The future of comfortable diamond jewelry

Like a letter from the earth, diamonds are crystallized by the upward movement of magma deep underground, and are 99% pure carbon crystals that remain uncorrupted by any chemicals or heat. Its hardness is 10 on the Mohs scale, the highest among gemstones, and its brilliance is an art of purity and hardness.

Diamonds have been deeply loved throughout the history of the world, both in the West and the East. It has become familiar with culture in a variety of ways, as a milestone for weddings and anniversaries, and as a symbol of something new. Diamond jewelry that will continue to shine and be familiar not only to brides who are excited about the future, but also to those who are aging gracefully. Sadly, and surprisingly, despite their beautiful brilliance, diamond-related issues have come to light in many parts of the world, including violence and human rights violations.

You may be hesitant to wear diamond jewelry in the face of this deep problem. You may not be able to find the light in your sadness.

However, the world's diamond market continues to change due to the many stakeholders involved and the people who wear them. The growing awareness of ``choosing things that are kind to people and the environment'' means that people are moving away from special and sophisticated items and want to wear ethical items that are more relevant to their daily lives. I think it's starting to slow down.

■ Behind the scenes of the diamond industry: Civil war and blood diamonds

Violence and human rights violations have always existed behind the diamond industry. Diamonds, which are traded internationally at high prices, can easily become a means for parties to a conflict to obtain funds.

Diamond mines in areas experiencing civil war are often controlled by rebel groups, and the mined rough diamonds are used as a source of funds to acquire weapons. In addition, local people are often forced to engage in diamond mining, which exacerbates problems such as torture and child labor. Diamonds with this background came to be known as "blood diamonds" (conflict diamonds).

In 2003, the Kimberley Process Certification System (hereinafter referred to as the Kimberley Process) was launched to regulate blood diamonds. The Kimberley Process requires participating countries to attach a "Certificate of Origin (Kimberley Process Certificate)" to rough diamonds exported, which certifies that the diamonds are conflict-free.

Conflict-free diamonds are rough diamonds that have been mined using the Kimberley Process and are certified to be conflict-free. After the implementation of the Kimberley Process, most of the rough diamonds traded in the global diamond market are now conflict-free diamonds. In this way, the diamond industry is shifting towards highly transparent transactions on a global scale.

■ What is ethical diamond?

Ethical diamonds go beyond the framework of ``rough diamonds that do not become a source of funds for conflicts'' and are free from all ``unethical behavior'' such as child labor, forced labor, violence, human rights violations, and environmental destruction. refers to something that is guaranteed. Ethical diamonds have detailed standards and are checked by a third-party auditing organization to ensure that everything from mining to distribution is conducted in an ethical manner.

Canada's example may be a pioneer. In Canada, laws protect diamond miners, flora and fauna. Major mines in Japan actively employ indigenous people and other local residents, prepare the sites for safe mining, reuse water used during mining, and conduct regular pollution surveys. It is characterized by multiple considerations such as implementation. The mined diamonds are then brought to market through third-party audits and the certification of ethical diamond status is shared within the supply chain.

The fact that people around the world are beginning to demand ethical diamond initiatives that are kind to people and the environment will also accelerate sustainable work.

It is said that people in their 20s and 30s, the so-called Millennium generation, tend to place importance not only on the value of the products they own, but also on how the products were manufactured. The same goes for diamond jewelry, and it can be said that the demand for ethical diamonds is increasing because more and more millenials are concerned about diamonds contributing to conflict and are demanding ethical products.

■The significance of choosing ethical materials

Although most blood diamonds have disappeared from the diamond market, they have not disappeared per se. Blood diamonds are still being mined and traded illegally.

Blood diamonds have value because there is a demand for them. In order to truly put an end to conflict diamonds, as many consumers as possible should consider the origin and history of the diamonds they own and choose ethical diamonds.

If the demand for diamond jewelry that is made with consideration for people and the environment grows, more companies will start handling ethical diamonds than they currently do. In other words, choosing ethical materials leads to the realization of economic activities that are kind to people and the earth.

■Seeking ethical diamond jewelry for the future

In R ethical Journal, we shared about the environment surrounding diamonds and the changes in the consciousness of people around the world who wear diamonds. Whether we can build a future of gentle diamond jewelry and expand it into sustainable development seems to be synonymous with how comfortable we are in choosing the things we live in today.

Ethical diamond jewelry, which is considerate of people and nature, is not only beautiful as an accessory that brings harmony between individuality, but can also be said to have a new cultural value that makes you think about the background. Because you can still love it even as you get older, ethical materials should help you with your intentions.

Our philosophy is based on respect for the earth. We also don't want to lose respect for our changing planet.

That's because jewelry becomes an icon that represents your worth and brightens your life over many years. It's always there in our lives and gives us courage.

That is why sustainability is an important value that cannot be replaced by anything else.

R ethical Founder & Designer Mari Hoshi