AMIIT SONIAMIIT SONI(LABORATORY DIRECTOR, (LABORATORY DIRECTOR,

IGTLJ)IGTLJ)

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GemstonesGemstones

GemstonesGemstones

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Any non-metallic mineral or other natural material (e.g., amber, jet, pearl) that can be cut and polished for use in jewelry and related products.

Mineral gemstonesMineral gemstones include: sapphire, ruby, diamond, emerald, topaz, turquoise and opal

With the exception of diamonds, most

gemstones are highly valued because of their:

BeautyBeauty

RarityRarity

TraditionTradition

Perception of permanencePerception of permanence

Why are some gems so expensive?Why are some gems so expensive?

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New International Version

New American Standard

King James Young’s Literal Translation

Contemporary English Version

New Living Translation

ruby ruby sardius sardius carnelian red carnelian

topaz topaz topaz topaz chrysolite pale-green peridot

beryl emerald carbuncle carbuncle emerald emerald

turquoise turquoise emerald emerald turquoise turquoise

sapphire sapphire sapphire sapphire sapphire blue lapis lazuli

emerald diamond diamond diamond diamond white moonstone

jacinth jacinth ligure opal jacinth orange jacinth

agate agate agate agate agate agate

chrysolite beryl beryl beryl beryl blue-green beryl

amethyst amethyst amethyst amethyst amethyst purple amethyst

onyx onyx onyx onyx onyx onyx

jasper jasper jasper jasper jasper jasper

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Aaron’s Ceremonial BreastplateAaron’s Ceremonial Breastplate"Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double.

Original Publication Date: 1913

Claimed that the twelve stones on Aaron’s breastplate symbolized the 12 months of the year, not the 12 tribes.

The Hebrew calendar contains either 12 or 13 months in a year.

The Curious Lore of The Curious Lore of Precious StonesPrecious Stones

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94.83 CT.

$266.75

14.60 CT.

$737.99Price per CT.

$50Price per CT.

$0.35Janu

ary garnet rose quartzSiO2

18.61 CT.

$626.99

Price per CT.

$34Febr

uary

amethyst onyx9.48 CT.

$9.99Price per CT.

$0.95

SiO2

104.89 CT.

$7,854.59Price per CT.

$75Mar

ch

aquamarine bloodstone3.04 CT.

$12.99Price per CT.

$4.27

SiO2

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15.58 CT.

$93,230.99

42.53 CT.

$119.80

Price per CT.

$5,984Price per CT.

$2.82

June

alexandrite moonstone

4,500.00 CT.

$2,528.75

1.61 CT.

$10,368.40

Price per CT.

$6,440Price per CT.

$0.56

Apr

ildiamond rock crystal

SiO2

4.70 CT.

$29.817.83

4.57 CT.

$9.35

Price per CT.

$6,344Price per CT.

$2.08

May

emerald chrysopraseSiO2

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26.62 CT.

$18,688.16

13.06 CT.

$774.79

31.03 CT.

$23,236.19

18.97 CT.

$160.67Price per CT.

$749Price per CT.

$8

Price per CT.

$702Price per CT.

$57Oct

ober opal tourmaline

Nov

embe

r topaz citrine

Dec

embe

r zircontanzanite5.84 CT.

$219.9513.32 CT.

$6,681.99Price per CT.

$502Price per CT.

$38

SiO2

Diamonds would be moderately expensive for the same reasons other gemstones are (beauty, rarity, tradition, etc.)

However, the price of diamonds is artificially high due to the blatant and highly successful manipulation of the world’s largest diamond conglomerate: DeBeers.

The company maintains a virtual monopoly on jewel-quality diamonds, controlling the supply to keep the price high.

The company also has a series of highly successful marketing campaigns (e.g., “a diamond is forever”) to keep demand high.

Why are some diamonds so expensive?Why are some diamonds so expensive?

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“A Diamond is Forever”

Besides their questionable business practices, DeBeers:

DeBeers and Injustice in AfricaDeBeers and Injustice in Africa

Officially “rejected” apartheid in South Africa, but exploited the system to the benefit of the company (although not the workers).

Continued to engage in apartheid practices at its South African mines long after the apartheid government fell.

Supported the forced removal of the Basarwa people from their traditional lands in Botswana, virtually ensuring the destruction of their culture.

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The diamond trade has also supported both war and terrorismThe diamond trade has also supported both war and terrorism

Conflict DiamondsConflict Diamonds

Bankrolled some of most vicious civil wars in Africa over the last few decades.

Was and perhaps still is used by al-Qaeda groups to raise and move funds.

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BotswanaBotswana

AngolaAngola South AfricaSouth Africa

Dem. Rep. CongoDem. Rep. Congo

NamibiaNamibia

GuineaGuinea

Sierra LeoneSierra Leone

Central African Rep.Central African Rep.

TanzaniaTanzaniaLiberiaLiberia

Ivory CoastIvory Coast

GhanaGhana LesothoLesotho

African Diamond Producing CountriesAfrican Diamond Producing Countries

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Lesotho Intervention (1998)Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana

First Congo War (1996-1997)Dem. Rep. Congo, Rwanda, Uganda (over 200,000 civilian killed)

Great War of Africa (1998-2003)Dem. Rep. Congo, Zimbabwe, Angola, Rwanda, Uganda, Namibia, Chad, Libya, Sudan, Burundi (5,400,000 deaths

Angolan Civil War (1975-2002)(over 500,000 military casualties)Guinea-Bissau Civil War (1998-1999)

First Liberian Civil War (1989-1996)(over 200,000 killed)Sierra Leone Civil War (1991-2002)(~75,000 dead)

Wars in African Diamond-Producing Nations Since 1990

Ivory Coast Civil War (2002-2007)

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Human Rights Abuses by RUF (Sierra Leone rebel group)

Massacres, Individual Murders, and Fire-Related Deaths

Burning Alive The Use of Games to Maximize Terror Mutilation and Amputation Rape and Sexual Assault Abduction

Targeting of Particular Groups The Use of Civilians as Human Shields The Use of Drugs by the RUF and Forced Drugging of Civilians Treatment of Prisoners Violations of Medical Neutrality

Human Rights Abuses by RUF (Sierra Leone rebel group) “Some of the atrocities committed by the RUF rebels were unthinkable. Infants and children were thrown into burning houses, the hands of toddlers as young as two were severed with machetes, girls as young as eight were sexually abused, and hundreds of children of all ages were traumatically separated from their communities and forced to walk into the hills with strangers whom they had seen kill their family members. In some cases children, many of them originally abductees, participated in the perpetration of these abuses. Child combatants armed with pistols, rifles, and machetes actively participated in killings and massacres, severed the arms of other children, and beat and humiliated men old enough to be their grandfathers. Often under the influence of drugs, they were known and feared for their impetuosity, lack of control, and brutality. http://www.igtlj.com

27% of shops were able assure us that they had a policy on conflict diamonds. 30% of the shops that said they had a policy were unable to produce a hard copy or explain it.

13% of shops provided warranties to their customers as a standard practice. 37% of the shops claimed to be aware of the conflict diamonds issue, but 54% of them reported an inaccurate definition of the crisis.

28% of the shops were aware of the Kimberley Process. 29% of those who were aware of the Kimberley Process had only a minimal or limited understanding of it.

When asked whether consumers inquired about conflict diamonds, 83% of respondents answered rarely or never.

110 shops refused outright to take the survey.

National Day of Action on Conflict DiamondsSeptember 18, 2004

Amnesty International surveyed 246 stores in 50 U.S. cities:Amnesty International surveyed 246 stores in 50 U.S. cities:

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The majority of the top-selling US retail jewelers that provided information to Global Witness and Amnesty International do not have adequate policies in place to combat blood diamonds. A survey, conducted by Global Witness and Amnesty International between December 2006 and February 2007, queried the 37 jewelry retailers listed collectively by National Jeweler magazine as The $100 Million Supersellers on their policies to stop the trade in blood diamonds.

56% of respondents had no auditing procedures to combat blood diamonds.56% of respondents had no auditing procedures to combat blood diamonds.57% of respondents had no policy posted on their websites.57% of respondents had no policy posted on their websites.50% of these huge retailers did not respond at all.50% of these huge retailers did not respond at all.

The survey also noted that a few industry leaders such as Helzberg Diamond Shops, Sterling (Signet) and Tiffany & Co. have taken stronger measures to combat conflict diamonds.

Conflict DiamondsConflict DiamondsUS jewelry retailers still not doing enoughUS jewelry retailers still not doing enough

Published February, 2007

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