Are alternative diamonds expensive?

Alternative diamonds, which include colour, opaque, and salt and pepper diamonds, are more affordable than traditional white diamonds. Considering you are purchasing an extremely durable material, you rest assured knowing your diamond will retain its qualities for many lifetimes. Diamonds are extremely hard to cut and this is one of the reasons why they are more expensive than other semi-precious stones. 

To find the perfect white diamond, many tons of earth has to be mined. Alternative diamonds, however, are more commonly available and therefore lower in price.

That said, value is relative and we recommend that you contact your jeweller, who will work according to your budget.

Are alternative diamonds ethical?

A great deal of mined earth is discarded when searching for traditional white diamonds. If you consider how much less earth is thrown away when searching for alternative diamonds, then yes, they are indeed ethical. Additionally, all our suppliers comply with the KP (Kimberley Process) which means our diamonds are conflict-free. 

Having said that, we believe that any industry which harvests from the planet has an undeniable impact on the earth and its environments. Whether it’s the various metals in your mobile phone (cobalt, gold, silver, aluminium and titanium) or the platinum in your car, it is almost impossible to escape being part of some sort of ethical dilemma. Therefore, we believe it is important to purchase consciously, locally, and to find a way in which you can give back or create a balance. 

Rose and Stone supports The Oude Molen Food Garden Project as their CSR. By purchasing a Rose and Stone diamond, you will automatically be supporting this initiative. To find out more about our commitment to the Oude Molen Food Garden Project, click here.

Are your alternative diamonds certified?

We certify all our diamonds with The Gem Lab. This enables you to buy with confidence and to know that you are buying a natural, untreated diamond.

What is the origin of your diamonds?

To answer this question, one has to understand the journey each individual diamond takes until it ends up in a beautifully crafted piece of jewellery. The most important things to know is that all our suppliers comply with the KP (Kimberley Process), which ensures our diamonds are ethically sourced and conflict-free.. 

The KP ensures that rough diamonds are mined and sourced in ethical ways and that the proceeds thereof do not fund any conflict whatsoever.

To learn more about the KP as well as how diamonds are mined and processed, please click here.

Are alternative diamonds as hard as white diamonds?

Absolutely. The hardness of a diamond in gemmology is a scientific term which refers to the gemstone’s ability to resist being scratched. Because alternative diamonds comprise the same crystalline structure as white diamonds, they are indeed equally hard and equally exceptional at resisting scratches. 

Due to alternative diamonds having a higher amount of internal fractures and inclusions (this is what makes them so beautiful), some care must be taken in the manner in which the diamond is set. This is the responsibility of the jeweller you choose to work with. 

A diamond’s hardness means it has great durability and would be considered an excellent choice for jewellery. There is however more than one factor that contributes to the strength of a diamond. Gemologists refer to these three aspects as durability, toughness and stability. Toughness refers to a diamond’s resistance to chipping and breaking. Diamonds are considered to be very tough, but due to their atomic bond and cleavage line they can chip or break if put under pressure. The stability refers to its resistance to heat, light and chemicals. Again, diamonds are extremely stable but if exposed to extreme temperatures, cleavages and fractures can appear.

It is important to note that any gemstone or diamond will break if it is accosted in the right place. Therefore, we always advise that a diamond is set responsibly to protect the wearer from being scratched and the diamond from being damaged. That said, any diamond will be a more durable and reliable choice for a piece of jewellery than weaker stones like semi-precious gems.

Read more about gemstone and diamond durability here:  https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/more-than-mohs-scale-gem-durability/

How do I buy a diamond from you if I am not a jeweller?

There are so many exceptional jewellers in South Africa. If you don’t have a favourite jeweller, visit our jewellers we endorse page or contact us so we can put you in touch with one in your area or whose skills align with your design requirements.

Why don’t you sell to the public?

We are passionate about supporting local South African jewellers (our clients) and we know the hard work that goes into manufacturing and selling jewellery. We simply do not want to compete with our clients for customers and we know they do a much better job at facilitating the design and manufacture process. 

How do I pick my diamond?

We know how tricky it can be to choose that perfect alternative diamond - only because there are so many unique options to choose from. While we always encourage people to view the diamonds in person, we can also provide you with high quality images, videos and descriptions of all our diamonds. 

To get the ball rolling, browse through our catalogue section and have a look at our Instagram page for inspiration. Once you’ve found some examples of diamonds you love, get in touch with your jeweller and share some of the links or imagery with them. This will give them a better idea of what you’re looking for. They can then contact us to send images and videos of diamonds we feel would resonate with you. We are always happy to send a selection of diamonds directly to your jeweller, so you can view them in person and discuss different design options.