Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they are not quite the same symbol of beauty for many people around the world. When buying a piece of jewelry for yourself or a loved one, it is critical to know the impact that the diamonds have on a global scale. While the stones in your fine jewelry may look stunning, it is all the more beautiful to know that they are not bringing harm to international communities. This is why jewelers like Brilliant Earth provide both ethical and alternative options for purchasing diamonds.
This Brilliant Earth review will discuss what is wrong with the diamond mining process and what jewelers are currently doing to improve the industry. Whether swapping out real stones for synthetics or recycled diamonds, it is essential to understand how your fine jewelry is produced and its impact on the rest of the world.
What are conflict-free diamonds?
The diamond industry is frequently under a microscope for its ethics in mining and export practices. “Blood” diamonds those that come from war-torn areas or mining zones that are often controlled by rebel forces. The exports may fund continued militarization efforts and endanger innocent locals living in proximity to the mines. Additionally, these diamonds are often a result of slave labor and unsafe work conditions.
Conflict-free diamonds result from transparency in the mining process that aims to ensure responsible mining practices and protect against human rights violations. While ethical diamonds focus on the overall impact of a diamond on miners and the environment, conflict-free narrows in on the effect a stone might have on war and rebel forces. Conflict-free diamonds specifically avoid being the source of funding for militant groups and civil wars.
The problem with the industry
The diamond industry employs more than ten million people worldwide, but a significant portion of those are underpaid, unprotected, forced laborers. For many communities around the globe, diamond mining is one of the only available sources of income. However, unlike a salaried or hourly position, this work only pays when a stone is found, meaning some workers may go hungry until they can produce a diamond. In some villages, it is not uncommon for parents to send their children to the mines at an early age to help put food on the table.
What can make the diamond industry challenging to control is the number of times a diamond can exchange hands before making it into the display case. Experts believe diamonds change hands on an average of eight to ten occasions before reaching its final destination. In that series of exchanges, stones can be compromised. Particularly in high-conflict countries like Congo, Zimbabwe, and Angola, it is more unlikely that the diamonds are a product of unethical and illegal mining processes.
Brilliant Earth’s Beyond Conflict-Free
Conflict-free diamonds are more ethical and sustainable than other exports. Through the Kimberley Process, jewelers acquire stones that are certified as being obtained responsibly and with as little environmental impact as possible. Jewelers who abide by this process offer consumers diamonds that are not a result of human rights violations, violence, poverty, or environmental degradation.
Brilliant Earth exceeds the conflict-free definition with its Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds. To meet this standard, Brilliant Earth requires its suppliers to specific mining operations or verified locations that demonstrate a commitment to safe working conditions, low environmental impact, and positive community relationships. These diamonds are tracked from mine to store using advanced scientific analysis, and every stone comes with a GIA Diamond Origin Report to enable full transparency with consumers.
Brilliant Earth Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds originate from:
- Botswana Sort
- Russia
- Canada
How to avoid conflict diamonds
There are several steps you can take to avoid buying conflict diamonds:
- Ask for details
- Request detailed information from the jeweler about the diamond’s origins and any verified certifications
- Research the supplier
- If the exact diamond tracing is not accessible, know the supplier and their reputation for responsible trading. For example, De Beers’ Forevermark diamonds reinvest in infrastructure for local mining communities and fund micro-credit programs for social development.
- Seek out diamonds mined in Canada, Africa, Namibia, and Botswana
- Environmental and labor standards are meticulously enforced, and these countries tend to work diligently to ensure that mining income supports job development for the community
- Purchase recycled or synthetic diamonds
- These options avoid the mining process altogether and therefore guarantee that your stone is conflict-free
- Buy from a reputable jeweler
- Companies like Brilliant Earth make public commitments to bettering mining communities and reinvesting funds to support a conflict-free industry
Supporting the diamond industry
Brilliant Earth provides conflict-free options for its customers and actively improves the diamond industry by working closely with and donating 5% of net profits to mining communities and several charitable causes. They regularly contribute funds to organizations that are improving human rights and environmental practices within the industry, such as Feeding America and the Carbon Fund. Their mission is to provide ethical and sustainable jewelry while bettering communities worldwide by protecting the environment, preventing abuse, improving livelihoods, and empowering local communities. Brilliant Earth offers its customers jewelry that is conflict-free and will continue to give back to the industry throughout the years to come.
