Repurposed diamonds require no new energy to create, and thus leave a smaller ecological footprint than newly mined diamonds. MONIQUE PÉAN tracks each of its newly mined diamonds to the best of its ability throughout each step of the supply chain to ensure that no diamonds are being mined, cut or polished in regions that are engaged in conflict. MONIQUE PÉAN only purchases diamonds from countries that are full participants of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), an international cooperative monitoring system created to ensure that diamonds are free of conflict. Additionally, MONIQUE PÉAN diamonds are sourced from environmentally responsible mines which work in accordance with strict labor and safety guidelines.
Colored diamonds are formed in the same process as white diamonds with one distinct difference - foreign particles are trapped within the mineral during the crystallization process of colored diamonds, which affects and alters the chemical process. Different trace minerals and particles result in unique hues of varying intensities.
Variations in the amount of pressure exerted to produce a diamond, as well as radiation levels in the Earth’s mantle layer can also determine diamond colors. In order to produce a particular hue, thousands of variables must be present in the right amounts at just the right time. Because scientists have never been able to observe a natural diamond being formed, the exact type and proportion of variables necessary to produce a colored diamond is nearly impossible to pinpoint.