For many, the day you get engaged is one of the most wonderful days of your life. However, plucking up the courage to ask someone to spend the rest of their life with you is a terrifying task and it’s no wonder that opening a box containing a sparkling bribe has been a tradition for centuries. Over time, diamonds have come to symbolise love and, due to our comparison culture, demand for bigger, clearer diamonds has slowly increased over the years.
Indeed, diamonds may be girl’s best friend but our obsession with them has led to catastrophic environmental damage, wildlife loss and bloody conflict in many countries. The industry has managed to mask these damning facts from consumers and most of us are unaware of the impact the diamonds which adorn our ears, hands and necks are having on the earth.