Canadian Diamonds & Sizes

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi there,

I just read the thread on Canadian Diamond melee, but I was
wondering if anyone knows why it is you can’t really get Canadian
diamonds smaller than 1/3 of a carat.

I have a client who has asked me to look into it for them, but the
design requires only about a 3 pointer.

Thanks!
Simone
Vancouver BC

2 
I just read the thread on Canadian Diamond melee, but I was
wondering if anyone knows why it is you can't really get Canadian
diamonds smaller than 1/3 of a carat.

Canadian labor rates are too high to cut smaller stones in a cost
effective manner. The small goods are sold to India where the labor
rates allow for cost effective cutting.

James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

3

Hello Simone,

Not to argue with James but I know that smalls are made in Canada
and they aren’t particularly difficult to find. Yes there are
overseas cutters consigned to make Canadian mined stones but I was
told Israel and Antwerp are the most popular.

The biggest problem with smalls is the cost of provenance. The
popularity of the ‘Government Certified Canadian Diamond’ is the
assurance that it is mined and polished in Canada. This diamond
comes with a certificate and booklet and a laser inscribed serial
number on the girdle.

As you already know a GIA report and laser inscription is only
practical if the price you can get for the stone warrants increasing
your costs by a few hundred dollars. Now for the government
equivalent of that simply multiply those costs by whatever
efficiency factor that you think a government institution is capable
of. To make things easy, simple and convenient…for the government,
before it can leave the site, and in order for the stone to be
officially certified it has to be examined, numbered and most
importantly, all fees paid.

How much is someone willing to pay for a 6 pointer? Nowhere near as
much as a cert would cost I’ll bet.

Tony.
Anthony Lloyd-Rees.
www.TheGemDoctor.com
Vancouver,
Beautiful British Columbia

4

You can obtain Canadian Diamonds under a carat but they will not be
stamped nor coded. Only when they are one carat or higher will you
get the polar bear and serial number. Just because we are Canadians,
what can I say - eh???

Leslie

5

Hi Anthony,

Not to argue with James but I know that smalls are made in Canada
and they aren't particularly difficult to find. Yes there are
overseas cutters consigned to make Canadian mined stones but I was
told Israel and Antwerp are the most popular.

The info I had is from our contacting the well known vendors of the
Made in Canada stones. It was their assertion that labor was the
driving force behind the non availability of the small stones. But I
assume that the cost of tracking of the small goods is an issue as
well. For the customers I have had that were interested in Canadian
diamonds if there was no certified provenance then there was no
interest in the goods.

Jim
James Binnion