Green Engagement rings

Time flies, I can't believe that Leonardo's Blood Diamond came out in 2003. How's the situation in Africa? Are the clunkers on many brides beautifully manicured fingers still mined and produced in a river of blood and tears? It seem so but then there are also articles out there that contribute the bloody media hype to the monopolists in the diamond corner like De Beers, arguing that the Kimberley process, implemented to "protect" the miners, really is a trick to keep Africa from independence and finally becoming the ones who profit from their sparkling wealth.
How to get away from all the craziness?

Check into an cornucopia of vintage engagement rings (oh my gosh how amazing are they?) if you can't rely on his or her grandma's sassy sparkler or because it's style is really "oma" and not your taste.
There's is the out-there alternative of (actually rather fancy) wooden rings.

Or go sci-fi, techno cool:
"Gemesis cultured diamonds are at the forefront of a revolution in the diamond jewelry industry. A Gemesis cultured diamond is a diamond, grown under the same conditions as diamonds grow beneath the earth's surface. By applying tremendous heat and pressure, a diamond begins to grow, atom by atom, layer by layer, just as it does in nature. A Gemesis cultured diamond possess the same physical, optical and chemical properties as earth-grown diamonds."
There are also Apollo and Mia Donna to name a few masters in this field.
A jeweler friend of mine mentions amazing gem stones he created engagement rings with : "Tsavorite garnets are one of the most beautiful stones ever and have a similar refractive index to diamonds.  If someone loves ruby or sapphire colors then they should not look at tradition, they should look for something that makes them happy."
And that's what we women really want, a reminder of our love and happiness, not just a status symbol on our finger.