ANNOUNCEMENT - FEBRUARY 1, 2009
In 2009, The Conflict-Free Diamond Council will move beyond recommendations to official endorsements for certification programs.
As part of our Diamond Audit Program, we will rate and grade certification programs against a stringent set of best practices.
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The Conflict-Free Diamond Council currently recommends the Government Certified Canadian Diamond (GCCD) certification program.
The GCCD program is the original certification program and is administered by Canada’s Government of the Northwest Territories.Advantages:• The GCCD program establishes a “chain of custody” program that provides proof your diamond is a government-certified Canadian diamond. While the purpose of the GCCD is to protect the integrity of “Northwest Territories Diamonds” it also provides significant assurances to consumers that they are not purchasing a conflict or blood diamond.• The GCCD program is the oldest certification/chain of custody program.• Every diamond carries a serial number and is individually recorded in a confidential centralized database.• Government-certified Canadian diamonds are mined, cut, and polished in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.Disadvantages:• The program only has a few stakeholders.
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The Conflict-Free Diamond Council currently recommends the Canadian Diamond Code of Conduct (CDCC) certification program.
The CDCC is a voluntary program and policy stating when a diamond can be represented as “Canadian.” It also provides a minimum standard for authenticating Canadian diamonds. While the purpose of the CDCC is to protect the integrity of “Canadian Diamonds,” it also provides significant assurances to consumers that they are not purchasing a conflict or blood diamond.
Advantages:
• The CDCC establishes a minimum standard to validate a Canadian diamond based on a “chain of custody” (specifically a paper trail and a chain of warranties).
• The CDCC is the most comprehensive and collaborative effort to establishing the “chain of custody” and involves the following stakeholders: The diamond mining sector, cutters and polishers, retailers, the Canadian Jewellers Association, the Jewellers Vigilance Canada, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
• The CDCC requires a Diamond Identification Number: the unique number and trademark symbols that must be permanently inscribed on the girdle of the polished diamond.
Disadvantages:
• The CDCC states that a diamond mined in Canada qualifies, but the diamond may be cut and polished in Canada or abroad.
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