Kara Ross Diamonds Unleashed

Nathalie Barclay

"If you like it then you should have put a ring on it." We all know the jingle, the sentiment. But what if, instead of asking for a ring, a woman gave it to herself? We often associate diamonds, especially diamond rings, with a gift given by a man to a woman, but why? Can a woman not buy herself diamonds to celebrate her own beauty and intelligence?

Kara Ross, famed jewelry designer, is here to change the script with her new project, Diamonds Unleashed. A modern day women's movement meant to engineer a great rethink about how diamonds are bought, given and perceived, Diamonds Unleashed seeks to use that shift as a platform to address issues that enable women to achieve their potential. Though women now belong to the same working spheres as men, the expression of a 'woman living in a man's world' has not completely disappeared. And yet Kara Ross believes that a woman should be proud to be different, proud to be a woman, for she is like a diamond, "multi-faceted, brilliant, strong and unbreakable." More than just a collection of jewelry, Diamonds Unleashed strives to give women not only a sense of independence, but also of strength and solidarity.

To represent these values, Ross goes beyond the diamond itself and expands the message to a simple yet beautiful symbol: an outline of a small diamond, encircled and supported by a larger diamond. The symbol also represents perhaps one of Ross' main goals: with every piece of jewelry sold, each one emblazoned with the Diamonds Unleashed symbol, the net profits go to non-profit organizations working with girls to provide an education and 21st century skills (namely Girls Who Code and She's the First). The collection aims to empower not only the wearer but also the women who will receive the education and aid they deserve.

To spread the word, Kara Ross is going beyond selling her collections at Neiman Marcus or HSN, and is "going to a whole bunch of different jewelry designers, painters, sculptors, graffiti artists, and saying 'Hey listen, does this symbol resonate with you?'" She has the support of powerful women in all professions, from sports' legend Serena Williams to innovative businesswoman Martha Stewart. All are standing forward and sending the message that yes, like the Diamonds Unleashed symbol, we support each other, we are powerful, and we are not afraid to show it, wear it, or share it.