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BANG FOR THE BITE
A diamond is a major purchase with a lot of “C” factors to consider – carat, cut, and clarity. Adding “clear conscience” to that mix makes for a bang-up tip.
COCKTAIL FACT
80% of the world’s diamonds are not suitable as stones for jewelry.
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home › tip library › Conflict Free Diamonds
The holidays are around the corner: hunting for the perfect diamond for your sweetheart?
The Bite
Show your honey how you truly feel with a conflict-free diamond engagement ring – a true symbol of love and integrity. The pretty sparkle usually helps, too.The Benefits
- Ethical diamonds that are conflict-free ensure that your money does not fund illegal operations that are common with diamond sourcing in Africa. (90% of the world’s diamonds come from Africa.) Profits from conflict diamonds are used by armed groups to finance wars and commit grave human rights abuses.
- Help support the World Diamond Council in developing fair trade practices for the diamond trade.
- By purchasing a diamond through specific organizations, your money can go towards helping victims of diamond source cruelty. Over 4 million people have been killed in conflicts surrounding the sale of illegal diamonds.
Personally Speaking
Although neither of us is even close to getting engaged soon (we are married to The Bite), we are often hit up for advice from friends about rings. We steer them towards cruelty-free diamonds and recycled jewelry.Wanna Try?
- Igloo Diamonds – world renowned in the sale of ethical diamonds
- Jewelers for Clean Diamond Imports – Find a conflict free diamond jeweler near you.
- One Sky Campaign – information, resources and links to help understand and take action on the diamond conflict issue.
Nov 21,2005
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
Diamonds are a Girl’s Best…
In general, I make a pretty bad tomboy. I'm a little squeamish about a lot of things (bugs, mice, sludge), and there are a lot of girly things that I really do like (you all already know I'm a total spa/cosmetic whore).
But I just don't get the diamond thing.
Seemingly normal women turn all gushy and strange when it comes to their diamond engagement rings. (I'm soooo going to get in trouble for this blog). Honestly: I like bling and beauty and love and a good cry and schmoopiness as much as the next person. But what is it about diamonds that makes completely sane women start gesticulating wildly with their (left) hands and then constantly straighten their arms out in front of them, hands back, cocking their heads to one side as if they were checking a manicure, moving that blasted stone back and forth to catch the glints in the sunlight/spotlight/bar light/barely-there-light in the back of the cab?
I mean, maybe I, too, would become a huge diamond-lover if I were given a pretty ring. It could happen (as one friend said recently, after becoming engaged and getting an arguably gorgeous ring: "Who KNEW I liked diamonds so much???!"). But I just can't see it, really. I think I'd rather have an old heirloom ring or simple band or, let's be honest, a bang-up trip to Italy.
Fortunately, I avoid the atrocities committed in the name of diamond sourcing by staying resolutely single and consistently broke. Let's just call it me doing my little part for the planet.
-Heather... off to wait for the fallout from angry engaged girlfriends...
Biter Comments...
reason: silver, like a good relationship, must be cared for, or it will tarnish, and pearls are made by smoothing beauty from deep within yourself over irritants - love smoothing over quarrels.
If you avoid conflict diamonds, you can stay friends with Kanye West! Check out the extended version of his Sierra Leone Diamonds song + video. "I thought my diamonds were harmless til I saw a shorty armless..."
I was up late writing a chemistry lab, listening to the new fiona apple (which of course I bought on itunes rather than waste all that packaging on a CD. Anyhow, she has a line questioning the social perceptions of diamonds in the song Red Red Red. Here it is:
I don’t understand about diamonds
And why men buy them
What’s so impressive about a diamond
Except the mining
But it’s dangerous work
Trying to get to you, too
And I think, if I didn’t have to kill, kill, kill, kill
Kill myself doing it
Maybe I wouldn’t think so much of you.
ewww... chill bumps. I love Fiona. For one, her music rocks. For two, her last name REALLY rocks! ;-)
Forget the diamonds, girl - I can't believe I read the word 'schmoopiness' today! I have been using that word in various forms for a year with my little niece. She is soooo schmoopy, or 'don't be schmoopy' or she's a schmoopy-boopy. Are we both genius or does the word come from something I have stored in the locked areas of my brain box?
Caron - Ha! Schmoopy: Seinfeld, circa late 90s... In fact, we use it in the body of an upcoming tip, so be on the lookout.
And I do think we are both genuises in spite of that fact that we are stealing verbiage from sitcoms. :)
LBJ?
j/k... love you. and I love my diamonds.
Not a fan of diamonds either. They are just another example of how society is so brainwashed. It's only a worthless rock and and it has somehow been indoctrinated into women's minds that it symbolizes love. I find it disturbing and sadly enough, I don't personally know any girl/woman who isn't gaga for diamonds. My boyfriend and I are getting married soon, and we are not doing the diamond thing. We are still negotiating over our many options: no rings, simple band, engraved band, or turquoise. (We are both December babies so I thought turquoise would fit nicely.)
I recently got engaged and asked for a Cape May Diamond. It's actually quartz, and you don't have to mine for it...they wash up in tons on the shore of Southern NJ. You can pick a stone out yourself, have it tumbled and cut just like a diamond, and it's much lighter on your wallet and conscience. By sight, no one knows the difference. Plus, acquiring a Cape May Diamond is a good excuse for a romantic getaway.
FINALLY! Someone who speaks my language! I feel very much the same way. I recently got engaged and he gave me an inexpensive emerald ring that is a replica of one in the Met. His mother offered us a family heirloom (with diamonds, of course) that is worth enough to put a down payment on a house. We struggled with a way to politely say, thanks, but no thanks. I am far more comfortable with my quirky little gold band with a raw green stone.
I don't get it either!! I got married in vegas and we ran around vegas looking for rings, we got two rings for $24. ha. silver... then about a year later all the silver started wearing off, so I got a new ring for christmas, silver with opals and tiny, tiny, tiny diamonds (I'm not big on diamonds, but these tiny ones are so non intrusive)... little did I know that opals are extemely soft and are not supposed to be worn everyday, I have lost one opal and one diamond. So we have now decided to get our rings custom made, incorporating the jewellery that we alread have into them. My personal preference is simple and not pokey, as I would get it caught on everything! Though I would like turquoise added :)
I'm from Brazil and we don't have the whole diamond craze there (well, we're importing it now...). Usually people wear their 18k gold bands, on the right hand when engaged (both the guy and the girl!) and on the left when married.
When I was married I bought titanium rings to replace the gold ones on everyday wear. They were gorgeous, I loved the graphite-colored shine. (www.titaniumrings.com)
And I love the fact that if/when I get married again I have so many options: no ring, fake ring, gold band, titanium band, tattoo... :)
Responsible jewellery has become a hot issue! In the November 14, 2005 edition of Newsweek out here in Europe (maybe in America too), there was a little snippet I wanted to pass on because it goes so well tips on cruelty-free diamonds. The Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices (www.responsiblejewellery.com) will help you find out which jewelers have pledged to respect workers' rights and use international standards for quality. Another option is to ask jewelers if their diamonds are certified by the Kimberley Process, which is an assurance that your little (or giant) beauties haven't been smuggled or otherwise help to fund illegal activities. These tips were originally published in the above Newsweek with Linda Stern's byline in the "Good Life" section.
I never gave the stone too much thought before getting engaged, and never had a thing for diamonds before either. Then, at the jewelry store, the sales person suggested a sapphire, and it was at that moment I realized I wanted a diamond.
I want to respond to the person who mentioned the fabulous symbology of pearls and silver. If I were to liken them to an ideal love, I'd say that diamonds are the result of heat and pressure over time - which is pretty accurate if you're talking about marriage. Ecologically speaking, they reperesent that which was living millions of years ago (really, you could be walking around with a long extinct animal or plant on your finger!), and was pushed under the earth by geological processes, heated and compressed over a long time, and then brought back up to the surface using the same geological processes.
If you ask me, thats pretty symbolic - both of love of a person AND love of nature.
But I say get the rock you want - it's YOUR ring and your symbol, after all! =}
You might be interested in Touch Wood Rings. You design the ring you want in woods you love and we hand craft your design into an original wearable work of art. A custom designed, handcrafted wooden ring. www.touchwoodrings.com
anyone that is interested in buying a diamond should do a little research on the gruesome history of mining them in africa. de beers is a monopoly that has brainwashed the public into thinking diamonds are special/expensive/rare. de beers controls how many are sold to the public and can therefore control how 'rare' they are (in the marketplace).
those looking to buy diamonds ---- please be a responsible human and do not support de beers. there are some non-de beers owned mines in canada, that, though they are damaging the natural environment, patronizing them would atleast not support years of bloodshed.
Diamonds are Gorgeous, the way the light plays out of the diamonds. The truth is that women love the idea that diamonds are everlasting, much like their love. A diamond truly is forever.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: SB_Gypsy | November 21, 2005 at 08:07 AM