diamonds and sustainability

One of the most significant jewellery purchases in life is a diamond ring. This little sparkly trinket carries on it's shoulders the weight not only of the occasion being marked but also the promise of a future linking generations together as a treasured heirloom. There's a lot to consider. The carat, colour, cut and clarity options alone can make your head spin. But what about another increasingly important consideration - sustainability and social responsibility? 

Natural diamonds are the traditional number one choice for an important ring. They're the stones that are mined from the earth - they're billions of years old and the hardest substance known to man. Earth isn't making any more of these shiny bits of pure carbon so the deposits we've got are all there is. Traceability is the key word here. Increasingly it's becoming easier to know exactly where a diamond has come from and the route it's taken to be cut and polished and eventually make it into your gorgeous heirloom. Whilst mining will always have some level of environmental impact, by knowing where your diamond has come from you can choose to support a mine that is working to reduce this impact and where the proceeds from mining directly benefit the local community in jobs and essential infrastructure. 

Have your heart set on a natural diamond but you're not convinced a freshly mined stone is for you? Well, a diamond is forever so there are plenty of vintage stones around waiting for the next chapter in their heirloom story. Maybe you even have a family stone that only needs a new setting to reflect your unique story. Vintage stones can be recut and repolished but actually I love the subtlety of the older diamond cuts that were designed to sparkle in candlelight.

There is still one more option too - laboratory grown diamonds. These are real diamonds in every way, exactly the same as a natural diamond bar one thing - mother nature did not grow them, we did. Often touted as the most environmentally friendly diamond option, it is important to note that it takes a massive amount of energy to grow a diamond. Some laboratories are offsetting this by using renewable clean energy. A laboratory grown stone should always be disclosed to you and should also cost you quite a bit less than it's natural counterpart.

Your unique story and your perfect stone. Get in touch here to design your future heirloom or just for some friendly advice.