Transparency doesn’t always mean that we get to keep our hands clean; it just means we’re keeping it honest. To us, accountability is more important than empty promises of a utopian gemstone market. They say, don’t judge a book by its cover, but obviously in fashion appearances reign queen. In the diamond trade, we use the word inclusions to describe impurities within diamonds that take away from their transparency and color. But these inclusions, when you take a closer look, are often quite beautiful; telling the story of how a diamond was formed inside the Earth. Branded “ugly” in the trade, these diamonds are lumped together and flow untraced through the supply chain, sold at a fraction of the cost of more “perfect” diamonds. We believe these diamonds hold true beauty. Not only do they provide proof of their natural origin within the center of the earth, they show brilliant character, are more colorful, unique, and one of a kind than expensive flawless diamonds. So the term "Conflict Free" is more easily applied to diamonds that can be traced through the supply chain. This is just a tiny percentage of diamonds that exist on the market. And that’s a fact the diamond industry doesn't want you to know. Since most of these diamonds will originate from the same mines as larger diamonds that have been vetted through the Kimberly process, they are likely comparably ethical to larger, cleaner diamonds. But we can’t be sure, and distributors aren’t quick to give away their secrets. So as we continue our quest for the true origin of these smaller, more charismatic diamonds we are offering them to you exactly as they are: “ugly,” untraceable, affordable, and without rose-colored glasses. Additionally, a portion of our Ugly Untraceable Diamond sales is donated to an organization dedicated to oversight of the Kimberly process in service to the people who work to unearth these unconventional beauties. What you see is what you get; and we will keep pushing until we can tell the whole story.