A Century of Luxury & Legacy
Beyond Blood Diamonds: What I Saw in Sierra Leone
Published: Mar 22, 2026
From My Grandfather’s Bench to African Diamond Mines
What I Discovered About Diamonds, People, and Purpose
Well, hello there.
This week, I’m coming to you from Kono, Sierra Leone… and I have to tell you, this journey has given me a perspective I didn’t expect.
I’ve been in the diamond industry my entire life. My grandfather started in 1926, and I’ve spent decades learning this business, buying diamonds, selling diamonds, teaching others about diamonds. But if I’m being honest, I realized something on this trip…
I thought I knew diamonds.
But I had never truly seen where they come from.
The Journey to the Source
This trip didn’t come easy.
I left Atlanta on a 15-and-a-half-hour flight to Johannesburg. After a long layover, I made my way to Lusaka, Zambia, where I spent time doing something that’s become very important to me, working with people.
We did business coaching with a local taxi business and even an egg-laying operation. I also worked with a group of women who create jewelry out of recycled copper. We moved their gold plating equipment into a better facility, got everything set up, and spent time training and encouraging them.
From there, I continued on, Ethiopia, then finally Sierra Leone.
What brought me here is something called a trade mission. To be honest, I’ve been on several over the years, but I never really stopped to think about what that meant. At its core, it’s about exploring opportunity.
But this one felt different.
A Legacy I Never Fully Understood
As I stood here in Africa, I couldn’t help but think about my grandfather.
Back in 1926, he started working as a diamond setter. There’s no way he could have imagined that one day his grandson would be standing in the very places where diamonds begin their journey.
And yet, here I am.
Because of what he started… I get to see what he never could.
The Reality Behind the Stone
Many of us have heard the term “blood diamonds.” Years ago, that phrase became widely known, especially after the movie brought attention to the issue.
And the truth is… there was a time when that reality existed here.
Diamonds were used to fund conflict. Lives were affected in ways that are hard to fully grasp unless you’ve been close to it.
But what I’m seeing today is different.
This country is at peace. That chapter, while not forgotten, is no longer defining the present in the same way. There are still challenges, there always will be, but there’s also progress.
And there’s a growing commitment to doing things the right way.
Standing in the Mines
We traveled about five hours into the mountains to visit artisanal gold and diamond mining sites.
I watched as men and women dug into the earth, carried heavy loads, and carefully washed and panned for even the smallest trace of gold or the possibility of a diamond.
It’s slow work.
It’s hard work.
And there’s no guarantee of what they’ll find.
But it’s enough to create a life.
Then we went to the diamond mines.
I’ve read about this process. I’ve heard stories. But standing there… seeing the people in the pits… talking with them… it changes you.
It certainly changed me.
The Peace Diamond
One of the most meaningful moments of this trip was visiting the area where the Peace Diamond was discovered.
It was a 700+ carat rough diamond, an incredible find by any standard.
But what made it special wasn’t just its size.
It was what happened next.
Instead of disappearing into the shadows of the market, the diamond was brought through proper channels with the help of Martin Rapaport and others in the industry. It was eventually sold for around $7 million.
And here’s the part that really impacted me…
A significant portion of that money went back into the community.
They built a school.
They built a hospital.
And now they’re working on expanding with a high school.
We visited that village.
We saw the impact.
And I’ll be honest… it’s hard to put into words what that felt like.
Doing It the Right Way
Out of some of the hardest seasons in this region came something good.
The Kimberley Process was created to ensure that diamonds are conflict-free, that they are not used to fund war or unethical practices.
At David Douglas Diamonds, every diamond we offer meets those standards.
But for me, that’s just the starting point.
We also look for even greater transparency, like Canadian diamonds that come with what I like to call a “birth certificate.” You can trace that diamond from the piece of rough all the way to the finished ring.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about the diamond.
It’s about the story behind it.
A New Appreciation
This trip has given me a new appreciation for what we do.
Not just the product… but the people.
Not just the beauty… but the journey.
Not just the sale… but the responsibility.
I think every industry goes through a season where it feels a bit like the wild west, everyone just trying to make a living, sometimes at any cost.
But over time, something shifts.
We begin to realize there’s more to it.
More than money.
More than the product.
More than the transaction.
There’s an opportunity to do good.
Why This Matters
Here at David Douglas, we talk a lot about honoring and blessing all who God brings our way.
This trip reminded me that “all” includes people I may never meet again… people on the other side of the world… people whose hands touched something long before it ever made its way into our store.
That matters.
And it should.
Thank You for Being Part of the Journey
I’ll be here for another week, continuing to learn, listen, and grow.
And I’m looking forward to sharing more as I begin the journey home.
Thank you for coming along with me.
, Doug
What I Discovered About Diamonds, People, and Purpose
Well, hello there.
This week, I’m coming to you from Kono, Sierra Leone… and I have to tell you, this journey has given me a perspective I didn’t expect.
I’ve been in the diamond industry my entire life. My grandfather started in 1926, and I’ve spent decades learning this business, buying diamonds, selling diamonds, teaching others about diamonds. But if I’m being honest, I realized something on this trip…
I thought I knew diamonds.
But I had never truly seen where they come from.
The Journey to the Source
This trip didn’t come easy.
I left Atlanta on a 15-and-a-half-hour flight to Johannesburg. After a long layover, I made my way to Lusaka, Zambia, where I spent time doing something that’s become very important to me, working with people.
We did business coaching with a local taxi business and even an egg-laying operation. I also worked with a group of women who create jewelry out of recycled copper. We moved their gold plating equipment into a better facility, got everything set up, and spent time training and encouraging them.
From there, I continued on, Ethiopia, then finally Sierra Leone.
What brought me here is something called a trade mission. To be honest, I’ve been on several over the years, but I never really stopped to think about what that meant. At its core, it’s about exploring opportunity.
But this one felt different.
A Legacy I Never Fully Understood
As I stood here in Africa, I couldn’t help but think about my grandfather.
Back in 1926, he started working as a diamond setter. There’s no way he could have imagined that one day his grandson would be standing in the very places where diamonds begin their journey.
And yet, here I am.
Because of what he started… I get to see what he never could.
The Reality Behind the Stone
Many of us have heard the term “blood diamonds.” Years ago, that phrase became widely known, especially after the movie brought attention to the issue.
And the truth is… there was a time when that reality existed here.
Diamonds were used to fund conflict. Lives were affected in ways that are hard to fully grasp unless you’ve been close to it.
But what I’m seeing today is different.
This country is at peace. That chapter, while not forgotten, is no longer defining the present in the same way. There are still challenges, there always will be, but there’s also progress.
And there’s a growing commitment to doing things the right way.
Standing in the Mines
We traveled about five hours into the mountains to visit artisanal gold and diamond mining sites.
I watched as men and women dug into the earth, carried heavy loads, and carefully washed and panned for even the smallest trace of gold or the possibility of a diamond.
It’s slow work.
It’s hard work.
And there’s no guarantee of what they’ll find.
But it’s enough to create a life.
Then we went to the diamond mines.
I’ve read about this process. I’ve heard stories. But standing there… seeing the people in the pits… talking with them… it changes you.
It certainly changed me.
The Peace Diamond
One of the most meaningful moments of this trip was visiting the area where the Peace Diamond was discovered.
It was a 700+ carat rough diamond, an incredible find by any standard.
But what made it special wasn’t just its size.
It was what happened next.
Instead of disappearing into the shadows of the market, the diamond was brought through proper channels with the help of Martin Rapaport and others in the industry. It was eventually sold for around $7 million.
And here’s the part that really impacted me…
A significant portion of that money went back into the community.
They built a school.
They built a hospital.
And now they’re working on expanding with a high school.
We visited that village.
We saw the impact.
And I’ll be honest… it’s hard to put into words what that felt like.
Doing It the Right Way
Out of some of the hardest seasons in this region came something good.
The Kimberley Process was created to ensure that diamonds are conflict-free, that they are not used to fund war or unethical practices.
At David Douglas Diamonds, every diamond we offer meets those standards.
But for me, that’s just the starting point.
We also look for even greater transparency, like Canadian diamonds that come with what I like to call a “birth certificate.” You can trace that diamond from the piece of rough all the way to the finished ring.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about the diamond.
It’s about the story behind it.
A New Appreciation
This trip has given me a new appreciation for what we do.
Not just the product… but the people.
Not just the beauty… but the journey.
Not just the sale… but the responsibility.
I think every industry goes through a season where it feels a bit like the wild west, everyone just trying to make a living, sometimes at any cost.
But over time, something shifts.
We begin to realize there’s more to it.
More than money.
More than the product.
More than the transaction.
There’s an opportunity to do good.
Why This Matters
Here at David Douglas, we talk a lot about honoring and blessing all who God brings our way.
This trip reminded me that “all” includes people I may never meet again… people on the other side of the world… people whose hands touched something long before it ever made its way into our store.
That matters.
And it should.
Thank You for Being Part of the Journey
I’ll be here for another week, continuing to learn, listen, and grow.
And I’m looking forward to sharing more as I begin the journey home.
Thank you for coming along with me.
, Doug