Most of the time, when choosing an engagement ring, some aesthetic choices like size, style, setting, and metal tend to take over your judgment and senses. It naturally fades out some of the moral decisions like societal and environmental considerations.
This is especially true when it comes to diamonds. Though James Allen reviews highlight the importance of brands presenting conflict-free diamonds to people, many sellers still resort to selling blood diamonds to stay prominent in the industry.
But the good news is, just like you, there are many couples now coming forward to make conflict-free diamonds a part of life.
So what are conflict-free engagement rings, and how do you choose the right one?
Conflict-Free Engagement Rings – An Overview
Conflict-free engagement rings are the ones that are designed and crafted with pure conflict-free diamonds. Unlike the standard diamonds, conflict-free ones are not exposed to illegal forms of purchases that give a hand to rebel uprisings and civil unrest in war-torn countries.
Besides financing such immoral activities, some diamonds are also mined under cruel conditions where the miners are subjected to safety hazards, low work conditions, and child labor.
According to James Allen reviews, diamonds are classified as conflict-free when certain independent agencies vouch for the diamond’s origin.
With the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme gaining more traction by the day, many sellers are now dealing with conflict-free diamonds. However, as a layperson identifying and buying an original and reliable conflict-free engagement ring is not easy.
If you are planning to buy a meaningful engagement ring to mark the start of your love life, make sure to keep these in mind, not blindly invest in a ring bearing a blood diamond.
Learn Where the Stone Was Mined
If you want to ensure that the diamond does not come from a background of the conflict, then the seller you are dealing with should have the means to trace back to the diamond's exact source.
For example, it is wise to stay away from rings engraved with diamonds mined from countries like Angola and Zimbabwe. Instead, you can go for diamonds mined from Canada and such countries.
It all again comes back to the seller. So, if a seller is unsure about the roots of the engagement ring they are presenting you with, you should consider that a red flag. Remember, the best conflict-free diamond rings always come from reliable jewelers.
Check If the Stone Fits the Fairtrade Bill
Sometimes, even if the stone in the ring is conflict-free, there are high chances of it going under the machines in sweatshops and dingy environments for below minimum wages. Apart from learning the actual source of the stone, it is also essential to understand its complete journey.
Talk to the jeweler about where the diamonds were cut and polished. If you think the jeweler is honest and has proof to show a Fairtrade process, you can very well go with the ring you have in mind.
Manufacture History of The Rings
Just like the food industry where a high-quality restaurant will naturally translate to good food, the same goes for conflict-free engagement rings as well.
Many jewelers source their rings from countries where there is a cheap margin for businesses. Just like mining diamonds in unethical conditions, manufacturing the engagement rings at the expense of lousy pay and working conditions equate to a blood diamond situation as well.
The jeweler you have chosen to work with must know precisely where the engagement rings are made. As James Allen reviews say, a jeweler who can consciously name the artisans who create the rings tends to sell genuine conflict-free pieces.
So, read reviews, learn more about the jeweler, check their authenticity, ask for proof without second thoughts and buy your dream engagement ring without compromising your moral policies.
