Dear Reader,
We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Eco Bride post to bring you the very first Eco Groom post. I, the groom, will be stepping in today to talk about a piece of this wedding puzzle that I had to become intimately familiar with: the ring.
We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Eco Bride post to bring you the very first Eco Groom post. I, the groom, will be stepping in today to talk about a piece of this wedding puzzle that I had to become intimately familiar with: the ring.
While most of the planning for your big day can be a joint collaboration between the happy couple, choosing a ring is traditionally something the groom does in semi-secrecy. I say semi-secrecy because, in my experience, you should be fishing for input and opinions on this ring throughout the entire process. And what could be more important to the potential Eco Bride than the sustainability of the ring itself? You see, readers, rare gems and metals like diamonds and gold can often leave a trail of oppression and environmental damage in their wake. Many of the operations mining these lovely bits of earth are run by organizations that put little value on the environment and the local workers doing the extraction. Add to that the violent conflicts that these precious resources are notorious for funding and you start to see why the term “Blood Diamond" is so well known. But fear not, dear readers: there are plenty of resources available to help us ensure that asking the big question is not only humane and eco-friendly, but even beneficial to the local populations!
The first tool we can use to ensure that our ring is sustainable is both the most effective and potentially the most unappealing: purchasing used or recycled gems and metals. The idea is that even if the resources were originally obtained in an undesirable method, by giving them a second life and re-using them you’re eliminating the need for more mining of any type. I’ve found that there are three options for you if you’d like to go down this road. The first is to acquire a fully-assembled used ring, either from a store that sells used rings or via a friend or family member passing it down to you. Then it’s just a matter of having it resized by a jeweler (about $60 depending on the jeweler) and you’re done! If you’re looking for something with a more personal touch you can always buy a used solitary diamond and ring, find a well rated local jeweler, and speak with them about assembling the perfect ring from those materials. The jeweler is even likely to have advice on where and how to get these materials if you’re not comfortable buying online. Finally, you can buy from a seller that specifically uses recycled metal or lab created diamonds for their rings such as Brilliant Earth or Do Amore. Lab-created diamonds, also known as cultured diamonds, are a fantastic option; unlike diamond imitators like cubic zirconia, they are structurally and chemically the same as naturally-occurring diamonds but made with people science instead of centuries of nature science. Neat!
The first tool we can use to ensure that our ring is sustainable is both the most effective and potentially the most unappealing: purchasing used or recycled gems and metals. The idea is that even if the resources were originally obtained in an undesirable method, by giving them a second life and re-using them you’re eliminating the need for more mining of any type. I’ve found that there are three options for you if you’d like to go down this road. The first is to acquire a fully-assembled used ring, either from a store that sells used rings or via a friend or family member passing it down to you. Then it’s just a matter of having it resized by a jeweler (about $60 depending on the jeweler) and you’re done! If you’re looking for something with a more personal touch you can always buy a used solitary diamond and ring, find a well rated local jeweler, and speak with them about assembling the perfect ring from those materials. The jeweler is even likely to have advice on where and how to get these materials if you’re not comfortable buying online. Finally, you can buy from a seller that specifically uses recycled metal or lab created diamonds for their rings such as Brilliant Earth or Do Amore. Lab-created diamonds, also known as cultured diamonds, are a fantastic option; unlike diamond imitators like cubic zirconia, they are structurally and chemically the same as naturally-occurring diamonds but made with people science instead of centuries of nature science. Neat!
Perhaps going used isn’t an option for you, whether because it’s not acceptable for your situation (perhaps one or both of you are totally turned off by the idea of used jewelry) or the options aren’t cutting it. (Eco Bride note: Personally, I do not mind the idea of a previously-owned ring; Eco Groom was not such a fan.) Well hey, the Kay website says that they’re committed to conflict-free diamonds and they do diamond source audits, so we’re good right? Well, sort of. While this is certainly good to see, it turns out that many companies like Kay and Robinsons Brothers are simply stating the specifics of Clean Diamond Trade Act and the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme. Both of these are great steps towards stemming the flow of conflict diamonds, but critics of the Kimberly Process claim that many conflict diamonds still get certified as humane due to local corruption, and the process itself is now steeped in controversy. My research led me to believe that the only reliable way to ensure that the origin and process surrounding a diamond are clean is by having direct contact between the mining company and the retailer. Here, once again companies like Brilliant Earth and Do Amore come to the rescue.
For me, the diamond selection and transparency of origin available from Brilliant Earth made them the choice in the end. With some help from a friend (the soon-to-be local maid of honor), I was able to find the perfect gold setting which was crafted from recycled metal as per their company’s policy. For the diamond, Brilliant Earth provides a profile for each of the locations they purchase from, including where the proceeds go and how they treat their workers and the environment. I went with a Canadian diamond which, while costing more, had excellent policies on labor, environmental impact, and even the effects on the local Aboriginal population. The decisions one must make to obtain a sustainable ring can be daunting, but remember that the purchase that starts your engagement can also be one that does a lot of good.
Note that Brilliant Earth occasionally has deals on their website. Recently, they would include a pair of earrings if you bought a diamond engagement ring. If your timing is flexible, you might want to wait for one of those. Also, they have free shipping and returns, but you must return the ring within 30 days of receiving it.
Have a great story about a used ring that she swooned over, or a question about how to find that perfect green ring? Leave a comment below. And as always...
Thank you for reading.
For me, the diamond selection and transparency of origin available from Brilliant Earth made them the choice in the end. With some help from a friend (the soon-to-be local maid of honor), I was able to find the perfect gold setting which was crafted from recycled metal as per their company’s policy. For the diamond, Brilliant Earth provides a profile for each of the locations they purchase from, including where the proceeds go and how they treat their workers and the environment. I went with a Canadian diamond which, while costing more, had excellent policies on labor, environmental impact, and even the effects on the local Aboriginal population. The decisions one must make to obtain a sustainable ring can be daunting, but remember that the purchase that starts your engagement can also be one that does a lot of good.
Note that Brilliant Earth occasionally has deals on their website. Recently, they would include a pair of earrings if you bought a diamond engagement ring. If your timing is flexible, you might want to wait for one of those. Also, they have free shipping and returns, but you must return the ring within 30 days of receiving it.
Have a great story about a used ring that she swooned over, or a question about how to find that perfect green ring? Leave a comment below. And as always...
Thank you for reading.