The Canadian certificate of diamond authenticityCanadian Diamonds

The first Canadian diamond discovery in 1991 happened at Point Lake near Lac de Gras in the Northwest Territories. This discovery sparked the largest staking rush in Canadian history.  Since then, five Canadian diamond mines have been operating fully. They are:

Ekati Diamond Mine - located about 300 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife, is Canada’s first diamond mine. Mining operations started officially on October 14, 1998. Annual production is approximately 3.5 million carats.

Diavik Diamond Mine – located on a small island called East Island, approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Ekati. The mine opened January of 2003 and produces 10 million carats annually.

Jericho Diamond Mine – located 420 kilometers northeast of the city of Yellowknife. Jericho is Nunavut’s first and only diamond mine. Opened in August of 2006, its annual production is approximately 350,000 carats.

Snap Lake Diamond Mine - Built on the Shore of Snap Lake, 220 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife. Production began in July of 2008 with annual output of approximately 1.5 million carats.

Victor Diamond Mine – Located in the James Bay lowlands of northern Ontario, the mine officially opened in July of 2008. Annual production is approximately 600,000 carats.

Until recently most Canadians thought of diamonds only as exotic and treasured jewels, appreciated for their rarity and brilliance but of little direct economic interest to Canada.

  • Since 1998 approximately 79 million carats worth of gem quality diamonds have been mined in the Northwest Territories with an estimated value of $11.368 billion/CAD
  • The collective operations of the Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake diamond mines are producing 15% of the world’s rough diamonds.   Diamond production for 2007 reached 16.6 million carats worth $1.4 billion.
  • Since 1996, the NWT’s diamond mines have provided annual employment for over 16,000 people annually – over 4,400 to Aboriginal residents and have surpassed $5 billion in investment with northern and Aboriginal businesses.
  • Canada is the third largest diamond producer by value in the world, after Botswana and Russia.

 

Canadian Eskimo Arctic Ice Diamonds

Gold Craft Jewellery offers Canadian certified diamonds from the Ekati and Diavik mines. We are proud to be the authorized dealer of the fine Eskimo Arctic Ice Diamond. Each Canadian Eskimo Arctic Ice Diamond is accompanied by the Canadian Certificate of Authenticity TM guaranteeing its country of origin and quality. All diamonds are assigned unique diamond identification number (DIN), an image of a maple leaf, the CanadaMark™ logo, and the Eskimo logo all permanently inscribed with a laser on the girdle of the diamond. Exclusively through the website of the diamond mine, each owner of a Canadian diamond can verify the authenticity of the stone on-line. Gold Craft Jewllery specializes in the finest quality of Canadian diamonds with perfect symmetry, brilliance and fire. The branded Hearts & Arrows (H&A) and Ideal Cut Canadian diamonds sparkle like none others. They are rare and limited in production. The Hearts & Arrows brand is arguably the finest ideal cut diamond on the market today. All our Canadian certified diamonds are accompanied with a grading report issued by the most respected laboratories in the world: the GIA, AGS, EGL, IGI and Gem Scan. A Canadian certified diamond is your guarantee of unsurpassed quality.

 

Canadian diamond with canada mark logo inscriptionWhy should I buy Canadian Diamonds?

Canadian diamonds are conflict-free, environmentally and socially conscious. Canadian diamonds are being mined in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.  They are mined to the highest environmental standards in the world; providing social benefits and economic prosperity to the northern communities. Canadian diamonds meet the requirements of the Kimberley Process and all of them can be traced back to the mine of origin. Canada is the only country in the world that operates such strict monitoring of diamond production. Canadian diamonds are tracked from mine, through the refining process to the retail jeweller. They met the rigorous standards of quality established by the Government of Canada.

 

What is the Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process (KP) is a joint government, industry, and civil society initiative to stop the flow of conflict diamonds – rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments. The creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) document sets out the requirements for controlling rough diamond production and trade. The KPCS entered into force in 2003, when participating countries started to implement its rules. Canada is participating in the Kimberley Process and has played a major role since its outset.

If you have any additional questions regarding Canadian Diamonds, please call us at (403)252-6880 for assistance.