An ethically sourced engagement ring is one whose diamond or stone is sourced without workers or the environment being affected negatively. As a buyer, you need to know more details about your ring. It is factual that ethical engagement rings are fewer and are more expensive than the non-ethical engagement rings.
The following are facts that you need to know about ethically sourced engagement ring before buying the ring.
- Get more information from the Jeweler
YoYou need to consult more from your jeweler to get finer details about an engagement ring. Most jewelers will inform you if the diamond or the stone is sourced from conflict-free zones. Furthermore, they can give you a certificate to verify diamond produced in conflict-free countries.
If a jeweler cannot trace back the source of the metals, you can’t be sure if it’s conflict-free or ethically sourced. However, you can ask your jeweler for other options rather than buying mined stones. Some of the ethically sourced mineral comes from a company that gets old gold together with platinum and structures them to pure form.
Recycled gold platinum reduces demand on mines and lessens the impact of unethical mining practices. Vintage and family heirloom is ethically sourced and can be used as an option to avoid using conflict stone.
- Fair-trade or recycled
Even though the diamond or stone in your engagement ring may originate from a conflict-free source, many diamonds are polished in sweatshop conditions after cutting them. Fair-trade was built around the needs of the disadvantaged workers who produce the raw material.
Fair-trade provides incentives to workers to meet Fair-trade standards that are based around environmental protection, fair labor rights, social and economic development. As a buyer, this is something you should consider while buying your engagement ring.
Fair-trade standards provide miners and communities with better standards of life. It ensures better live-hood for gold miners.
- Source of the stone and manufacturing
It is important to know where the rock is mined. Some diamonds or rocks are mined from conflict countries like DRC and Zimbabwe. Additionally, your knowledge on where the ring is manufactured is essential to make right judgments before buying the ring.
Many manufacturers manufacture their rings in Asia where it’s cheaper for business, but this goes hand in hand with the poor working conditions and pay of the workers. Ethically sourced diamond ring has additional protection for being conflict free.
- Kimberly process
Kimberly is a process that requires the insurance and authorization of certificate for each miner of a diamond. The Kimberly process establishes no tolerance against the use of conflict and unethically sourced stones or diamonds. The Kimberly process provides an opportunity to ensure the diamonds is ethically and safely mined. You can ask your jeweler if they have this insurance when buying your engagement ring.
- Lab-grown diamond
Diamond is sourced through mining, but it can also be is produced in labs to protect the environment. If you are aware of how mining affects the well-being of the planet, you can opt to buy a lab-grown diamond which is a great alternative.
Lab-grown diamond is produced without causing any harmful environmental effects to the environment. This diamond is made using cutting edges technology. They are environmentally and socially responsible in the manufacturing process. Lab-grown diamonds can be traced and it is chemically optically and physically identical to mineral diamonds
- Marketing strategies
Marketing uses sophisticated language, which means the diamond or stone is conflict-free or ethical. The words used in marketing like provenance and Origin; have a whole different meaning. Where diamond originates from is the Origin and provenance, which is usually the last stop before you bought.
It is good to have good marketing, but when it comes to environmental and ethical responsibility, it means nothing. You need to be very specific to your jeweler what you mean by ethical.
It is always important to prioritize buying an ethical engagement ring. It means you are ensuring that the beautiful ring means a lot to you and your union. Additionally, the ring should not cause any harm to anybody and the environment. Do your research and make a decision which best suits you and they are other options out their rather than mined diamonds.
Engagement is a special ceremony that represents the love between two people. It is crucial to ensure the ring is not tainted by human fight abuses, child abuse, or conflict.
