Congrats socal on both the upcoming marriage and a good choice in passing on the traditional diamond!

I have an all-things-green fetish and have been looking really hard at seeded emeralds. Always passed on a platinum and emerald ring (emerald cut 2.5 ct or so single stone) for 2 reasons:

Cost
Misery factor

Seeded stones eliminate both

@Posh-

Never said it but thanks for posting this topic.

I imagine most people reading this kind of brush off the suffering of forced mining and the result of profits to the local Idi Amin wannabes. I could post stills from our dashcams and photos we took while we were in West Africa but I'd probably be banned.

As bad as the pictures are, seeing it first hand is another. "Blood Diamond" didn't even SCRATCH the surface.

I make my living doing things no sane individual would do in countries no sane individual would be in if he/she had a choice. What I saw there scarred me for life and considering I've been on QRF/recovery details scooping up good friends into buckets that says a LOT. I won't buy a mined diamond- period- ever.