Conflict Diamonds are diamonds that are sold in exchange for funding civil wars and other forms of terrible conflict. Rebel groups in Angola such as the National Union for the total independence of Angola (UNITA) sold these diamonds to fund their war campaigns against their government in 1992. Former Liberian president Charles Taylor was accused or trading weapons and military training to rebel groups in Sierra Leone in exchange for diamonds in year 2000. Nowadays, these diamonds are being boycotted by most bijoux stores, and a number of laws were passed in many countries around the world to make sure that these precious jewels are never used for war.

When buying loose diamonds, how would you know if these gems are actually "conflict-free"? As of today, almost 90% of diamond suppliers around the world follow the Kimberly process - a process that is used to verify the origins of rough diamonds, making sure that diamonds they supply are actually conflict-free. They actually have a number of different working groups to monitor each member of the process, making sure that every member follows their standards.

When shopping online, Diamond stores and sites would usually guarantee that their diamonds are conflict-free, so be sure to look for a statement or page that states that their diamonds passed the standards of the Kimberly process. Remember that you, the consumer, can help stop anymore of these conflict diamonds from being sold in the market by asking your distributor about the details of the diamond's origin.

So before you buy a diamond, imagine first what it would be like if you're living in a country where these gems are actually being used to start so much chaos. Just think about how these diamonds can cause so many problems if you don't do something about it. The next time you buy a diamond, be a responsible consumer and help prevent these conflict diamonds from being sold.