Tiffany Commits To Sourcing Transparency For Diamonds .18 Carats and Larger

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Tiffany & Co appears on AOC frequently, given their significant contributions to wildlife conservation, frequently working with superhuman Doutzen Kroes. Tiffany & Co understands that younger customers have different values from their parents and grandparents, when the topic is inclusivity and responding to our global climate crisis. These younger customers are also concerned about the sourcing of their products in an industry known for some heartless business practices around the world.

The Fifth Avenue jeweler has now committed to full transparency around the origins and ultimately the journey from mining to a sale at Tiffany & Co of all of its diamonds (0.18 and larger.

The diamond’s provenance will be listed directly next to the stone in stores, and a unique serial number, invisible to the naked eye, will be laser-etched on the gem’s surface. By 2020, the jewelry house vows to share the entire craftsmanship journey of each diamond, including cutting and polishing workshops in addition to the mine’s location.

The Fifth Avenue jeweler has now committed to full transparency around the origins and ultimately the journey from mining to a sale at Tiffany & Co of all of its diamonds (0.18 and larger.)

“Through transparency in sourcing and craftsmanship, we hope that people will further understand the important journey of a Tiffany diamond, and its positive impacts around the world,” said Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer at Tiffany & Co.

Will Sara Sampaio Also Become A Graff Muse For The 'Peace' Diamond Campaign?

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Portuguese model and VS Angel Sara Sampaio is the new face of Graff Diamonds.Lensed by Patrick Demarchelier for Graff's Green Lady campaign Sara shines wearing a pair of 50 carat emerald cut diamond earrings as well as a 35 carat emerald cut D Flawless diamond ring. 

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The 'Peace' Diamond From Sierre Leone

AOC hasn't written about diamonds and blood diamonds for several years, but the journey to market of the 'Peace' diamond caught our attention.

It was Laurence Graff who won the Dec. 2017 bidding in New York, acquiring the so-called 'Peace' diamond from the government of Sierra Leone. 

The stone is the third largest diamond in the country's history and the 14th biggest ever discovered worldwide, according to the Rapaport Group, the jewelry auction organization that helped bring the stone to auction. Note that the Rapaport Group is also a leader in fair trade and ethical diamond mining.

The 'Peace' diamond arrived in New York for the December 2017 auction with a cloud over its head. At an earlier auction in Sierra Leone, the diamond brought only $7.8 million at auction and did not meet the floor price.

Because the 'Peace' diamond brought even less money at $6.5 million in New York than the $7.8 million rejected in Sierra Leone, disappointment is understandable. 

“What is the value of the life of a child in Sierra Leone? What is the value of clean water? That’s the value, that’s here. And that’s what Laurence Graff is buying,” said Chairman of Rapaport Group, Martin Rapaport. Note that I'm not clear if Rapaport's comments came before or after the sale. But they appeared in a March 5, 2018 article on Africanews.com, talking about Sierra Leone's history in blood diamonds. According to World Bank data, Sierra Leone’s gross national income per capita stood at $620 in 2015.

Related. This story is unfolding in several parts, one more interesting than the next. This is the first chapter -- modified tonight based on new research. 

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