Blood diamonds are enticing because of more affordable prices, comparatively to those in the market. However, they’re only tempting when you don’t know where to look for inexpensive and ethically sourced engagement rings. There are several reasons that would be more than enough to convince you and your soon-to-be-hubby that they’re not worth the price. By buying a conflict-free diamond, your engagement will stand for more than love shared between two people but a love that touches the world in ways you can’t imagine.
Promote Human Rights
Illegally mined diamonds have numerous tales of crimes against humanity behind them. Children to adults are kidnapped and sold to these underground operations and forced to work in the mines through inhumane hours and working conditions without any hope of going home. These non-regulated mines are often located in areas where there is little to no protections for women and children which means even locals fall prey into the hands of these illegal businesses. These victims suffer abuse as extreme as “rape, torture and killings,” said long-time, New York-based, fashion designer Bario Neal about the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe in one of his interviews. By cutting off the demand for diamonds in the black market one at a time, we put an end to human trafficking and slavery, get rid of horrid working conditions and fight for proper compensation.
Support Legal Processes
Governments have issued regulations in an attempt to keep businesses from toeing the line and maintaining high standards for their company’s human resource policies. Yet, as often as is the case with anything man-made, there are imperfections that hinder law enforcement from rightfully persecuting those behind these unlawful practices. Civilians can do their part to aid these legal processes gain more weight. By purchasing only ethically-mined diamonds and other precious stones and metals, blood diamond mining operators ideally end up risking too much for minimal returns.
Help Mining Communities and Other Causes
Authorized diamond mining companies often create and sustain communities for their employees due to the remote locations involved in the work. Buying from these businesses help provide work for these miners, create more jobs, and provide education to their children and other much needed essentials for satisfactory quality of life. In addition, some jewelry vendors would donate a percentage of the sales to specific cause or charity such as access to clean water, providing warm meals and more. Your girlfriend would appreciate the ring much more once they understand the impact of a single purchase of a cheap but conflict-free engagement ring. More organizations and companies are looking into letting their customers to choose which charity or movement you’d like the proceeds to go to.
Support Ethical Commerce
As they’re not properly documented, blood diamonds are smuggled into countries. Not adhering to authorities and standards, they charge at much lower prices than those of the current market. An increasing demand for these ill-obtained stones means an increasing loss of business, not just for the established brands, but including local vendors. Each opportunity lost to unlawful means is another shove against small-to-big firms farther out of the industry. This threatens the economy of families and the state as a whole. Purchasing conflict-free diamonds has its immediate benefits but is much more deeply-rooted in society where the entirety of a diamond’s true value lies.