Where to buy Ethical Engagement Rings in NZ

9 min read•19 August 2022

Buying an engagement ring will be one of the biggest purchases in your life. And it doesn’t help that when you walk into a store you are greeted by pushy salespeople that confirm your suspicions about the industry.

From confusing certifications and muddy ethical standards, purchasing an engagement ring can turn from an exciting adventure to a stressful one.

It makes it difficult to trust anyone that you speak to, especially if you are after an ethical engagement ring. Thankfully there are some places to buy ethical engagement rings in New Zealand.

Before we provide a list of places to visit, we believe an ethical engagement ring jeweller:

Exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds
Offsets their carbon
Has a sales team with your best interests in mind
Understand the ethical limitations of mined diamonds even with Kimberley Process
New Zealand Made

#1 Four Words

Four Words is a New Zealand owned and operated jeweller which focuses on creating bespoke jewellery. They are one of the most ethical jewellery operators in New Zealand. But being ethical doesn’t mean you need to compromise on design or price.

Four Words exclusively deals with lab grown diamonds and gemstones. They are climate positive, which means that they offset more carbon than is required to make a piece of jewellery (they offset five times the amount). Each purchase from Four Words includes a verifiable certificate on how much carbon you have offset.

The Four Words sales team do not work on commission. Their team is made up of designers – so your best interest is in mind when designing your bespoke piece.

Also, Four Words only deals with a certain standard of lab grown diamonds — and does the most frustrating part of the purchasing process for you by picking the best that the eye can see. This means that you don’t need to worry about optimising the 4Cs, and instead, you can focus on the most important part of your custom ring, the design.

Four Words also actively researches and publishes about about the ethics of the diamond industry. They have deep dives into the mined diamond industry, the Kimberley Process and what conflict-free diamonds actually mean. They have also done extensive research into the history of lab grown diamonds to ensure that their own supply chain is clean and tidy.

Four Words jewellery is primarily produced in New Zealand but depending on the timing and style of the design it may instead be produced in New York. The majority of Four Word’s diamonds are sourced directly from the labs in New York (which is one of the largest ‘diamond cities’). Unlike other jewellers, who may get their rings made offshore because it is cheaper. And in doing so will compromise quality.

Four Words was set up by a collective frustration by the industry’s shadiness and the uneasy feeling of getting ripped off. You can read more about why Four Words was started here.

Sometimes people also think that making an ethical choice means you need to compromise in other areas. However, Four Words is quite different in that regard. With them, you can design your own ring and are reasonably priced. You can view their independent reviews here.

If you would like to reach out to learn more, you can contact Four Words here.

Ethical Considerations

Exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds? ✅ Yes
Is carbon neutral or climate positive? ✅ Yes
Sales team not based off commission? ✅ Yes
Is research active in diamond industry ethics? ✅ Yes
Is New Zealand made? ✅ Yes

#2 Seza

If you love gold and delicate design with a huge ethical impact, you are going to love working with Mohammed at Seza. Mohammed also works for Four Words and it goes without saying that Seza oozes luxury. Seza’s gold is recycled and is independently verified by the Chain of Custody of the Responsible Jewellery Council. From an energy perspective, it all comes from renewable resources. Any production water that is used is also recycled resulting in a 93% reduction in water usage. Seza also works with Trees That Count, Project Crimson, Waiheke Resources Trust, Sustainable Paremoremo Group and others to mitigate their carbon footprint.

And just like with Four Words, working with Seza does not mean compromising on design or quality. You can have a look for yourself here at some of their designs.

Seza is a New Zealand owned and operated business and by buying from them, you will be supporting a true artisan. And it shows. Seza’s reviews are also 5/5 on Google.

Seza deals exclusively in gold and comes in at a price range between $200 - $2000.

Ethical Considerations

Exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds?
Only in gold. No diamonds.
Is carbon neutral or climate positive? ✅ Yes
Sales team not based off commission? ✅ Yes
Is research active in diamond industry ethics?
Active in gold ethics, and renewable and ethical sourcing
Is New Zealand made? ✅ Yes

#3 Reca

Reca shares many of the principles of Four Words. The jewellery they create is beautiful, minimalist, quality handcrafted products which also support women who are building better lives for themselves. They do not deal in diamonds or specifically in engagement rings. However, we believe that they are one of the most ethical jewellery companies New Zealand.

Reca is a New Zealand owned business, and Reca jewellery is all designed and hand-made in New Zealand. They have the following principles:

The products are creating opportunities for disadvantaged women
There is no forced labour in creating the products
There is no child labour used in creating the products
The artisans are paid a living wage, or are being paid a fair price for their products
They are working in good, safe working conditions
Where an organisation has artisans working in their workshop, they need to be is transparent with us and let us visit them to see the working conditions.

While their range is limited, we recommend you go to them if you are looking for daily or ‘sentimental jewellery.’ Reca is priced around the $40 - $200 range and would be an excellent choice if you are on a budget.

Ethical Considerations

Exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds?
Does not deal with diamonds.
Is carbon neutral or climate positive? Unclear
Sales team not based off commission? Unclear
Is research active in diamond industry ethics? ✅ Is active in sourcing ethical and transparent supply chains
Is New Zealand made? Unclear

#4 Zoe and Morgan

Zoe and Morgan is a New Zealand based company with a studio in the UK. They have a strong focus on showpieces and everyday jewellery. And if you love to tell a story about your piece, Zoe and Morgan is a great place to go.

Zoe and Morgan deal mostly in gold, silver, platinum and diamonds. They use mostly recycled gold, silver and platinum. When it comes to diamonds, Zoe and Morgan leave it up to you to decide. Typically they use mined diamonds certified by the GIA however can use lab grown diamonds or heirloom pieces if requested. Similar to Four Words, they also do bespoke jewellery.

One thing that we really like is Zoe and Morgan’s buy-back policy. If you no longer would like to wear one of their pieces, they will buy it back from you for NZD50.

However, it is unclear where their jewellery is sourced and manufactured from.

Zoe and Morgan’s jewellery starts at around $150 (necklaces and earrings) and their bespoke engagement rings are priced on design.

Zoe and Morgan does not have any Google reviews.

Ethical Considerations

Exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds? ❌ No
Is carbon neutral or climate positive? ❌ No
Sales team not based off commission? Unclear
Is research active in diamond industry ethics? ❌ No
Is New Zealand made? Unclear

While this table is rigid and doesn’t capture all the great work Zoe and Morgan do, it has to be said that they do make strong efforts in using recycled materials. And while they may not be the best when it comes to ethical engagement rings, they definitely up there.

#5 Sophie Divett Jewellery

Sophie Divett Jewellery (SDJ) is run by Sophie Divett. And just like with Seza, Sophie is an artisan. The majority of the precious metals she uses are produced by recycled waste from Jewellers and industry, along with local mines within Australasia.

When it comes to gemstones, she prefers to use recycled diamonds, which are the most environmentally responsible diamonds available. These typically come from heirlooms.

SDJ is also a supporter of carbon-neutral initiatives through Trees That Count.

Like Four Words, Seza, and Zoe & Morgan, SDJ also has a bespoke process. Many of the pieces are gold or silver rings, and all the pieces are handcrafted.

SDJ gold rings start at around $1000. SDJ also has a Google rating of 4.2 from five reviews.

Ethical Considerations

Exclusively deals in lab grown diamonds? ✅
Uses heirloom or recycled diamonds
Is carbon neutral or climate positive? ✅ Yes
Sales team not based off commission? Unclear
Is research active in diamond industry ethics? Unclear
Is New Zealand made? ✅ Yes

Where to from here?

While many jewellers in New Zealand have ethics statements or webpages dedicated to how they are good for the planet, we have discounted all those that work with mined diamonds. Hailing the Kimberley Process and Conflict-Free Diamond Certification is weak argument to falsely claim that a diamond is ethical.

When it comes to ethical engagement rings in New Zealand, you can definitely trust the top three in this article. And if you do want to explore the topic a bit more before reaching out, check out this guide on the Kimberley Process.

At Four Words we exclusively work with lab grown diamonds — however we understand picking a mined diamond is still a personal decision. We strongly believe there is no reason to get a mined diamond based on price, the environment but most importantly ethics.

You can check out this post here about how and why lab grown diamonds are optically, physically and atomically exactly the same as mined diamonds — and at a fraction of the cost.

Being ethical and getting exactly what you want shouldn’t be a compromise. And working with those that understand the nuances in the industry is definitely something you should look for when choosing a jeweller for your diamond engagement ring.