Why Couples Are Choosing to Propose with Ethical Diamond Rings

If Valentine’s Day has got you thinking about popping the question sometime soon, then you’ve probably already started looking at the different types of rings available.

Choosing the right cut, clarity and carot can all be factors that influence the overall price of an engagement ring. And let’s be honest, if you’ve already started your search for the perfect ring, then you may be wondering how people can afford diamonds the size of a grape - as they’re certainly not cheap!

But natural diamond rings aren’t the only option and there are other more affordable (and ethical) ways to show your special someone just how much they mean to you. After all, if you’ve started your search, you may be aware that there are some negativities around some natural diamonds and the environments that they are sourced from.

The lifecycle of a natural diamond

Diamonds begin their life as rough stones buried deep within the earth. Many people are not aware that diamond mining can be a messy process. In some severe cases, it can also put human lives at risk.

There are many different forms of diamond mining, but the three most common ways are open-pit, underground and alluvial mining.

Open-pit and underground mining usually involves fancy equipment and technology that extracts the stones from deep within the ground. Although this method uses less sustainable machinery, it offers a more ethical alternative to other mining methods. Alluvial mining, however, is quite the opposite. This type of mining involves manual labour, with workers physically sourcing the rocks themselves. In some case, workers face poor conditions and can be exploited by the wrong employees.

While not every natural diamond is sourced unethically, mining waste can still damage the environment.

Leftover rocks (also known as tailings) can often be deposited in large man-made dams. The waste is dumped into tailing ponds and covered with toxic chemicals like arsenic and cyanide. These chemicals are strong enough to dissolve lead, copper, and zinc. As you can imagine, they are dangerous and can contaminate groundwater and kill nearby wildlife. Not exactly the fairy-tale image you’d pictured, huh?

Okay, before we put you off proposing completely, not all diamond manufacturers operate this way. However, it is worth asking where your diamond came from before making such an important purchase.

Ethical lab-grown diamonds

Now you can actually buy a diamond in a more safe and ethical way! Lab-grown diamonds are a popular choice for people seeking a beautiful and sustainable diamond.

Lab-grown diamonds contain nearly the same chemicals as mined diamonds and look identical. They have the same sparkle, hardness and durability. The main difference is that labs create them instead of nature. Oh, and they also do not have any traces of nitrogen (which natural diamonds do).

Don’t get us wrong. A perfectly cut lab diamond can still come with a hefty price tag as it’s pretty much identical to the ‘real thing’. But, in some cases, a small cut lab-grown diamond can be up to 40% cheaper than naturally mined diamonds so are not only easy on the eye, but easy on the wallet too.

What has ethical diamonds got to do with travel?

Now, what has all this got to do with travel? Well, at Alpha, we know that many couples travel abroad to ask that all important question. And as a brand who promotes sustainable travel, we try to help guide our customers to make ethical choices during their trips.

Whichever type of diamond you choose, it’s especially important to have financial protection in place if you are travelling overseas with it. From a travel insurance perspective, personal possessions cover probably won't cover the full value of your ring.

What you should do instead is insure the ring under your home or contents insurance and make sure it offers away-from-home protection too. That means that should it become lost, damaged or stolen in the run up or during the engagement, your insurer will most likely cover the costs.

If you are planning to travel abroad (or even away from home in the UK) to ask your special someone to marry you, then the last thing you need is a holiday mishap that ruins the big day. So, it’s especially important to have travel insurance in place for any other disasters that could happen during a break, such as trip cancellation, lost luggage, emergency medical assistance and much more. Why not check out our couples travel insurance and get a quote with Alpha Travel Insurance today?