"As a company J.R.Dunn has always been involved in charities and our local community. We believe it's important to giveback. When I saw the opportunity to represent natural diamonds that have a positive impact on local communities where they were mined, I thought it aligned incredibly well with our core beliefs."- Sean DunnWhat makes this connection to the source even more powerful is that we are using brand new technology on the Tracr platform enhanced by AI to be able to track the origin of diamonds formed billions of years ago from the mine where they were found in their rough form all the way through cutting, polishing and ultimately ending up for sale at J.R.Dunn.Not only does that guarantee the diamond is 100 percent natural but it also gives the consumer ultimate peace of mind knowing that this natural diamond has been ethically sourced through a transparent chain of custody from mine to market. This is the biggest tool in our arsenal to defeat conflict diamonds.The truth of the matter is that the natural diamond industry hasn't effectively communicated the good work that it does in society to firmly establish single origin natural diamonds as the ethical choice. We are setting out to change that.Traceable natural diamonds are a superior product to lab diamonds in terms of transparency and only a minute fraction of lab producers are able to stand up to their eco-friendly claims plus the sourcing of labs is quite opaque.Single Origin Natural DiamondsFor the first time on display at J.R.Dunn you will be able to see what the polished diamond in front of you looked like and weighed in its rough crystal form. We can tell you where it was mined, show you how it was cleaved as well as the cut details on the finished diamond."These natural diamonds are perfect for an heirloom piece. Having never been circulated before, each one has the ability to symbolize a love story that is uniquely your own."- Sean DunnEvery bit of this information is permanently logged on the Tracr blockchain accessible by scanning a QR code on our diamond cards and eventually on all of our GIA certificates as well.Our first batch of single origin natural diamonds feature diamonds from South Africa, Namibia and we have others on the way from Botswana. Each of these countries have their own stories of how diamonds benefit the local people where diamonds are a natural resource.Are Single Origin Natural Diamonds More Expensive?Given all of the positive aspects you would think they would be but since we are buying these directly from a triple sightholder with cutting factories at the source they are no more expensive than any other natural diamonds of the same caliber!How Do These Single Origin Diamonds Benefit the Countries Where They Are Mined?Origin - South AfricaThe state of the art factory where our diamonds are being cut in Johannesburg is known to cut large, high quality, exceptionally beautiful diamonds and has an extremely skilled workforce. In fact a lot of the locals who learn diamond cutting start as trainees in this Johannesburg factory and go on to become experts in their craft before returning back to Botswana or Namibia to help share their knowledge and experience in the factories there.Mining and cutting are just the beginning of how South Africa hopes to develop sustainable careers around its diamond resources. The country is encouraging local jewelry design and promoting the learning of jewelry manufacturing skills which will contribute lasting value to the local communities.The Shining Light Awards held by Debeers is a great example of how the diamond industry is working hand in hand with host countries like South Africa to cultivate these trades to enhance opportunities around Africa's vast natural resources."Despite being the largest diamond producer in the world for decades, only a few South Africans benefited from diamond mining because of the historic pit-to-port approach to mining. It is within this context that in 2007, we established the State Diamond Trader (SDT) as a state-owned entity to ensure that the diamond resources of the Republic are exploited and developed in the best interest of the country and its citizens. Since then, the SDT has been at the forefront of promoting equitable access to South Africa's diamond resources and stimulate local diamond beneficiation in line with the Freedom Charter's clarion call that 'the people shall share in the country's wealth'...."- Mr. Gwede Mantashe, Minister of MineralsOrigin - BotswanaBotswana is currently the shining star of how diamonds can lift a country out of poverty and create so much opportunity for its people. Today 30 percent of Botswana's GDP and 80 percent of its exports come from diamonds. As you can imagine a large number of direct and indirect jobs have been created and revenues from diamond sales have helped build hospitals, roads and schools. Botswana is the world's number one diamond-producing country by value."Simply put, a diamond from Botswana benefits the people of Botswana."- AnonymousTo see more of what makes diamonds from Botswana an unparalleled ethical choice, visit this page.Origin - NamibiaNamibia is known for their high quality diamonds. Most diamonds originating from Namibia have already taken a fascinating journey! Diamonds brought to the earth's surface from volcanic activity were washed down the Orange River for more than 1,000 kilometers to the Atlantic coast. Today more than 75 percent of diamonds mined in Namibia come from the seabed in a 400ft depth."During this voyage, they were subjected to intense abrasion over and over again, and as a consequence, only the best gems without inclusions, flaws or imperfections survived."- Lelly UsikuLike the other countries discussed previously, there are many initiatives in place to ensure that diamonds from Namibia benefit the Namibian people. For example, if a diamond is found in Namibia it is required that the exact diamond be processed and manufactured in Namibia. The natural diamond industry accounts for about 10 percent of Namibia's GDP and creates many jobs and opportunities for the indigenous population."The holy grail in solidifying natural diamond as the ethical choice is to purchase fully traceable diamonds that financially benefit the people of the country where diamonds are mined. With Tracr we now have the ability to do just that."- Sean DunnThe idea behind shining a light on the origin story is to bring transparency to the supply chain and share knowledge that responsibly sourced natural diamonds do good. Hopefully this movement will inspire many others in the retail jewelry trade to jump on board so that one day couples can make an informed decision on what diamond best represents their unique love story. This spotlight on the supply chain will drive the whole diamond industry to work with local governments and continually strive to make things better for the people who live where diamonds are naturally sourced. To me, that's simply brilliant!
