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Diamonds are the international symbol for wealth and luxury. It is a multi-billion dollar industry. Demand for them maintains to be high despite the rocky global economy. A thing of beauty has been used as the tool to fund wars and acts of terror. Consumers must be sure to purchase only conflict free diamonds.

These are stones that are guaranteed to have come from a source that is ethically and environmentally responsible. These are produced without any violence or abuses to people or the environment. It is estimated that ninety-nine percent of the precious stones sold are produced violence free.

The term "Blood diamond" was coined because millions of people have been enslaved, tortured, and killed to mine the stones. Profit from them funded guerilla and terrorist activities. Countries like The Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia have at one point or the other been part of the illegal trade.

In 1998 an investigation revealed how civil wars were being funded by illicitly mined stones being sold in the international market. Names of the people and companies involved were exposed. This led to the creation of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme.

The Kimberly process has several guidelines. First it seeks to ensure that sales of the stones are not used to fund an entity trying to overthrow a legitimate government. Second each stone exported is accompanied by a Kimberly Process Certificate. Third that participating countries do not import or export stones from non-member countries.

It is through media campaigns that the atrocities have been brought to light. International artists have used movies and songs as a medium of social awareness. It is now impossible to ignore the lives lost in the process of getting that pretty diamond ring on your finger.

When purchasing jewelry make sure they are made with conflict free diamonds. Request to see the certification. A reputable dealer or jeweler should be able to produce it. This simple request can help put a stop to the violence.