Uncut diamonds – straight from the ground to you.
Most diamonds sold by jewellers are octahedral in their rough state. These are usually cut into round brilliants. Kimberley Rough Diamonds also have octahedrons and have less regular shapes, such as the flat triangular diamonds, called macles, also makeables which are flattish irregular shaped diamonds. While the shapes are similar, different mines have very different characteristics. This is why we have some stones from four mines, Argyle, Ellendale, South Africa and Botswana.
Stones from the Argyle mine can have a very distinct surface, a little like craters and the octahedrons are often very angular, as are the macles.
Ellendale stones, Cape/yellow and beautifully smooth and rounded, almost like they have been pebble washed. Ellendale was famed for its “Fancy Yellows”
Botswana stones that we stock, are similar to the Ellendales, in appearance.
Our South African octahedral stones also have that soft, rounded form. Whereas the macles are flat triangles, that sometime have trigon markings.
These diamonds, rarely seen in cut and polished form, will inspire jewellery designers to show off their striking features with their innovative rough diamond jewellery.
Because of the huge demand for polished pink stones we have been unable to purchase any rough pinks.
Processing
Our diamonds have been purchased to ensure the quality is suitable to be set directly into jewellery.
Once the diamonds are extracted by x-ray sorters, chemically cleaned and sized, they are sent direct from the mine to Antwerp in Belgium. Here they are resized, graded, colour sorted and valued before being sold on the world market for cutting and polishing. We purchase our stones direct from first-line dealers in Antwerp and London, then import them back into Australia.
Rough diamonds, apart from a very basic clean, are just as they were made – straight out of the ground. All our stones are selected to a standard suitable for being set into jewellery. We regard cutting and polishing of our stones as being not practical, economic or viable. They are sold for their natural, unique shapes and each one is an individual stone, one of a kind, with no other like it in the world. If you are concerned that our stones are the “Real Deal” especially now with the popularity of man made diamonds or Lab diamonds; our diamonds being in their rough state, may be an odd shape or have flaws or inclusions which proves they are genuine. Lab diamonds will have no imperfections, unlike nature.
Ethically Mined, Traceable and Certification
Responsible governments have introduced controls on the import and export of rough diamonds to combat the illegal trade of diamonds from conflict zones.
Our product comes from the Argyle and Ellendale Mines in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. We have stones from DTC (Diamond Trading Company) which is the trading arm of De Beers Diamond Company, of South Africa. Also, stones from Botswana. All stones will have their country of origin, clearly shown.
More and more people are demanding that diamonds are traceable, to ensure they have been mined in conflict free areas under ethical conditions. In our case, Argyle and Ellendale mines are Australian, and follow government regulations and procedures, including Local Employment and Environmental Rehabilitation Programs. De Beers are committed to ensuring all of their diamonds are sourced in a sustainable and ethical manner, adhering to stringent procedures to guarantee they act in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. All product imported from Antwerp arrives with Kimberley Process Certification.
Kimberley Rough Diamonds has an “Occasionally Export Diamonds” licence, should you wish to export a diamond overseas. More of this in the Kimberley Process Certificate section. We also issue our own certificate which identifies the mine of origin and characteristics’ of the diamond.