As far back as 6,000 years ago when they were used for religious amulets in India, diamonds have been treasured as precious stones. As a result, approximately 4.5 billion carats of diamonds have been extracted from the ground since large scale mining efforts began in South Africa in the 1870s. This means many millions of diamonds are part of the world’s existing, already mined supply of diamonds.
I refuse to participate in environmentally damaging mining practices, so I only work with suppliers of previously mined diamonds and other gemstones that are cut and polished from existing “rough” stones or those that were previously set in jewelry then removed and re-introduced into the supply chain for resale.
It’s only part of my commitment to creating sustainably beautiful jewelry….Look for a future post about recycled metals!
Eco-Friendly Diamonds
Handcrafted jewelry by Chaya Studio in Portland, ME. All rights reserved.
