Reason to Buy Sustainable Natural Diamonds Jewellery

What you need to know to ensure you are buying sustainable diamonds.

By |
Natural diamonds

You are searching for sustainable diamonds like an engagement ring, a jewel that you or your partner plan to wear for years to come and pass down to the next generation one day. It’s precious, sentimental, and a celebration of love! But there is more to your diamond’s story. You should know its legacy, where it originated, its impact on the environment, and the community where it was discovered.

Pamela Love diamond engagement ring
Pamela Love diamond engagement ring.

Read More: Education: A Lifelong Gift from the World of Diamonds

That’s a lot to unpack in a small stone. But an ethically sourced diamond represents much more than its carat weight and setting. Diamonds were formed over billions of years deep within the earth’s surface in some of the world’s most remote regions. Once the stones are unearthed, they pass through the hands of cutters, designers, craftspeople, and retailers before you discover the diamond, the stone that speaks to you.

How can I find sustainable diamonds?

It’s easier than ever to purchase ethically sourced diamonds.

Not long ago, it was a challenge (almost impossible) to uncover a diamond’s origin, but over the past several years the industry has increased its supply chain transparency, making it easier for wholesalers and retailers to identify a stone’s source and share that information with consumers. Furthermore, diamond producers are highly regulated by independent sources to ensure that mines operate safely and protect the environment, and that the surrounding local communities benefit from their natural resources.

Diamonds in natural resources
More than 400 women-owned businesses across Africa were funded because of natural diamonds.

What is a sustainable diamond?

Watch out for greenwashing… learn the facts – they tell the truth.

More than just knowing your buying sustainable diamonds, today you can also learn about how your diamond helped international communities by supporting education, healthcare, biodiversity and more. It’s a way to know your investment and precious stone isn’t just a pretty jewel.

Teacher writing on the board.
Natural diamonds have contributed to 16 billion dollars of annual benefits for our world, including healthcare, jobs, and education.

In this era of greenwashing, when terms like sustainable and ethical are often misrepresented, you might be asking: what is a sustainable diamond? It’s a stone that was mined by accountable sources (monitored by third party independent regulators) which comply with stringent guidelines and contribute to the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the region from where it was discovered.

How Exactly Do Sustainable Diamonds Create a Positive Impact?

Ethically sourced natural diamonds support the livelihoods of 10 million people.

Natural diamonds help provide access to education for children
Natural diamonds help provide access to education for children around the world, including over half a million children in rural communities.

The positive impact is impressive – and factual. The natural diamond industry has profoundly impacted the lives of millions of people where it uncovers stones: It employs 10 million people worldwide and 80 percent of the value created by diamond recovery is retained by the communities in which the stones were mined. That translates into $6.8 billion annually going directly to local communities. The industry also protects and rehabilitates the environment: It ensures that once a mine is closed, the land is restored and rejuvenated, and has a positive impact on the community for generations to come.

Natural diamonds help protect the lives of millions of wild animals globally
Natural diamonds help protect the lives of millions of wild animals globally.

How do you know if your diamond is sustainable?

Simply ask.

Most retailers can verify the country of origin – and some have taken it even further. Tiffany & Co, for example, offers the Diamond Craft Journey for stones of .18 carats or larger, which identifies the country of origin and maps every step of the stone’s journey from the cutter to the setter. DeBeers not only traces the origin of its diamonds, but it can also demonstrate the positive impact the diamond had on its local surrounding. The company’s white diamonds in the 0.2 to 3 carat range are sourced exclusively from De Beers-owned mines in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Canada.

Diamond necklace from sustainable jewellery brand AZLEE
Diamond necklace from sustainable jewellery brand AZLEE.

It’s not just Tiffany’s and DeBeers, but numerous jewellery brands both big and small are certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), which enlists independent third-party auditors to verify that brands adhere to its stringent Code of Practices. The RJC also established certified Sustainability Rated Diamonds, which delivers independently verified proof of a diamond’s origin and journey through the chain of custody using evidence-based information. It’s a surefire way to verify that your diamond is ethically and sustainably sourced – and helping to better diamond-producing communities.

Bottom line: It’s easier than ever to discover your diamond’s origin and journey – and that will make it shine even brighter.