Why Sapphires Are a More Ethical Jewelry Option
We all know the old saying, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”, or “diamonds are forever”. While we can’t dispute the claim, we can authoritatively assert that people are slowly moving away from diamonds for many reasons. Sapphires are fast becoming the darling of the masses.
Sapphires have always been highly regarded gemstones, but they become a lot more popular from the time Princess Diana received her stunning 12-carat sapphire wedding ring. In our world where people are becoming conscious of choices, diamonds are getting ditched for moral reasons.
It is no secret that most diamonds on the market are conflict diamonds, meaning they come with a dark history. Sapphires have emerged as the more ethical jewelry options and are regarded as eco-friendly too. Are sapphires really the more ethical option for jewelry? Read on to find out more.
Background of the Ethical and Sustainable Movement
When exactly did people start caring about the source of gemstones used for their jewelry? It all started when the term ‘blood diamond’ was coined. Diamonds mined under brutal conditions were used to fund civil wars in African countries like Sierra Leone, Angola, Congo, and the Central African Republic. The public outcry did not yield desired results in the form of diamond regulations, and the need for alternative gemstones arose. Sapphires happened to be one of the most beloved natural alternatives.
What Are Sapphires?
Sapphires are precious gemstones. They are a naturally occurring variety of mineral corundum, consisting of aluminum oxide with traces of iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. While they are mostly blue, sapphires can also be pink, yellow, black, white, green, purple, grey, orange, or brown. Love & Promise offers beautifully crafted, ethical sourced, and affordable sapphire jewelry.
Sapphire Sources
Sapphires are mainly found in Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. Mining in most of these countries is properly regulated, with Sri Lanka being the most favored amongst them all. The government of the country has the most control over gemstone regulation, and mining activities are mostly conducted by family-owned businesses and a few small companies.
Are Sapphires Really More Ethical?
From all indications, Sapphires are truly more ethical than diamonds. Over the centuries, they haven’t had the same troubled past as diamonds. There are no records of sapphires fueling conflicts and civil wars and being used as the primary currency for criminal activities.
As hinted already, diamonds and sapphires are mined quite differently. Diamonds are mostly mined under brutal conditions in communities that don’t benefit from it in the long run. Sapphires happen to be mined from less troubled communities. The entities behind the mining activities differ significantly too.
Sapphires are properly regulated when compared to diamonds. In all situations, they are more ethical and eco-friendly. It is hard to vouch that any diamond on the market doesn’t have a dark past, as it is almost impossible to guarantee origin. The same can’t be said about sapphires: they are actually traceable.
Buying jewelry with sapphires instead of diamonds is a step in the right direction. Though we can’t guarantee the source and history of every sapphire, they are significantly more ethical than diamonds. They are environmentally friendly, too.
Feature image courtesy of Pixabay
