THE FUTURE IS HERE: LAB GROWN DIAMONDS

In January 2018 a spacial event was put on by a company that has been making waves in the diamond industry, Diamond Foundry.

VOW: engagement rings for the modern world was the first product of Diamond Foundry teaming up with Vrai & Oro’s founder Vanessa Stofenmacher (recently named a Forbes 30 under 30 winner) and her really talented team.

Diamond Foundry set out to reinvent diamond jewelry from mine to finger — and the launch of VOW marked the completion of this entire cycle. They create diamonds from pure atoms in San Francisco; and sell them direct to consumers with rings they design & make in Los Angeles, California.

Just like ice from a freezer is the same as ice from a frozen lake, Diamond Foundry diamonds are as real as diamonds dug out of the Earth. The origin is the only difference.

The diamonds are each unique. No two are alike. And each is rare because scaling this technology is 1,000 times more expensive than scaling mining.

As much as the technology is changing in the industry, so are the buyers and business models, and that’s why Diamond Foundry are excited about teaming up with Vanessa and her team.

It is impressive what momentum Vanessa and her team have been able to build with Vrai & Oro’s simple daily-wear jewelry. What excited us even more about this teaming up is that they’ve had a great idea of a new kind of an offering around engagement. And what could be better than an engagement offering designed by a group of really talented millennial women themselves (as opposed to corporate executives at large jewelry companies targeting what they believe to be millennial women).

VOW is really a complete reinvention of the whole process around engagement. It starts with refreshed, simpler designs of the rings and a conscious choice of a fully transparent source of diamonds. Then it removes the barrier between store and home by allowing couples to try rings at home for free and together take their time to get comfortable with a choice and then order it. It’s part of moving engagement from a highly stressful experience towards a more collaborative and satisfying process.

A few months later, on April 1, to benefit Pure Earth, an international non-profit dedicated to cleaning up toxic pollution, New York-based jewelry designer Pamela Love teamed up with Diamond Foundry to create responsibly sourced jewelry.

The earrings were made from mercury-free gold and set with Diamond Foundry's conflict-free, eco-friendly diamonds. The elegant designs were featured in Vogue, the earrings were modeled by Molly Bair (shown above) and photographed by Skye Parrott.

Diamond Foundry and Pamela Love both received the Pure Earth Impact Award for their commitment to sustainable practices.

As sustainable fashion becomes not just a trndy thing to do, but an actual necessity, designers and organizations are becoming dedicated to taking firmer steps toward conservation. Many of these are joining forces. Pure Earth has previously made headlines from their efforts in some of the world’s poorest communities. Their work involved combating toxic pollution, a problem linked directly to manufacturing processes. Rethinking material sourcing doesn’t mean sacrificing design, and Pure Earth has certainly proved it. The nonprofit ran Heavy Metal auction and enlisted some of the coolest jewelry labels around for this project. They featured fine jewelry from more than a dozen brands including Ariane Zurcher Designs, Mociun, Pamela Love, David Yurman, Aesa, Jeff Hoo, and Dana Bronfman.

The auction served to showcase the best in responsibly crafted pieces. All pieces were one-of-a-kind items.

Mercury emissions are a big concern, but there are mines that can produce mercury free gold. Gold mining is actually the leading source of mercury pollution in the world. Changing the manner in which gold is extracted will undoubtedly have a hugely beneficial impact on the environment.

Richard Fuller, president of Pure Earth said, “Consumers have probably heard about ‘blood diamonds,’ but few know about gold’s connection with toxic mercury,” While the company has been working directly with artisan miners to train them in mercury-free techniques, consumer buying power is really the last word and that's where the key lies in instigating change. “Increasing the demand for mercury-free gold will help persuade more miners to make the switch. We already see progress. In Mongolia, Pure Earth has trained over 1,000 miners to go mercury-free, with many more on the waiting list.”

Getting customers onboard means offering them appealing and accessible options, something the auction handles admirably. For designer Pamela Love, the decision to participate was an easy one. “It’s our job as designers and educators to make strides toward meaningful change in jewelry-making standards and practices,” says Love. “We need to push the industry to be as ethical and environmentally friendly as possible.” Love has become active in trying to bring changes to the industry, and while making the trip to Suriname to work with policy-makers connected to the mining sector, she found an ideal partner in Pure Earth. “Having seen the negative effects firsthand, I feel that I have to do everything in my power to inspire positive change. My business is far from perfect, but we are working every day to take strides.”