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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