FEATURES
UNSUSTAINABLE CHOICES
demand is still strong. With that
in mind, we need to start better
educating millennials - the current
generation getting engaged - about
what’s going on in the background
of this glossy luxury industry,
if they’re to avoid buying into
a supply chain that is fraught
with human rights injustices and
environmental atrocities.
The good news is: purchasing a
diamond or other precious gemstone
whilst keeping your environmental
conscience clean is actually quite
straightforward. Canadian mines
are
extremely
well-regulated,
guaranteeing safety, full rights and
fair treatment for workers. Strict
environmental conservation laws
also mean that land is restored
once mining is ceased, the release
of harmful substances is curbed
and contained, and local people
and wildlife are protected from the
effects of the mining process.
22 JEWELLERY FOCUS
Buying from a jeweller who
sources their diamonds from
a Canadian mine, such as the
Ekati and Diavik mines, means
you’re safe, as they will be able
to produce certificates to show
you exactly where your diamond
came from.
You should also ask your
jeweller whether the gold they use
is recycled or Fairtrade certified.
Poorly sourced gold can see one
ring generate up to 20 tonnes
of waste, whereas recycled gold
and platinum is indistinguishable
from new metal but greatly
reduces the impact of unethical
mining practices.
An engagement ring will
always be one of life’s biggest
purchases. They’re a marker
of a significant moment in a
person’s life. As millennials move
into engagement and marriage
territory, it’s vital that they
make environmentally conscious
choices about all aspects of their
future; and their ring purchases
come into this. We need to arm
young people with the facts
that will ensure they make a
sustainable choice when faced
with this big, once-in-a-lifetime
investment.
April 2019 | jewelleryfocus.co.uk