We Found The Perfect Engagement Ring For Environmentalists

This takes being eco-conscious to a whole new level…

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the negative consequences of diamond engagement rings. From conflict diamonds to the environmental impact diamond mining can have, young couples are waking up to the sometimes not-so-great reality of that shiny piece of bling. But how about a ring that doesn’t stop at just being conflict-free, but actually helps the environment too? Believe it or not, there is such a thing.

It all started with the Smog Free Project, a series of urban innovations led by Dutch artist (and tech genius) Dan Roosegaarde. The goal of the project is to reduce pollution and ‘provide an inspirational experience of a clean future’, and one of the aforementioned innovations is essentially a huge smog vacuum cleaner. This huge machine sucks in 30,000 cubic metres of air per hour, cleans it, then returns it to the environment. They’ve been installed in cities all over the world such as Beijing, Rotterdam, Tianjin and Krakow, with more on the way.

After making the first prototype however, Roosengaarde was left with more smog particles than he new what to do with. Wanting to put them to good use, he examined some under a microscope and discovered they contained carbon. What are diamonds made out of? You guessed it- carbon.

Enter the Smog Free Ring. Handmade at studio Roosegaarde, it contains compressed particles of smog from Rotterdam and Beijing encased in a clear, perfectly formed cube. According to the New York Times, the black mass inside the cube is so dangerous that if breathed in, it can shorten your life expectancy by up to eight years. So whatever you do, don’t try to smash it.

Roosegaarde told the Times that “In the beginning we were joking, who is going to wear pollution? It’s a new meaning of beauty. It’s not beauty like Louis Vuitton or Ferrari or Rolex, but it’s clean air. That’s beautiful.”

The band that holds the cube in place is made from stainless steel, and Roosegaarde has also recently released a matching range of cufflinks. His and hers jewellery for the wedding day, anyone?

These ultra-modern, ultra green and ultra unique rings are available to order through https://www.studioroosegaarde.net/project/smog-free-ring, should it be just the thing your environment-saving other half would want. Oh, and the best part? The profits made from each ring goes towards funding more smog free solutions. So you’re basically saving the planet, one ring at a time. What’s not to love?