purchase directly through brokers to offer reduced-price value grades of finished stones without sacrificing quality.
There are pros and cons to working with diamond mining companies, diamond brokers, or jewelers to buy diamonds. One of the primary differences is that most rough stones come from Africa while finished diamonds typically come from India or China so if you have a strong desire to work with diamonds from a specific region you’ll need to choose your diamond source accordingly.
Conclusion
There are several ways to source diamonds from the mining industry, but each channel has its pros and cons so it’s important for jewelers to do their research before making a purchase.
This blog post should help you better understand where diamond retailers get their stones from in order to provide valuable information that can ultimately benefit your customers.