Eco-engagement Ring?

Question:

Hi Kate,

I saw the movie Blood Diamond and have decided I definitely do NOT want a traditional diamond now! My fiance and I were planning to buy a Canadian diamond ring, but now my friends are saying that there is no such thing as an eco-friendly diamond and no matter what metal you use you are harming the earth. Is this true? Thanks!

Answer:

First, thank you for taking the time to write me. Sometimes it is easy to get bogged down and give up when the best "green" choice feels like a moving target and it is great that you are asking the qestion. Let me tackle one issue at a time. First, Canadian diamonds are definitely better than African diamonds when it comes to human rights (as portrayed in the movie Blood Diamond as you mention).

If you are interested in learning more about the impact of the diamond trade in Africa, the journalist Greg Campbell recently published the book Blood Diamonds.


According to Amnesty International, the sale of blood diamonds has contributed to the death of 3.7 million people in Angola, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Canadian Diamonds are mined under strict environmental standards - but they are still mined. Greenkarat, a leading eco-jeweler claims that polar diamonds are not green and are not conflict free. Click here to read the article from their website. Therefore, the best option is to use antique/pre-owned diamonds (a form of recycling). Try the Antique Jewelry Exchange for example. You should also consider buying a man-made or manufactured diamond, a CZ Ring,
or a ring that features an alternative element - like a piece of sea glass.

As for the metal, I recommend looking at the website No Dirty Gold for more information about the impacts of mining. As with diamonds (or other gemstones) try to use recycled or reclaimed metal whenever possible. See if you can convince a jeweler to melt down something you have in the family or choose a company, like Greenkarat that uses recycled metals to craft all of their rings.