Carbon-Conscience
Fighting climate change is one thing we care deeply about. We strive for ethical and sustainable jewelry sourcing, production, and logistics. This encompasses our entire operation to ensure that not only do we offset all of its carbon dioxide emissions but that by doubling what offset, each item and our business operation results in a positive environmental impact by removing more carbon than what was there before we added ourselves into the equation. Our goal is to do everything we can to contribute to the healing and restoration of the Earth’s natural balance.
Our carbon offsetting standard is applied to the entire journey of every piece of jewelry we craft; from its raw state through to the moment it lands in its new owner’s hands.
When buying a piece of ICONIC jewelry, what you are getting is a piece that has taken away carbon from our atmosphere.
Tree Planting
As part of ICONIC’s ongoing commitment to long-term sustainability and zero-carbon emissions, we have partnered with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to help replant America’s national forests. For every ICONIC product sold, we will plant 10 trees via the National Forest Foundation and support them in restoring native landscapes and rebuilding healthy forests for the future.
For more details view our Tree Planting page.
Conflict-Free Diamonds
We have a zero-tolerance policy and take great care to ensure that our diamonds and gemstones have not been mined or shipped in connection to various forms of conflicts such as rebel movements or other parties who are financing conflicts aimed at undermining legitimate governments, forced or child labor practices or any other brutal human rights violations.
The Kimberley Process (KP) is the key international initiative aimed at reducing the global flow of conflict diamonds or rough diamonds that are used to fund armed conflicts. It was initiated by several southern African countries to address peace and security concerns and to protect the continent’s economies that depend on the diamond industry. Conflict diamonds can have a devastating impact on peace, security, and sustainable development in affected countries.
We only source from partners who adhere to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). The KPCS imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’ and prevent conflict diamonds from entering the legitimate trade.
We strive to uphold our high standards of only using conflict-free diamonds and to give our valued customers peace of mind in knowing that they’re making a both socially and environmentally-friendly purchase.
Lab-created Diamonds
Another way to ensure we source and sell conflict-free diamonds is through man-made laboratory-created processes. Advances in technology have allowed diamonds to be produced under lab conditions that are set to mimic naturally occurring phenomena, where diamonds can be grown in just a few weeks, without harming the earth. This technique produces diamonds that are identical in composition to natural diamonds, and can be equally assessed on ratings of carat, cleanliness, cut, and color.
Given lab-created diamonds are not mined they are very environmentally-friendly and completely conflict-free. They do not disturb natural wildlife habitats through deforestation, pollute water sources or the atmosphere, or force local communities to relocate. Further, they look exceptional along with being more affordable!
Lab-created diamonds have the same optical, chemical, and physical properties as natural diamonds which can only be distinguished by a skilled gemologist using instruments specifically designed to identify laboratory diamonds.
What’s the Difference between Mined Diamonds and Lab-created Diamonds?
The main difference is how they are created. Mined diamonds are formed naturally within the Earth’s crust where they are mined and extracted once they arise closer to the surface.
Lab-created diamonds, also known as man-made diamonds, are the same in their chemical and visual characteristics to mined diamonds but are not naturally occurring. They are created in certified labs that simulate the Earth’s conditions to grow the diamonds and use very limited energy, emit next to no emissions, and do not harm the environment because they do not need to be extracted from the Earth.
Recognition of diamonds created under laboratory conditions is not possible even for the trained eye. Distinguishing between a laboratory diamond and a regular diamond requires a skilled gemologist and sophisticated instrumentation specifically designed to identify laboratory diamonds.