Brilliant Earth is a diamond supplier that provides eco-friendly products to their customers. They have a reputation for being an environmentally and socially responsible company. That being said, are the prices they charge reasonable? Buying a conflict-free diamond is a great thing, but it is important to know whether or not you are paying a fair price for it. We will be examining Brilliant Earth’s prices and products and determining if the peace of mind is worth the premium.
History
Brilliant Earth was started back in 2005 by Beth Gerstein and Eric Grossberg. They were looking for an engagement ring for themselves and wanted it to be a socially conscious purchase. They started the company to fill the gap in the market for ethically produced bridal jewellery. The founders of the company hoped that other like-minded consumers would also want to pay close attention to where their jewellery was coming from. The belief was that informed consumers could cause social change, one step at a time.
Conflict-Free
Some diamond companies produce what is known as “blood diamonds.” This means that the diamonds have been mined in dangerous conditions, often in the middle of an active war zone. The employees who work in the mines are usually faced with severe conditions such as violence, sickness, very low wages, and starvation. There are no labour laws in place to protect these workers, but they often have no other source of employment. After these diamonds are mined, they get traded on the black market, and the money goes toward nefarious purposes. Usually, it is used to fund wars or rebel causes.
Contrarily, many Brilliant Earth reviews commend the fact that the company’s diamonds are completely conflict-free. This means that the diamonds that they mine, send, and the process does not have any connection with rebel groups. None of the revenue that is generated goes towards rebel causes or civil wars. Instead, the money goes towards improving the conditions of the country, focusing on education, health care, and infrastructure. Brilliant Earth donates 5% of its profits to improving the condition of human rights, infrastructure development, and the environment in Africa. The miners who work for Brilliant Earth are treated according to labour laws and paid fairly. They usually also receive perks such as housing and pensions.
Pricing
Brilliant Earth has an online website and seven physical locations in America. They allow you to create your dream ring from scratch or choose a pre-existing design. If you see something that you like when you are browsing rings online, you can go in person to discuss it with a sales representative. They may be able to offer helpful suggestions. In general, the larger diamonds that are more than 1 carat will be priced at a similar amount as other competing retailers. Additionally, the premium on rings under one carat is usually negligible, and pricing will be similar to other high-quality rings.
Brilliant Earth offers the option of purchasing a lab-created diamond. These synthetic diamonds look just like the natural version, all down to the sparkle. Lab-created diamonds are not mined, so they are safer to produce. In addition to this, lab-created diamonds tend to cost about 20% less than their natural counterparts. This could be a better option if you are looking for a coloured diamond. Lab-created colour diamonds can be produced at the discretion of the customer. Meanwhile, natural diamonds that are coloured are incredibly rare and come with a very steep price tag.
Brilliant Earth also offers recycled diamonds. This is referring to diamonds that have already been purchased by a customer or added to a custom ring. If the order does not work out, the recycled diamond is available for the next customer to take a look at. Buying one of these recycled diamonds helps to improve your carbon footprint, as no further mining is required to produce the diamond.
Extras
Not only does Brilliant Earth offer conflict-free jewellery, but they also provide eco-friendly options in all of their products. This not only includes the diamonds themselves, but also the ring boxes, packaging, and jewellery cleaner. The ring boxes and packaging are responsibly sourced, and the amount of paper to make them has been considerably reduced in recent years. The jewellery cleaner is non-toxic and is also biodegradable.
The ethically responsible products combined with the eco-friendly boxes, packaging, and cleaner all contribute towards Brilliant Earth’s socially responsible reputation.
Is it Worth it?
Overall, it is worth it to buy a conflict-free ring from Brilliant Earth. The company takes great care to maintain their CSR and respect their ethically-inclined customers. Having the peace of mind of knowing that your diamond was sourced responsibly is an important factor to consider. If you have to look at your ring every day and wonder who had to suffer to make it for you, it can take away some of your joy. Knowing where your diamonds come from is contributing towards ending the cycle of violence and poverty.
