Yesterday was an amazing day. First, it was raining and I stayed in bed for longer than usual. Next I had breakfast with my lovah. Finally, I spent an hour trying on every engagement ring in the amazing Brilliant Earth collection.
Throw in a cupcake and I would have spontaneously orgasmed.
Brilliant Earth is a jewelry company dedicated to creating baubles that are as sustainable as they are gorgeous. Not only are the metals used in the rings recycled, the gems the company uses are culled from sustainable sources.
So you might be wondering: Uh, Heather? What does that mean? And why should I give a rat’s ass?
Here is why Brilliant Earth rocks:
It is a pretty well known fact that diamond diggers in regions like West Africa face dangerous working conditions, brutal violence, and famine, working their butts off only to make less than $1 a day. The money from the diamonds we purchase in this country (or any other) don’t trickle down to the diamond-mining communities. In fact, the mining regions of West Africa are among the poorest in their respective countries, despite their diamond resources.
Based on the success of fair trade practices in other industries, like coffee, Brilliant Earth has determined that the same can be done for the corrupt diamond industry. Brilliant Earth believes that diamond consumers can help diggers attain a fair price for their labor, safe working conditions, clean water, and basic health care by demanding a fair trade diamond alternative.
The majority of Brilliant Earth diamonds come from Canada. These diamonds are carefully tracked from two mines in Canada through the cutting, polishing, and transport processes. The company is certain that its Canadian diamonds are conflict-free, according to its website, because each diamond is tracked from mine to customer.
Brilliant Earth also purchases diamonds from PRIDE Diamonds, a socially responsible Sierra Leone diamond mining organization that aids workers and their communities through their fair trade diamond mining practices. PRIDE Diamonds pays its workers several times the average gross national income of Sierra Leone, reinvesting money into the surrounding communities, and rehabilitating land mined into productive farming.
Additionally, according to the website, Brilliant Earth has recently begun acquiring Namibian diamonds, which are mined according to strict standards of environmental and social responsibility. These diamonds help to promote sustainable development in the impoverished southwest African country by providing much-needed jobs, health care and education opportunities for Namibia’s people. Because Namibia’s ecology has suffered from irresponsible mining practices in the past, the diamond mining regions are now closely monitored for environmental impacts with special care to rehabilitate the land after use, according to Brilliant Earth.
To add to the good will, Brilliant Earth donates 5 percent of its profits to help communities who have suffered from unethical practices in the jewelry industry.
I feel sparkly inside just thinking about it all.
Tags: Brilliant Earth, diamonds, eco jewelry, Eco to the People, eco-fashion, eco-friendly, ethically sourced, ethically-sourced diamonds, green, green jewelry, Heather O'Neill, organic, recycled materials
What a load of crap. I considered purchasing a ring from Brilliant Earth, and I know for a fact that none of their diamonds are Fair Trade. They buy Canadian diamonds, all from huge companies like Rio Tinto. They no longer buy any stones from PRIDE because Tiffany bought it. And their Namibian diamonds come from Kalahari Diamond which is a De Beers siteholder. There are better options, smaller, and harder to find, but they’re out there… you just have to take the time to look. Try Twitter.
I like the concept. Its just hard to know for sure…I mean DeBeers has the ‘Kimberly’ process but no one really thinks that works. Take a look at man made diamonds. Not simulants or Cr02….REAL DIAMONDS. There are two Labs I know of producing them….However, DeBeers has struck up an agreement with them so they dont produce anything larger than 1/4 carrot.