How to Choose a Diamond-Free Engagement Ring
Not everyone is completely fascinated with engagement ring diamonds, no matter how culturally ingrained it is to wear them. But in reality, not all stones are really suitable for a ring that you will wear day after day for the rest of your life. Here’s how you can choose a ring that will stand up to both good and bad without going to the hardest stones.
Introducing the Mohs Scale
In part, diamonds are popular for making rings because they have a ten on the Mohs scale. The scale was created by the German geologist and mineralogist Friedrich Mosh in 1912, according to Link International, and shows how “mineral hardness is a quality scale that characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals due to the ability of a harder material to scratch softer material. … “
If you can imagine how things rub against each other until the least scratched thing comes out the winner, that’s pretty accurate. Here are some examples of minerals with an indication of their degree of hardness:
2-2.5 Nail
2.5-3 Gold or silver jewelry
3-3.5 Copper Coin
4-5 Iron
Ceramic tiles 5-6 B2b
5.5 Steel knife blade
6-7 Glass
6.5 Steel nail
Porcelain stoneware 7 B1a
7+ Hardened Steel File
8.5 Stone drill
9 Quartz crystal
10 Diamond
If you want to choose a stone, check where it is on the Mohs scale. For example, amber is a wonderful material, and cool insects often get stuck inside it. Ideally. But it is only between 2 and 2.5 on the scale, so it is prone to scratches and can be worn out. Not very suitable for a symbol of eternal love.
How different do you want to go?
Some people need an alternative to diamonds that is very similar to diamonds. Moissanite, which has a 9.5 rating, is a popular choice. Moissanite is now almost entirely grown in laboratories because it was originally a rare material found in a meteorite crater in 1893, Doamor said . Moissanite is the hardest stone used in jewelry after diamonds and is easier to clean and maintains its “shine”. “Longer. However, they have a slightly yellowish or green tint under certain lighting conditions. The smaller the stone, the less likely the tint will appear, so they can be a good choice for a solid ring rather than one large stone.
If you’re not interested in the diamond imposter, try corundum. Corundum is a crystalline form of aluminum oxide, but perhaps you know them better as rubies and sapphires. They are roughly 9 on the Mohs scale. A ring with blue or red stones sounds great to me.
Check your sources
The fact that your ring does not have a literal blood diamond does not mean that you are wearing an ethical stone. Your best bet is to find a jeweler who takes care of sourcing their stones from regions with high labor and environmental standards. Kate Sheppard went to the store for a stone in 2011 and gave some sensible advice on how to find out in the book “Mother Jones”:
The first step is to ask the jeweler where the stone came from. If they can’t tell you, you should probably reconsider buying it. If you find it difficult to trace the origin of a gem, these days you can also get laboratory-grown stones of many varieties.
In fact, this is another good argument for moissanite. Thesis Gems provides a more detailed overview of how to consider the ethical aspects of your stone, pointing out that mining can never be truly sustainable because these types of minerals are a limited resource. But the environmental impact of mining can be tracked if you know a little more about best practices:
Alluvial mining: Mineral deposits are screened out of the bed of a stream or stream.
Open pit mining: layers of earth are removed to expose the rock below, and explosives are often used to dig deeper. When mining is finished, the pit usually turns into a dump.
Open pit mining : After the mining area is bulldozed, several small holes are drilled into the rock and filled with explosives. This is repeated in long stripes, eroding precious topsoil and destroying forests and animal habitats.
Mining with mountain peaks removed: entire mountain peaks are demolished to reach hidden gems within. The displaced material of mountain peaks pollutes and changes landscapes and ecosystems.
There are several small local mining companies that fill the farming pits and use restorative methods. As with many moral quandaries, there is always something to know, but it might be worth it for the piece of jewelry you’ll always wear.
Stay golden
Who Said You Need a Stone? Gold and silver can also come from unethical sources (see above), but if you’re checking your background and want to wear a simple bracelet, this can be an attractive option at a reasonable price.