Let me first say that our company, J.R.Dunn Jewelers, is a “Mom and Pop” store and I would support the tax on Internet sales but for other reasons! I mean it’s o.k. if the states are losing too much money to keep the standards of education high or our streets safe; but to impose a sales tax to eliminate competition? This is terribly misguided and rather un-American! The American way is to promote fair competition and the last time I checked there was no ban for Mom and Pops to create a nice website for themselves and jump into the ring. Our countries’ entrepreneurial spirit is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world.

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

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Things have come along way since our industry has adopted the Kimberly Process in 2003. We are by no means 100% perfect and I don’t think any industry is but we are acting responsibly and we’ve managed to reduce the percentage of conflict diamonds in the U.S. to less than 1%. To reduce it further consumers should continue to ask their jeweler for conflict free diamonds and refrain buying from companies that don’t have a written policy and warranties from their vendors regarding conflict diamonds. To see J.R.Dunn’s chain of warranties and policy click here.

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“The Diamonds herein have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with UN resolutions. The seller herby guarantees that these diamonds are conflict free,based on personal knowledge and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds”

As a follow up and reminder to our existing suppliers we sent the following on our letterhead on November 10th;

To Whom It May Concern:

As you are aware, organizations in our industry agreed in 2003 on a program of self-regulation to complement the Kimberley Process created by the governments of nations involved in the diamond trade. We at J.R. Dunn Jewelers, welcomed the introduction of this global system to combat the illicit traffic in conflict diamonds and our policy has been to support the industry’s self-regulation program.

The core of that program is a chain of warranties that follows rough diamonds, polished diamonds and jewelry containing diamonds through the supply chain. For any diamond product we buy, we require you to make the following System of Warranties statement:

The diamonds herein invoiced have been purchased from legitimate sources not involved in funding conflict and in compliance with United Nations resolutions. The seller hereby guarantees that these diamonds are certified to be from sources that are free from conflict, based on personal knowledge, and/or written guarantees provided by the supplier of these diamonds.

As a trade member supporting this program, we are continuing to require our suppliers to subscribe to the warranty system and will therefore review any supplier that declines to participate. We request that you respond to this notification as soon as possible informing us if your organization supports this industry initiative.

Sincerely,

J.R. Dunn Jewelers
Natalie F.,
Diamond Buyer

Please sign and fax back:

4210 North Federal Highway · Lighthouse Point, Florida 33064 · 954-782-5000 · Fax 954-782-7059

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