Wedding Jewelry with a Conscience

Diamonds are widely considered to be the ultimate symbol of glamour, status and - in the case of the engagement ring - love. “If a diamond symbolizes love, you want to go the extra step of making sure you do the right thing,” says Robert Cosentino, co-founder and executive director of the Conflict-Free Diamond Council (www.conflictfreediamonds.org), a nonprofit group devoted to certifying conflict-free gems. In many African countries, the diamond mining industry has fueled civil wars and caused major human loss and suffering. These gems, known as conflict or “blood” diamonds, are often produced under unjust practices such as child labor and refusal to provide safe working conditions and fair wages. While the majority of available stones are conscious, few retailers can guarantee the origin of their gems, Cosentino says. “About 95 percent [of the industry] is conflict-free, but less than 1 percent is certified conflict-free because the supply lines are that blurred,” he says. The key to ensuring a diamond is completely conflict-free lies in an audit trail, of sorts, that tracks the stone from its mine home to the owner’s hand. Cosentino says the council only supports brands and retailers that can assure consumers of the utmost manufacturing standards. “From when it comes out of the ground to when it is placed on the finger they need to know exactly where that diamond has been,” he says. Although several jewelry brands classify as certified conflict-free diamond manufacturers, it gets tougher to pinpoint retailers in which to find the few retailers can make the same promise. To find out where these brands are sold, Cosentino recommends consumers contact the individual companies. The council does, however, endorse Brilliant Earth, a San Francisco-based retailer that provides gems from one of the approved certification programs (the Canadian Diamond Code of Contact) both online and on location. “It’s up to consumers to demand an ethical product,” says Beth Gerstein, the company’s co-founder and co-CEO. Gerstein was motivated to start the company after personally searching for a conscious jewel to put on her own engagement ring. “The biggest thing a consumer can do is fight with [his/her] wallet. The most important thing is the industry needs to know consumers care,” she says. Contemporary brands are making sure customers don’t have to sacrifice their principles to symbolize their love. Although finding a conscious ring may require some extra footwork, the decision can make a lasting global impact.