Often, people think ethical vs non-ethical is pretty black and white, but it's not as easy as that when you live in a capitalistic world. So many companies are willing to overlook working conditions, environmental damage, and other factors if it saves them money. When it comes to sourcing materials for fine jewelry, we try to make the most ethical decisions, even if they aren't the most cost-effective.
Metals:
For our metals, gold, platinum, and silver, we use pre-owned material sourced locally, either directly from customers through our recycling program or from near our studio in the Diamond District. This is a place where a lot of people come to sell their jewelry and unwanted gold. Buying pre-owned materials is generally much more expensive, as you are also paying for the refining process to get it turned into usable material to make jewelry. Our founder, AL, has been offered gold direct from the mine at 20% cheaper, but they turned the offer down for a number of reasons. Mining new material when there is so much material already mined is bad for the environment, and the conditions the miners work under are unknown. Choosing to use recycled metals is the most ethical choice, even when it isn't the most cost-effective.
Diamonds:
For our diamonds, the situation is a bit more complicated.
Using reclaimed diamonds from old jewelry is the most ethical option. There’s so much material already mined, and reusing it is always better than creating new in a lab or mining for new diamonds.
Most diamonds (about 35% of the world’s output) are mined from indigenous territories in Russia, and it’s done mostly by one company. The people of these lands get displaced, and/or live in poverty as a direct result of the mining. Diamond mining occurs under similar conditions all over the world, often resulting in slave labor. So many companies are willing to overlook working conditions, environmental damage, and other factors if it saves them money, and they just create fake certifications that say they are ethical, but it is not possible since the mines are still not returned to full control of the Indigenous peoples of that land. So, in such a flawed system, supporting independent workers and indigenous people is the most ethical thing we can do.
Most of the world's diamonds are go thought to Israel. Israel has a lot of control over the diamond industry, which it uses to manipulate its geopolitical standing, and the most sustainable thing we can do is not purchase any gems that come through there.
One of the most ethical ways to obtain diamonds, we find, is by supporting other small businesses. We work with a diamond cutting workshop in India, which has been doing this for generations. It’s only family members who work there, and the relationship our founder has cultivated with them allows us to listen to their views and see what supports their business. From their perspective, the best diamond option is natural black and salt and pepper diamonds because diamonds are not rare, but most are included. The large amount of mining needed to find clear diamonds creates more hazardous working conditions. Especially for larger carats and higher quality diamonds. Even smaller, one-carat clear stones are not that rare, but larger companies hold on to stock to create a false rarity and inflate prices and demand. Plus, the included diamonds are beautiful and unique, each one tells its own story.
The diamonds that this shop cuts come from all over the world, with an ever-changing rotation of small stock from various mines.
Lab-created diamonds are also a better option. Depending on the production method, carbon source, and energy source, some lab diamonds can be created with moderate to low emission impact. Lab-created stones also use significantly less clean water compared to mining, as they mostly use closed-loop systems. Our lab-grown diamonds are ethically produced through responsible manufacturing practices, and the lab we use invests in carbon offset initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint.
Gemstones:
Most gemstones are softer than diamonds, so they may not survive for a second-time use. Diamonds, sapphires, and rubies are hard enough on the Mohs scale that they're better able to be recut and reused. Other gems have a smaller chance. If the original owner was careful with their jewelry and kept it from being scratched, chipped, or otherwise damaged, it might be reusable.
When we can‘t use recycled, we use lab-created, or we source natural stones from smaller family-owned mines, like our Montana sapphires and Australian opals.
