As symbols of love and commitment, diamonds will always be inherently valued and cherished. The question still remains - why should consumers choose Canadian diamonds over other alternatives, such as synthetics or "recycled" diamonds? Although synthetics have existed in some form for decades, the demand for naturally mined diamonds has continued unabated. Most people have demonstrated a strong preference for naturally mined diamonds formed 100 km beneath the earth over millions of years under extreme heat and pressure.

Another potential alternative is "recycled" or previously owned diamonds. Unfortunately, with previously worn gems it is impossible to verify their origin or history. Warlords, crime syndicates and unethical traders can circumvent the Kimberly process by passing conflict diamonds off as previously owned stones. There is little accountability in the used diamond market regarding the conditions the diamond was mined in and how it was traded.

Brilliant Earth is strongly dedicated to offering an environmentally and socially responsible alternative to current industry practices. Our analysis of Canadian diamonds from the Diavik and EKATI mines reveals a strong environmental and social commitment as evidenced by independent environmental monitoring, wildlife protection, water management, and local community involvement and development. All of these activities have additionally been formalized and legally integrated into the existence of these mines to ensure that the commitment will last throughout the lifetime of the mines and beyond.

Brilliant Earth is committed to ending the trade in blood diamonds, or unethically sourced diamonds, by offering our customers a guarantee that every step of the production of our merchandise has been performed under humane and environmental responsible conditions. We do however, believe that there will always be room for improvement of these operations and we are continually working with our suppliers to address opportunities for improvement as they arise. While we continue to evaluate new diamond mining operations and are actively working to promote fair trade diamond mining in developing areas of the world, we believe that the Diavik and EKATI Canadian diamond mines represent the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility to date.