Lazare Kaplan International, Inc. was founded in 1903 in Antwerp, Belgium. With more than a century of gemology and lapidary expertise, the company has become widely revered for its stunning diamonds and attention to detail. Today, Lazare gems are marketed in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia with great success, and the company continually works to refine diamond cutting techniques for more precise gemstones. In 1957, Lazare Kaplan developed the dimensions for the modern oval shape, and in 2003 they updated the proportions for the classic cushion cut and the square emerald cut. In this way, Lazare diamonds are at the forefront of diamond quality with exquisite proportions and finely balanced cuts.

In addition to its commitment to superior quality, Lazare Kaplan is also committed to supporting legitimate diamond mining operations throughout the world. As a devout supporter of the Kimberly Process, the company has high ethical and professional standards to prevent the trafficking of illegal conflict or blood diamonds. Yearly audits and public reports are only two of the tools Lazare Kaplan uses to reassure consumers about the quality and integrity of its diamonds.

The Importance of Cut
Couples investigating diamond engagement rings are inundated with advice about the four Cs of diamond quality: clarity, color, carat, and cut. What many consumers fail to realize, however, is that only one of those characteristics can be affected by the experts and professionals responsible for turning a raw stone into a polished gem: the cut.

Lazare diamonds focus on the ideal cut, using precise calculations to determine the appropriate angles and facet proportions that give diamonds the maximum fire, sparkle, and brilliance. An ideal diamond optimizes the stone’s reflection and refraction through its table, the large, central facet on the top surface of the stone that is most visible. Poorly cut stones allow light to escape through the sides of the stone, and some of the gem’s brilliance is forever lost.

This attention to a precise cut means that Lazare gems are cut for their beauty, not their overall weight. Even the largest stone, infused with shadows because of an imprecise cut, will appear dull, but properly cut stones will be brilliant and attractive no matter what their size.

Lazare Engagement Rings
Simple settings show the gem’s brilliance.Not only are Lazare diamonds available as loose gems for individuals to purchase and set in designs of their choice, but the company has also developed exclusive styles that highlight their gems’ beauty. The most popular designs are simple yet elegant solitaires and three stone rings that focus on the beauty of the gems without excessive embellishments. Prong, channel, and bezel settings are all available.

Other Jewelry with Lazare Diamonds
Couples interested in the beauty and precision of Lazare gems can also find these exquisite stones in a variety of other jewelry pieces, including:

Right Hand Diamond Rings
Diamond Pendants
Diamond Earrings
Wedding and Eternity Rings
Any of these additional designs would make a stunning anniversary gift or accompaniment to a Lazare engagement ring.

Finding Lazare Designs and Stones
Lazare Kaplan does not market their diamonds or jewelry independently; interested consumers must locate an authorized jeweler who carries Lazare designs. The company’s website, LazareDiamonds.com has a comprehensive locator searchable by zip code, and consumers can also search the Lazare inventory for suitable loose gems.

With exquisite attention to detail and precision, Lazare diamonds are exceptional stones with unparalleled brilliance and fire. Whether in engagement rings or other diamond jewelry, these beautiful gems vibrantly symbolize the fires of romance and passion for any relationship.

While traditional colorless diamonds may be the most popular choice for engagement rings and other diamond jewelry, pink diamonds are becoming more sought after as unique and delightful options for creative pieces. While they are still diamonds and are subject to the same characteristics of diamond quality, pink stones have several unusual considerations as well.

What Forms Pink Diamonds

A colorless diamond is comprised of pure carbon, while colored diamonds have a chemical variation that affects how the stones reflect light, resulting in different hues. Other factors, such as radiation present during formation or twists in the crystal structure of the stone can also affect a diamond’s color. While gemologists are certain of what causes certain shades – boron, for example, creates blue stones – they haven’t yet discovered what creates pink shades. Pink is one of the rarest colors of diamonds, and commercial quality stones are only found in the Argyle Mine in Australia, making them even more mysterious and sought after.

Quality of Pink Gems

All diamonds, regardless of their specific color, are judged by their carat weight, cut proportions, purity of clarity, and overall color. While most diamonds with a tinge of color are considered inferior and less valuable, an intense, consistent color is highly valued. That characteristic is one of the most prevalent when judging the quality of pink diamonds.

Color Intensity

Pink stones are available in a range of hues, from a very light salmon to an intense, vibrant magenta. The deeper the color, the more valuable the stone and hence, the higher its price. The majority of pink stones are lighter shades, but because of their inherent rarity they still command a high price, up to ten times the cost of a similar quality colorless stone.

Flaws

All diamonds, regardless of their color, are subject to the same types of flaws and inclusions. Normally any flaw will decrease the value of a gem, but because of pink diamonds’ rarity, jewelers may manipulate the flaw to create a unique design – a starburst, for example – rather than discard the stone as unworkable. Ideally, however, the stone should be flawless to keep from detracting from the distinctiveness of its unusual color.

Pink Diamonds in Engagement Rings

Ever since Jennifer Lopez was given a pink engagement ring, these stones have been immensely sought after for engagement jewelry. Pink diamond engagement rings can be found in a number of styles, settings, and designs, or if a couple is fortunate enough to procure a loose gem, most jewelers would welcome the opportunity to create a custom ring with the unusual shade.

To preserve the stone’s color, most colored diamond rings are set in white gold or platinum rather than yellow gold, which may cast a yellowish hue onto the stone. In the case of pink diamonds, simple settings perhaps accented by smaller colorless diamonds or coordinating gemstones are the most prevalent designs.

Alternative Stones

Because pink stones are far more expensive than most couples’ budgets, alternative gems are a wise choice to create a distinctive look at a lower cost. Rubies, pink tourmaline, and pink sapphires are the most popular choices, though synthetic pink stones are also available. Other options include using the pink gems as accent stones rather than the central diamond, perhaps in a distinctive pave setting or other unusual setting that will still draw the eye toward the exquisite gems.

Pink diamonds are a rare but beautiful option for couples interested in unique diamond jewelry, including engagement rings. Though they are expensive, the sophistication and rarity of the gems has made them increasingly popular in today’s jewelry market..

While blood diamonds may at first sound like a vibrant red shade of colored diamonds, they are actually diamonds that pay for illegitimate, militaristic operations by blood. These diamonds fund wars, oppression, rebellion, and other hostile acts in a number of countries, primarily in Africa.

Where Blood Diamonds are Mined

In the late 1990s, nearly 4 percent of the world’s diamond supply consisted of conflict stones that were illegally traded to support rebel uprisings. Today, less than 1 percent of the world’s diamond trade is conflict-based, and the majority of those stones come from central and western Africa, specifically the Republic of Congo, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast. Other countries that have traded in conflict stones in the past include Angola and Sierra Leone.

It is no surprise that blood diamonds originate from Africa: many African nations have been war-torn for decades, even generations, and the continent is the single richest source of diamonds in the world, accounting for more than 60 percent of the world’s total supply. But most conflict stones are not mined and processed by rebels. Instead, they may hijack shipments of stones, incorporate illegal stones into already processed shipments, or otherwise covertly infiltrate the diamond supply with stones to pay for weapons and guerrilla warfare.

Funding Oppression instead of Advancement

Diamonds help fund beneficial programs in many societies, including African nations. For example, diamonds help provide healthcare benefits, steady employment, educational facilities, health research to combat HIV/AIDS, infrastructure development, and more. When those stones are diverted to conflict sources, however, they begin to fund weapons, guerrilla training, bribes, and other illegal tactics for an elite few rather than supporting progress for an entire population.

Stopping Blood Diamonds

Since mid-2000, the United Nations has been dedicated to eliminating the trade of blood stones in order to quell violence. Today, 69 nations are involved in the Kimberley Process, a system of certification and verification that protects the legitimate diamond trade and sanctions conflict diamonds.

The Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process monitors diamonds at every step of their development to ensure their legitimacy. The basic steps of the Process include:

Mining: After stones are mined, they are transported under guard to a government office. This step is when many blood diamonds are hijacked.
 69 nations are part of the Kimberley Process to eliminate conflict stones.Export: Once at the government office, the origination source of the stones is verified to be conflict-free, and the gems are sealed and stored in tamper-resistant containers with unique serial numbers and certificates.
Import: As the stones arrive at their destination, their authenticity is again verified. Unsealed containers or stones without proper paperwork are rejected or impounded, helping eliminate the problem of conflict traders adding stones to already verified shipments.
Manufacturing: As a legitimate diamond is cut, polished, and set into jewelry, it is verified at each step as authentic and conflict-free. Companies involved in this system of verifications are required to audit the process and keep records for a minimum of five years.
Retail Sales: Jewelers are required to verify that the stones they use are conflict-free, though they are not required to provide documentation of that warranty to consumers. However, consumers have the right to question jewelers about the authenticity of the stones they wish to purchase.
Under the Kimberley Process and its associated System of Warranties, only the 69 registered nations may import or export stones. Uncertified shipments are not permitted to trade among participating countries, and nations not abiding by these regulations can have criminal charges brought against them.

While there is still any trade in blood diamonds, the United Nations is committed to improving the Kimberley Process and eradicating all conflict trade. In late 2006, more than 60 recommendations are to be reviewed by the General Assembly to help improve the Process and tighten the trade of conflict diamonds even further.

Avoiding Blood and Conflict Diamonds

Consumers who wish to avoid conflict stones can take several steps to be sure their diamonds are conflict-free.

Always ask the jeweler to verify the stone’s authenticity, and ask to see the diamond’s certification and origination credentials.
Avoid loose diamonds sold in bulk without appropriate verifications, particularly if the stones appear to be significantly cheaper than market value.
When considering online rings or stones, continue to ask for verification of the stone’s origination.

Diamonds are indisputably valuable, but blood diamonds have a far higher cost than any price tag: by funding wars, oppression, and rebellion, a single conflict stone may provide the means to take multiple lives. This is certainly not the association that most couples desire when they buy an engagement ring, but by seeking authentication of their stone they can easily avoid the negative effects of supporting conflict.