SPONSORED CONTENT
by Susan Smith-Grier
As your love for one another is the heart of your relationship, so is the center stone the heart of the engagement ring. Throughout history the diamond has symbolized love and prosperity. No wonder it has been the center stone of choice for ages. At E. L. Menk Jewelers, we recognize and celebrate the diverse origins and source ethically produced diamonds. In the days when the king’s knights actually did wear shining armor, only wealthy landowners and those born into royalty could afford diamonds. Not until the great diamond fields in the area of Kimberly, South Africa, began producing large quantities of suitable diamonds did this precious stone come into prominence as the crown jewel for engagement rings.
diamonds have warm, yellow hues from just a hint to very distinct. These gems come from South African mines. Australian diamonds have a delicate brown tint. Champagne, cognac and chocolate are the names given to
Diamonds have a particular color range unique to the mines from which they come. Different
gems while the later produces whiter diamonds. Some may have a pink tint. Less than 2 percent of mined diamonds have exceptional purity. The controlled environment of lab grown diamonds creates gems at least as pure as that 2 percent. In about 10 to 12 weeks a diamond structurally and chemically identical to a mined gem can be grown using either method. The rough crystals are then sent to cutting centers around the globe where they are cut beautifully into sizes ranging from 1/4 carat to over 3 carats. A document verifying their lab origin as well as other identifying infor-
location names have been generated as a result. South African diamond mines have a long and turbulent history. Today, those mines still produce vast quantities of diamonds through open pit and underground mines. Old tailing piles are also reworked for diamonds. However, South Africa is not the only place where this precious jewel is to be found. Since the original mines, diamonds have also been found in Siberia, Australia and Canada as well as other areas in Africa. The U.S. has also produced some diamonds in certain places. Diamonds have a particular color range unique to the mines from which they come. Different location names have been generated as a result. Cape diamonds and Canary
the stones down under. The beautiful white diamonds of Canada’s frosty Northwest territories have the added benefit of being followed from the original mine to the cutter and consumer with a laser inscription the matches a document of origin ensuring ethical mining and production of the diamonds. Not all diamonds are produced by toil and hard labor. The newest source of ethically produced diamonds is the lab. Technology has made it possible to create beautiful diamonds using either high temperature and high pressure or Chemical Vapor Deposition. The former method tends to yield yellow
mation is inscribed on the diamond. Capture the rare beauty of your history and love as a couple in one of our gems. E.L. Menk Jewelers has mined and lab grown diamonds from which to choose. Your diamond has a special story to share just like you do.fff
2017 | Weddings North 7