Consciously-Sourced Rings

7 brands to consider for ethically-made engagement rings

CARE

For Living

Jan 03 2024 | min read

7 brands to consider for ethically-made engagement rings

Diamonds are often associated with luxury, beauty, and, of course— commitment. In recent years, there’s been a growing awareness about the implications of purchasing diamond rings: there are a few things to note: unethically sourced diamonds can be linked to problems like environmental damage and human rights abuse, and they can even fund conflicts in certain regions of the world. For instance, traditional mining practices (which are typically used for diamonds) often result in ecosystems being disrupted, sources of water being contaminated, and local biodiversity being destroyed. Ethical diamond sourcing promotes sustainable mining methods that seek to minimize these damaging effects. By opting for an ethically sourced ring, you can actively contribute to the preservation of our planet's finite resources.

By opting for ethically sourced diamonds, you can ensure that workers receive fair wages and are provided with safe working conditions. The following brands operate within a framework that respects human rights and prohibits child labor, and supporting these practices helps to safeguard the well-being and dignity of individuals who contribute to the creation of these gems.

By making a thoughtful selection, you can ensure that your engagement ring aligns with your values while embodying the true essence of love and compassion—isn’t that special? Each brand mentioned in this post offers so many excellent options.

Clean Origin | RING Prices Starting AROUND $550

Clean Origin offers lab-grown diamond jewelry across all price points using cutting-edge technology that replicates the process of natural diamonds. A lab-grown diamond is chemically, physically, and visually identical to a mined diamond — without the adverse effects of traditional diamond mining. Read more about their conflict-free jewelry. This is where my wedding band and my husband’s wedding ring are from!

Heirloom revival | Custom JEWELRY Reworking

Heirloom Revival reworks your beloved pieces and gives them new life. They believe that circular fine jewelry is the way of the future and that by mining our personal jewelry boxes, we can create all the new designs we need.

Blue Nile | Ring Prices starting around $1k

Blue Nile offers thousands of ethically and sustainably sourced rings, as well as a full range of other jewelry. They have a zero-tolerance policy toward conflict diamonds: through measures such as the Kimberley Process, which tracks diamonds from mine to market, the industry in partnership with the United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations, polices diamond exports to prevent the trade of illegal diamonds. At Blue Nile, they only purchase diamonds through the largest and most respected suppliers who proudly adhere to and enforce the standards established by the Kimberley Process.

Vrai | Ring Prices starting around $1k

Vrai converts greenhouse gases into diamonds: they’re sustainably created in the brand’s zero-emission foundry in the Pacific Northwest. The diamonds are then cut and polished in their international workshops by master craftspeople. All of their offerings are lab-grown using this process.

Brilliant Earth | Ring prices starting around $1,200

Brilliant Earth goes above and beyond the current industry standards to offer Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds with a listed origin of Canada or Botswana Sort. Their select group of diamond suppliers demonstrate a robust chain of custody protocol for their diamonds and can track and segregate diamonds by origin. These suppliers are required to source diamonds that originate from specific mine operations or specific countries that have demonstrated their commitment to follow internationally recognized labor, trade, and environmental standards. The brand also offers lab-created and recycled diamonds, both of which require no new mining.

Bario Neal | Prices starting around $380

Ethical diamonds are more than conflict-free at Bario Neal. They work with a fully traceable supply chain from mine to market. Their diamonds are primarily of recycled, Canadian, and Australian origin, and lab-grown. Their recycled diamonds are as durable, precious, and high value as a diamond mined this week. Recycled diamonds are repurposed from old stock or other jewelry, so while they can’t determine their origins, no new mining is required, eliminating the environmental footprint and making them a sustainable choice.

Ceremony | Prices starting around $800

Every Ceremony ring is made using 100% recycled diamonds and 18k solid recycled gold. The brand works with buyers who travel the world on their behalf to source high-quality, unique, recycled diamonds. All Ceremony gold is Certified Recycled, meaning no percentage of gold has been newly mined but rather is repurposed from already existing jewelry. All water used in the refining process is reused, and any trace metals left over are refined and recycled, including the wax from the molding and casting process — proprietary to their facility and its jewelers. These materials and their processes named above have been independently audited and certified by the SRSP (Signet Responsible Sourcing) and The RJC (Responsible Jewellery Council). These practices also meet and in many cases exceed all EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines and regulations for a safe and healthy working environment. Both recycled gold and diamonds allow for the same quality and value as newly-mined stones and metals without the devastating human, environmental, and economic costs.

*Crescent Hammered Diamond Ring by Bario Neal*

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Disclosure: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you decide to buy any of the products I refer to and promote. All opinions are our own.