Two posts in a week, I'm definitely on fire! I'm very hopeful that this will be my posting schedule- Thursdays and Sundays :)
One of the most exciting things that's happened to me over the last few months (years) is that I got engaged. When my now-fiancee, Jordan, and I first started talking about getting engaged (yes, I wanted to be on the whole thing from the get-go) I knew I wanted a sustainable engagement ring.
There are a definitely a few sustainability issues associated with "traditional" engagement rings. The actual mining of the diamonds is difficult on the Earth- ie., soil erosion, deforestation, air and water pollution, to name a few. I've even read that some communities have been forced to relocate because of the impact the diamond industry has had on their local ecosystem. Additionally, there is a huge presence of child labor and slave labor in the diamond mining industry- numbers have said around 16% of workers in that industry are underage. Lastly, a ton of resources go into the mass manufacturing of rings that we see in big box jewelry stores- from the actual manufacturing of them, to the cross-country transport and delivery.
The good news is, there's quite a few ways you can shop sustainably, while also finding something you'll love seeing on your finger forever. These are some of the options I explored when I was looking for my ring!
Option 1: Buying second-hand. A grand total of 0 resources go into manufacturing something second-hand- because it already exists (see what I did there?). Pawn shops carry tons of second-hand, unique, vintage jewelry pieces- talk about the ultimate thrifting find! Even just for the sake of exploring different cuts, I couldn't think of anything more fun than going to a pawn shop with your fiancee-to-be or your friends and seeing (and trying on) a few different styles to see what you like (post-COVID, of course.)
Option 2: Buying a lab-made diamond. As much as I love thrifting, I wanted a new ring. Personally, I liked the idea of something that was just mine, for all of time. Lab-made diamonds are not mined from the Earth and are completely synthetic- but they look like the real thing. They have the same optical, chemical, and physical properties as a diamond, but often times for less. There are a ton of different retailers that carry lab-made diamonds- I even saw you can buy some from jewelers like Kay. Brilliant Earth is another well-known one! But I got mine from Diamond Nexus and I couldn't love it more. It was extremely affordable (less than $1,000) and (in my opinion) is stunning in every way. Many of these retailers operate online only, so again, I can't recommend enough exploring different cuts in person as much as you can (even trying them on, if you can do so safely) to ensure you like what you're ordering before you pull the trigger.
Option 3: Purchase from a small business (such as an Etsy shop). A quick Etsy search will pull up thousands and thousands of stunning engagement rings (again, often for significantly less). While you can't guarantee the sustainability of the materials used, you can rest easy knowing that your ring is not being mass produced, likely is handmade, AND you're supporting a small business while getting a great deal. Your ring may also be one of a kind- and who doesn't want that? :) I'm considering doing this for my wedding band- I have seen some gorgeous ones.
All in all, choosing an engagement ring (assuming you have a choice) is about picking something you love and that fits within your values and budget. And never forget- there's always that option of upgrading as your relationship progresses!
Next for me is trying to create some sustainable bridesmaids gifts (plastic-free) and planning a low-waste wedding as much as possible. Not gonna lie, the small, intimate quarantine weddings are really appealing to me. Any other quarantine brides/ bride-to-be's out there? What did you do? :)
Well until next week, I hope you all have a great Sunday! And huge thank you to Katherine Grace Photography in San Diego for our stunning engagement photo shoot (and our best man Eric for being there at the actual proposal). I'll talk to you soon!
- Whitney
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