As the G7 Summit leaves town, and with world leaders discussing the global challenges of climate change, it seems a pertinent time to reflect on our own eco-credentials.
Did you know that an estimated 250 tonnes of earth is shifted for every single carat of diamond mined? With 148 million carats mined in 2018 alone, you can see the scale of the problem. Some diamond mines are now so big they can be seen from space. Reports show (Frost & Sullivan, 2014) that mined diamonds require twice as much energy per carat than those grown in a laboratory and it is estimated that 57kg of carbon is released into the atmosphere for every single carat mined.
However, even most lab-grown diamonds on the market have an associated carbon footprint, emissions and the pricing of these stones is fixed against the mined diamond market, which my daughter Emily and I believe is unethical. With all this in mind, we are proud as a Cornish company to only work with laboratories who share our ethos.
We are currently the only supplier in the south west of pure, lab-grown diamonds from the Diamond Foundry; the world’s first certified, zero carbon footprint producer of diamonds where production is 100% hydropowered, meaning zero emissions.
We also offer a diamond alternative, branded the Ethica Diamond, which is very close in structure, composition and hardness to a mined diamond. They offer the same toughness, aesthetic, longevity and independent grading to mined diamonds without the cartel pricing and the associated questionable ethics. Being pioneers in ethical mined diamond alternatives, we are proud to set our jewellery using only sustainable lab-grown diamonds or the Ethica Diamond, in our eyes the only way to be truly ethical in today’s diamond industry.
Nothing that has been dug up from the ground can ever be free from environmental impact to the seabed, wildlife or climate. Our belief is that if something is given from the heart, symbolising a special time such as an engagement, the birth of a child, an anniversary or a wedding, its production should not be associated with any humanitarian environmental harm or suffering. Ethica Diamonds are a vote for what you believe in and our mission is to develop a 100% sustainable jewellery brand.