Shopping Tips

• When buying diamonds, always buy from reputable retailers that you trust and who can attest to the origins of the gold, diamonds and gemstones they sell.

• If your jeweler sells African diamonds, ask for the supplier's name and if he or she can provide a Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) "Certificate of Origin." Shipments of diamonds from Kimberley Process participating countries are shipped with these certificates, which state that the diamonds came from government-controlled areas where conflict diamond mining is at a minimum. Participating countries, including the U.S., are allowed to trade only with other Kimberley Process participants.

• The KPCS has been criticized for being too lax, and often, jewelers don't have certificates of origin on hand. If that's the case, ask your jeweler which company supplies the store's gold and diamonds, and research that particular supplier's standards and policies before purchasing.