Great love stories start in a heartbeat and when they stand the test of time it reminds us that love does in fact conquer all. Such is the story of Erik and Lynsay Beck.
When Erik Beck proposed to his now-wife Lynsay, he knew he wanted their engagement story to capture the essence of their relationship, his Latvian heritage, and the peace of mind of sourcing ethical Canadian diamonds from Ekati Diamond Mine – where he works as a mining engineer.
Due to their rarity and durability diamonds have become a symbol of true love, the promise of forever, tradition, legacy and devotion for many people and cultures over time. A diamond reflects the unwavering unity of a couple in love, with every stone being as unique as their story.
“Ekati is Canada’s first diamond mine and that makes it part of Canadian history. It is also world renowned for producing gem-quality diamonds and I thought it would be great to incorporate part of this legacy into the creation of our rings,” says Erik.
Lynsay’s engagement ring is a flawless, colourless round cut Ekati diamond. The flawless nature of the diamond was important to Erik as he believes that concept symbolizes what we all strive for in a relationship. “There are ups and downs in every relationship, however this perfect flawless diamond reminds me of something that we should always strive to do and give our best to our partner, even when life gets challenging,” reveals Erik.
The couple’s custom-made wedding bands feature white and chocolate coloured Ekati diamonds set in rose gold, which they both preferred over a more traditional white or yellow gold setting. This design of the rings is inspired by the traditional Latvian Namejs ring, which represents Latvian independence, friendship, trust and symbolizes the unity of three ancient Latvian lands. Traditionally, the Namejs ring is passed down to the son of the family from generation to generation on the day of their coming of age.
“When I turned 18, my grandmother gave me a similar ring and so I asked my cousin who actually designed the wedding bands, to incorporate this tradition somehow into the rings as a nod to our culture and my family,” said Erik.
The Namejs knotted twist wedding bands feature exquisite Ekati diamonds while blending history, tradition and love—capturing the essence of Erik and Lynsay’s engagement story perfectly. “Having these chocolate-coloured diamonds in my wedding band creates a subtle, extravagant look. As an engineer who is passionate about geology, it is also a way to capture billions of years of creation in one ring and hold a piece of history and time with you always,” said Erik. “That concept of enduring the test of time, just like the promise of forever with someone you love, has always been important to me.”
Natural diamonds were formed billions of years ago and are finite in supply, which is what makes them so valuable and unique.
Canadian diamonds are mined from deep underground in the Arctic North, under strict environmental regulations and free from conflict or human rights infringements, promoting responsible sourcing practices and partnership with local Indigenous communities. Diamond mining in the region contributes to Northern communities and the Canadian economy by providing opportunities for employment, education and future sustainable growth.
Ekati Diamond Mine is one of the top producers of natural diamonds in Canada, with Canada being the largest producer of natural diamond within the G7 nations. Burgundy Diamond Mines is the owner of Ekati mine. Burgundy’s unique vertically integrated end-to-end business model from exploration through to polished diamond production and sales, provides traceability along every step of the process, assuring diamond origin and transparency in responsible sourcing practices for buyers like Erik.
