Material Sourcing

People are increasingly concerned with the origin of the materials used in their jewelry. This was rarely of concern a mere three decades ago. In the late 1990’s the Global Witness Organization launched a campaign aimed at revealing to the world the “conflict diamonds” that were funding wars in Africa. Since then, more unethical practices in the diamond industry have been brought to light, and diamond suppliers have been under increasing pressure to supply diamonds that are ethically sourced. Thankfully, as awareness of unethical practices in the diamond industry continues to spread, diamond suppliers are waking up to the fact that a growing number of consumers are interested in purchasing jewelry that is made with ethically sourced materials.

DIAMONDS

The natural faceted diamonds that we use in our jewelry are purchased from a supplier who sources most of their diamonds directly from mines in Canada, Botswana, and South Africa. All of the diamonds that they source are conflict free and comply with the Kimberley Process. All round white diamonds .30 carats and larger come with a grading report from an independent lab, or a GIA or AGS trained expert. The girdle of the stone is laser-inscribed with the unique number on their grading report, or in the case of CanadaMark diamonds, they are laser-inscribed with their CanadaMark number. Not all fancy cut diamonds that are above .30 carats include a grading report, so please contact us prior to purchase if you would like to confirm that a particular fancy cut diamond includes a report.

Canadian Diamonds
Canadian diamonds have become the gold standard when choosing a natural diamond for an ethically sourced engagement ring. These diamonds are mined in Canada’s Northwest Territories, where conditions of labor and environmental protection are tightly regulated by the Canadian government. They are guaranteed to be conflict-free, and have been traced from country of origin to finished stone. They are natural and untreated, and as mentioned above, include a laser-inscribed unique CanadaMark identifying number.

Lab-Grown
Lab-grown diamonds are an alternative to natural diamonds. They are made in laboratories that simulate diamond-forming conditions in the earth. They are identical to natural diamonds both chemical and physically, and because they are made in a lab, they are not subject to the same ethically questionable practices as the diamond mining industry. Like Canadian diamonds, lab-grown diamonds are gaining in popularity, and are an excellent choice when taking ethical and environmental considerations to heart. If you feel more comfortable using a lab-grown diamond in your jewelry, we are happy to accommodate you. Lab-grown diamonds above .30 carats include either a GCAL or IGI grading report.

Moissanite
With moissanite becoming such a popular alternative to diamond, we now also offer moissanite engagement rings, as well as the option to choose a moissanite instead of a diamond in our wood engagement rings. Moissanite was first discovered in 1893 by a French chemist named Henri Moissan while examining a meteor impact site in Canyon Diablo, Arizona. The crystals that he found were first misidentified as diamond, but were later found to be silicon carbide (a.k.a. moissanite). It is extremely rare to find naturally occurring moissanite on Earth; all of the moissanite found prior to 1950 were taken from meteorite impact sites, and some geologists were even questioning its natural occurrence on our planet as little as three decades ago.

While moissanite seems like a diamond at first glance, the two gemstones are actually quite distinct. Their coloring and brilliance are unique, and although moissanite is extremely hard, diamond is still harder (it is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth). Because of its rarity, all of the moissanite used in jewelry is man-made and is grown in a laboratory. A few different companies have popped up selling lab-grown moissanite, but the company best known in the jewelry industry for excelling in high quality moissanite gemstones is Charles and Colvard. All of the white moissanites that we use in our jewelry are Charles and Colvard moissanites. We also offer colored moissanites in blue, green, pink, yellow, champagne, and black.

Like lab-grown diamond, moissanite is an excellent alternative to a natural stone. They are less expensive than both lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds, and are a great choice for those ethically-minded individuals who would prefer a gemstone with a more approachable price.

PRECIOUS METALS

It has become increasingly common in recent years for consumers to purchase their diamonds from ethically responsible suppliers. However, the unethical mining of precious metals presents many of the same problems that plague the diamond mining industry: deplorable working conditions, forced labor, environmental degradation, and the funding of wars. That’s why the precious metals used in our jewelry come from recycled sources.

COLORED GEMSTONES

Natural
To the best of our knowledge, no certified Fairtrade colored gemstones exist yet. Specific sapphire and ruby mines, particularly in Australia, the United States, Malawi, and Sri Lanka, are mined under conditions that are in accordance with fair trade principles, and respect environmental integrity. However, because gemstones are a natural resource that can be found in every country on the planet, and are exchanged very frequently, it is difficult to keep an accurate account of their origin. There is significantly less money involved in the mining of gemstones as compared to diamonds, and for this reason they are much less likely to be involved in the funding of wars.

Lab-Grown
Similar to diamonds, sapphires and other colored gemstones can be lab-grown. In general, lab-grown colored gemstones have the advantage of being less pricey than natural stones, while at the same time being just as beautiful. They are an excellent alternative for anyone who is looking for an ethically sourced gemstone or those on a budget.

THE FUTURE OF ETHICALLY MINED

Fortunately, more and more consumers are becoming aware of unethical mining, labor, and environmental practices in the diamond and gemstone industries. As awareness grows, and ethical engagement rings become mainstream, we are hopeful that the shift towards ethically sourced materials will continue to gain traction. While this shift is underway, Casavir Jewelry will continue to be on the lookout for new supplies of responsibly sourced materials.