For several years now, a revolution has been gaining momentum in popular culture in the United States: ‘conflict free’ diamonds. I’ve been on the hunt for the ‘right’ diamond for the past few months since deciding to propose to my girlfriend of two and a half years. She was not concerned with the size or quality of the stone, but asked that her diamond be conflict free. I thought, ‘oh great, one more roadblock to the process’—it was hard enough making the commitment to get married (but most things with a commitment are hard for me so I’m used to it).

Some other diamond seekers I know have had an easier time with the process. Not me. I usually hyper-research topics to the point of stagnation. I freeze, unable to make a decision, overwhelmed with too much information. I interrogate both sides of the story and ruminate over the details depending on the weight of the decision to be made. Now, as I’m faced with plunking down honest money for a less-than-honest investment, I am confronted with the shadowy side of the diamond business.
(continue reading this article at The Other Journal where it was originally published.)