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It's hard to find your way through all the recent ethical jewelry initiatives...
Our objective: to help you understand the different ethical diamond options!
Chapter 1: Conflict Diamonds and the Kimberley Process Response.
- What are "blood diamonds"?
These are African diamonds sold to finance numerous wars in the 2000s. Extracted from mines located in war zones, these African diamonds were sold illegally and clandestinely to supply local armed groups with weapons and ammunition.
- What response was put in place to eliminate this scourge?
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, launched on January 1, 2003, aims to eliminate the global trade in conflict diamonds. Through the issuance of certificates accompanying rough diamond shipments, participating states commit to controlling their imports and exports of diamonds.
However, the effectiveness of the process has been questioned by many local NGOs. The 81 participating countries must control the import and export of rough diamonds through a certification system: the state must therefore self-monitor, which undermines the credibility of the process.
Moreover, workers' social rights and ecological issues are not taken into account.
Chapter 2: The Responsible Jewellery Council or "RJC" Regulation
- What is the mission of the RJC?
The Responsible Jewellery Council - RJC - aims to certify the good practices of companies throughout the supply chain for gold, platinum, and diamonds, from mine to distribution.
It is a non-profit organization founded in 2005.
- But... concretely?
The RJC has implemented its own certification system.
All RJC member companies are audited by an accredited independent auditor who, after verifying a multitude of standards, issues them a certification.
All major jewelry Houses are RJC certified. Today, it is the most recognized certification, even though it remains criticized regarding the level of standards required and their transparency.
Chapter 3: Laboratory-Grown Diamonds
- What is a "synthetic," "cultured," or "lab-grown" diamond?
It aims to reproduce the structure of natural diamonds. They are aesthetically identical to natural diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically manufactured in laboratories. They follow the same quality criteria as natural diamonds. Distinguishing them from natural diamonds is becoming increasingly difficult.
The price of a lab-grown diamond is 30% to 50% lower than that of a natural diamond.
- Are there any constraints or criticisms against this new process?
Yes, there are still some uncertainties.
→ Its pricing is criticized for being relatively opaque.
→ There are uncertainties about the future value of a lab-grown diamond.
→ What happens to the natural diamond industry and its workers if we go this route?
→ What is the ecological impact of laboratory manufacturing?
Conclusion: the lab-grown diamond is a very interesting ethical alternative, even if some questions remain.
Chapter 4: Circular Jewelry and Second-Hand Diamonds
Gold and diamonds are rare and eternal materials.
Circular jewelry involves reusing gold and diamonds from generation to generation, either by wearing vintage jewelry or by reusing stones to create new contemporary pieces.
- Since when have we been buying back or reusing jewelry or precious stones from old jewelry?
Always, but especially since the 12th century: in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, jewelry was mostly adorned with religious subjects, and head jewelry and pins were very popular.
As stones were rare and jewelry represented a significant financial investment, new adornments often included old jewelry that was reused or readapted.
In summary, circular jewelry has existed as long as jewelry itself: the rarity, value, and eternal dimension of diamonds naturally lead to their reuse over time.
- Does buying antique or upcycled jewelry reduce the ecological impact of jewelry?
Of course! Reusing materials in circulation within a local perimeter reduces the ecological impact of extraction and international flows.
It also reduces the social impact since these materials have already been extracted several decades or even centuries ago. Second-hand or upcycled jewelry does not fuel current extraction.
- Is the quality and value of antique diamonds inferior to that of modern diamonds?
It depends. Modern diamonds are priced: there is a diamond exchange that defines their price at any given moment according to their weight and quality.
On the other hand, antique diamonds are not priced: their value must be defined by an expert. They are often undervalued based on their weight once recut into a modern cut since no other "value scale" exists to appraise them.
However, they are often more beautiful, more imposing, more majestic, and their price is lower than that of modern cuts, their charm is undeniable, and their quality is completely comparable. All the jewels of our historical heritage were made with antique diamonds, and their value skyrockets at auctions, so all of this is very relative.
In summary, choosing between an antique diamond and a modern diamond is a bit like hesitating between a Haussmannian building and a modern building!
- What about gold?
18-carat gold has the same value whether it is recycled or not. Its price evolves over time; it is currently booming, as gold is the ultimate safe haven asset.
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