It might be a conflict of interest for me to post on this, since selling jewelry is how I pay my rent.
I would first like to point out that it is horribly inconsistent for people to complain about diamonds, and drive cars. OPEC isn't a cartel either right? If potential human rights violations offend, buy Canadian diamonds. But since most of the diamond producing countries are on board with the Kimberley process, consumer preference can either support the system or give the signal that we don't care. If you really want to know where the stone came from, rather than ponying up for a GIA cert, get a Gubelin gem report, which will tell you more than just the GIA description of how the stone looks. So you do have options.
Personally I hate selling diamonds. People are assholes when it comes to paying for them. Most guys are more interested in size than quality, which means we are coerced into selling an inferior product to satisfy the customer.
I carved Shannon's ring from a sketch she had made of her ideal ring I had from before we were dating. The center stone is a 1/3 carat Alexandrite. She was a Russian major, and Alexandrites were originally mined from the Ural mountains.
Her wedding ring was made by
Leddel, they use an excellent alloy and her white gold ring has not turned creamy like mine has. The center stone is a .84 ceylon sapphire, there are two diamonds peaking out from underneath.
It is important that the ring match the person... Shannon thinks that the stock solitare is the worst ring devised by man. This was duly noted.