In this two-part article, my aim is to take a look at diamonds and unravel some of the endemic confusion that exists around the politics of diamonds. I am always very aware that this is a deeply uncomfortable subject for most jewellers, who feel ill equipped to deal with the consumer questions around conflict diamonds.

Sierra Leone is apparently one of the poorest countries in the world. Definitions of poverty of course vary dramatically from the rather spurious measure of GDP per capita (gross domestic product per head) of which Sierra Leone is ranked 175 out of 182 at $804 USD income per head per annum, to the rather romantic

Just a quick post to everyone to let you know that I am off to Sierra Leone for a week to hopefully begin a new relationship with a group of local gold miners in the centre of the country. This is a really exciting time for me as for a number of years I have