Frequently Asked Questions 

Q. I have seen many references to certified diamonds - what do these certificates contain, and how much trust can I place in them?

A. A good-quality certificate should be issued by a reputable gem-testing laboratory, usually based in America. Any certificate originating in countries such as India, or that doesn't indicate country of origin, should be viewed with caution. It should have a complete list of all the qualities of the diamond - inclusions, colour grade, cut quality, symmetry, fluorescence, dimensions etc., and have a map showing the presence and quantity of all flaws and inclusions that might be in the stone. These flaws will be marked in red if they are in the interior of the stone, and green if they are present at the surface of the stone. A certificate from, for example, the Gemmological Association of America, can be trusted completely. The stone will also have the certificate number laser-etched on the girdle (rim or edge) of the stone - this is a security feature that positively identifies that diamond as the one referred to in the certificate. Rainbow's End can supply a DVD with a complete explanation of all aspects of diamond quality, free on request.

Q. I have heard of "blood diamonds"- how do I know if my diamonds are from a country that supports terrorism by selling diamonds to fund illegal activities?

A. All diamonds from Rainbow's End are from vendors that guarantee their gems are conflict-free, by demanding their stones are fully traceable all the way back to the mine they came from.

Q. I see a lot of jewellery when I am looking at retail shops in shopping malls - how do I know where my jewellery is made?

A. It is overwhelmingly likely that the jewellery on display in shopping malls is made overseas. The discount retailers particularly get nearly all of their stock from countries like Thailand, China, and India. Whenever you see jewellery heavily discounted, such as the type of catalogues that are inserted in newspapers and dropped in letterboxes, then you may be quite sure it is made in sweatshops in Bangkok or India. There would be very, very little discounted jewellery on sale that is made in Australia.