Ethical Origin Gemstones
Do you want to be really fashionable? Make sure you are wearing gemstones of ethical origins. A company called Brilliant Earth is selling these and many other r companies that sell gems are also following suit as the desire to buy gemstones that don’t cause war or hurt the earth in any way are growing.
Brilliant Earth has begun selling what are called Ethical Origin Sapphires. These are true deep blue sapphire stones that are sold respecting environmentally responsible principles and with fair trade agreements in place.
These stones come from such places as Australia, Malawi and Sri Lanka and then paired with gold or platinum (also eco free) to create a gemstone ring that has harmed no one. These types are a great alternative to the traditional diamond ring that is usually used to celebrate marriage.
One of the most ethical of the mines partnered with by this company is the Malawian one in Chimwadsulu Hill. These sapphires from the southern mines in that country are some of the finest in the world and also come in pink. All mining in that area goes towards supporting the education of children in the area and the workers are all locally employed.
The company also sells low impact (one the environment) blue sapphires from Sri Linka that also come in a stunning range of hues – from blue to pink. These sapphires are very sought after for everything from cocktail rings to engagement rings to wedding rings.
This company also sells emeralds. These eco-chic emeralds come from Columbia where the climate and other factors create incredibly bright green stones. They are famous for being so brilliant. This means they are going to cost a little more. That is what is one of the drawbacks of buying stones like this.
The emeralds are mined in the Andes Mountains of Columbia where they have been harvested for hundreds of years. No harsh chemicals are used to mine the emeralds and the debris produced from the mining process itself is confided to sediment and rock. The area is also isolated from the organized crime that has affected other areas in Columbia for decades.
Brilliant Earth emeralds are also mined using fair and profitable labour practices. Each employee gets room and board as well as a share of ten percent to the profits from their production. The mine also employs at-risk youth and helps support the arts in Columbia.
These emeralds, which are carbochons like diamonds are a fine alternative to blood diamonds and each one that is sold comes with a Certificate of Origin that guarantees that they are ethical. They also fit the trend in wedding rings lately which is to make brighter colored gemstones the center stone in a ring and then accent with diamonds. This type of approach to creating a wedding ring was also very popular in the Victorian era.