By Erin Frank

When my then-fiance went searching for engagement rings for his proposal, his purchase gave him pause. Traditional diamonds often come at a high cost cost to the environment, society, and to people’s quality of life. News articles, investigations, and even Hollywood movies like Blood Diamond have introduced the public to the darker side of the diamond industry. It’s a dangerous and deadly business: the profits from “conflict diamonds” have funded devastating civil wars in Africa and are associated with numerous human rights abuses and even terrorism. My fiance wanted a ring he could feel good about giving me. Luckily, he found San Francisco-based diamond company, Brilliant Earth.

The folks at Brilliant Earth ensure that every single gemstone they sell is conflict-free and mined, cut, and finished in a socially and ethically responsible manner. All of their diamonds come from Canadian mines that follow environmentally sustainable practices and are committed to delivering high quality gems. 

Even their settings are earth friendly. Brilliant Earth uses precious metals from secondary sources which are then re-refined in order to ensure that they are identical quality to newly mined metals. This helps reduce the need for additional “dirty” mining by using renewed metals.

In a move that goes above and beyond, Brilliant Earth also dedicates 5% of their profits to communities impacted by the jewelry trade. They feel strongly that luxury goods should not promote such injustice, and that the communities that produce the products should benefit from them. Through partnerships with established, on-the-ground efforts, they try to rectify past injustices of the jewelry trade and help communities develop the skills needed to manage their natural resources effectively.

Don’t worry, an engagement ring with a conscience still sparkles the same.  Let the start of your commitment include a commitment to sustainability and a healthy society. Check out Brilliant Earth’s rings at www.brilliantearth.com.