What You Need To Know About Canadian Diamonds

Image by Joe Gardner

It seems like this year is shaping up to be the year of big diamonds. From the 812.77 carat Constellation to the impressive 1,109 carat dubbed the Lesedi La Rona, and with the announcement of the fifth largest diamond being discovered in Lesotho, there’s a lot of hype in the industry.

But, did you know that Canada is actually one of the top three diamond countries on our globe when it comes to carats produced? While many people associate Africa with impressive diamonds, Canada has been a big player for two decades, and is likely to continue growing.

What Are Canadian Diamonds

Canadian diamonds are high-quality gems produced through the process of open pit mining. These diamonds are highly favoured since the Canadian diamond mines have some of the strictest and most impressive environmental standards in the world.

These diamonds are conflict-free and have all undergone a certification process which means you can track the stone right from mining all the way through to manufacturing, wholesaling and to diamond engagement rings Wellington couples choose.

Many notable and beautiful diamonds have been mined and cut in Canada, and they are typically documented and have a certificate number laser-inscribed in their girdle. They also usually include a trade logo like a CanadaMark symbol, polar bear or maple leaf to assure customers of the diamond’s origin.

The Conflict-Free Guarantee

Canadian diamonds are well-known and favoured for their conflict free guarantee. To verify this origin, most certified Canadian-mined gems have a unique identification number laser inscribed on the stone. The laser is invisible to the naked eye and placed on the side of the diamond, so it does not affect the diamond’s brilliance in any way whatsoever.

Not Necessarily Cut Locally

Just because a diamond is mined in Canada, doesn’t necessarily mean it is cut locally. Most Canadian-mined stones are shipped abroad to major cutting centres such as Israel, India and Belgium and then brought back to Canada for retail purposes. This is due to the fact that manufacturing in Canada is prohibitive for smaller stones and local manufacturers tend to lack manufacturing skills for the larger stones.

Are Canadian Diamonds Expensive?

Mining in Canada tends to be somewhat costlier than in some other countries. There are also extra costs associated with the certification and tracking process for Canadian diamonds. Some retailers prefer to set their price of Canadian diamonds at a significant premium over other diamonds. Others prefer to price their Canadian diamonds the same as diamonds of other origins. The prices really do vary from one retailer to the next.

Not All Canadian Diamonds are Equal

Just like diamonds from other countries, Canadian diamonds come in a vast array of sizes, clarities, colours and shapes. On average, Canadian mines produce a larger percentage of higher quality diamonds compared to other mines around the world. But, even Canadian diamonds are graded according to the 4Cs so make sure to still pick a high quality Canadian diamond rather than a poor quality one.