It is the most romantic month of year and thousands are set to get down on one knee and propose this Valentine’s Day.
The engagement ring now has an extra special meaning for many couples who want to remain true to their values of living a more sustainable life.
A leading jeweller has launched the country’s first range of environmentally-friendly natural diamond rings, in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of popping the question.
The nation’s first post-lockdown Valentine’s Day is set to see sales of engagement rings soar, but many ring-buyers are wanting to know where their stones came from – and the impact it had on the environment.
Prestige Valuations are the first company in Britain to offer fully sustainable, ethical natural diamond jewellery – from carbon neutral or negative mines that don’t harm the environment.
Their diamond engagement ring has a certificate from the Gemological Institute of America proving the stone came from an ethical mine. And even the gold used to house the gems comes from a certified Fairtrade source, meaning the environmental impact of the mining operations is minimal, without any exploitation of miners.
The first piece in the collection is a 0.5 carat engagement ring, perfect for any environmentally-minded couple, and is priced at just £2,500 – only a couple of hundred pounds more than a traditionally-sourced ring.
Gold jewellery you get in the market is available in three hues - yellow, white and rose. But the gold's natural colour is the result of its atomic structure and the movement of electrons within that structure. Due to this the metal selectively reflects light of red and yellow wavelengths. This effect results in the wavelength of colour we call 'gold'.
Tim Belson, MD of Prestige Valuations, who have bases in in Manchester, Birmingham and Hatton Garden, said: ‘We wanted to see what we could do to make sure our customers could get the most environmentally sustainable jewellery possible. Lab-grown diamonds are often cited as being an eco-friendly alternative to natural stones, but they come with two key problems.
“Firstly, the outlay to begin producing diamonds in artificial circumstances is incredibly carbon intensive and secondly, while they are currently half the cost of natural stones, once the technology to create them gets better and more streamlined, manufactured diamonds will drop in price even further as they become more common.
‘Natural stones will always hold their value, because there will never be a convenient way to produce millions of carats of them. Our rings are an investment in the future of the environment, and love.’
The diamond itself comes from Diavik mine in Canada, and is certified with a Diamond Origin Report – a special document that follows the gem from being dug out of the ground until being set in a piece of jewellery, that provides detailed information on its environmental impact.
Domino Fairtrade gold comes from the Wetson Beamor Group, who have a certification by The Responsible Jewellery Council, the body in charge of integrity and sustainability within the fine jewellery and watch industry.
Tim added: ‘By using only Fairtrade gold, we can ensure that not only are the miners treated well, but also the impact on the environment is minimal.
‘We hope these items of jewellery make people as happy as they have for us to make them.’