THAT FAMOUS PHRASE ‘DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER’ ENCAPSULATES WHAT SUSTAINABILITY IS ALL ABOUT - AN APPRECIATION OF SOMETHING THAT IS LONG-LASTING AND TIMELESS. MUCH LIKE A MARRIAGE, THESE VALUES ARE AT THE HEART OF SUSTAINABILITY. YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT YOU WEAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TO SYMBOLISE YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR PARTNER, SOMETHING THAT IS MADE WITH LOVE, WITH NO NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE PEOPLE WHO CREATE IT NOR ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT IS MADE.

words by HOLLY KELSEY
photographs by ANDREW DAY
creative direction SARAH MARIE FRANKEN

Engagement rings should never be dependent on trends or seasons. By their very nature they represent something eternal. Sustainably made or sourced rings are guaranteed to have no impact on the people who create them. They will be sure of having fair wages and safe working environments. And the materials used have provenance - it’s easy to trace exactly where they’re sourced from.

How do you KNOW IF jewellery is ethically made?

The number one rule, as always with sustainable fashion, is to ask questions! What are the materials used? Where do they come from? How was the ring made? In addition to being curious, there are a number of councils to look out for. Two important ones are the Responsible Jewellery Council and The Natural Diamond Council. They both set standards for the diamond, gold and platinum supply chains by looking at ethics, human rights, social and environmental practices.

With these in mind, here are some of the different types of sustainable engagement rings that you’ll absolutely want to look at, with some suggested brands for each.

Four possibilities to find your perfect SUSTAINABLE ring

Recycled Gold, Platinum and Silver

Recycled materials are basically metals that haven’t been mined. Instead, they have been created from pre-existing metals that are melted down and refined to remove any impurities and imperfections. The aim is to always to re-use, reduce and recycle. Circularity is literally and figuratively an intrinsic part of a ring made from recycled materials.

Brands with recycled metals: Catbird, Aurate New York, Kimaï, Vrai

Lab Grown Diamonds

They are also known as synthetically farmed diamonds. These have an exclusive appeal - something that is grown just for you to treasure forever. Lab grown diamonds are a solution to mining, which has severely harmful impacts on the environment including water and air pollution, depletion of natural resources, destructions of habitats and many more. With lab diamonds, there can be more control over the supply chain, and the impact on the environment is minimised. It is worth noting that lab diamonds also have the benefit of being more affordable!

Brands which sell lab grown diamonds: Taylor and Hart, Hello Noemie, Aurate New York, Kimaï, Vrai

Antique and Vintage

No new materials are used in the purchase of an antique or vintage ring, which means little or no effect on the environment. Antique means anything more than 100 years old whilst vintage is from before 1999. Antique can also mean rings that have been inherited from family, often heirlooms passed down from one generation to the next - a genuine symbol of timelessness. A known example of this is Prince William inheriting Diana’s engagement ring to give to Kate Middleton.

Antique and vintage brands: Erica Weiner, Erstwhile, Fox and Bond

Custom and Bespoke

With custom or bespoke, a ring will be meticulously made for you, offering a unique piece that’s rather more exclusive. Just having it made by hand gives it a more personal touch, and if you and your partner help to design the ring together it makes it even more precious. Go out to see jewellers in your city and ask for custom made ring options. Engagement rings are symbols of enduring love - they should transcend trends and fashion and be of the highest quality. Another benefit of bespoke is that you will have the opportunity to learn about the fascinating and complex universe of diamonds, metals and everything around it first hand from an expert. This is the option Sarah and Andrew chose as well.

Brands : Octavia Elizabet h, Natalia Marie, Trauringwelt Duesseldorf

What we like most about sustainable engagement rings is their exclusivity. They should be one of a kind, incomparable, irreplaceable. They’re not a run of the mill purchase. Having a positive impact on the environment and the people who produce the rings, shouldn’t compromise the aesthetics of an item that is going to be a lasting symbol of love. Exceptional moments in life demand exceptional pieces that you will treasure forever.