By: Laura Galvis, Head of Sustainable Markets
HAPPY EARTH DAY! WE WANT TO COMMEMORATE THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY BY HIGHLIGHTING EFFORTS IN TRACEABILITY AND SHOWCASING A SELECTION OF TRACEABLE JEWELRY PIECES THAT COMBINE TRACEABLE FAIRMINED GOLD WITH TRACEABLE GEMSTONES (IF ANY) AND INSPIRED BY THE EARTH.
We are proud to say that Fairmined is recognized for promoting responsible practices worldwide, and as a precious metals gold certification we get asked a lot by jewelry enthusiasts about responsibly sourced or traceable gemstones too. And so, we thought Earth Day would be the perfect occasion to share what is good, and who would better than the experts themselves to share their secrets. We invited for today the jewelers from our Fairmined Family to share with us pieces that are inspired by nature and give us insight on their own interpretation and efforts in traceability.
According to the Oxford Languages Dictionary, traceability /treɪsəˈbɪlɪti/ is defined as “the quality of having an origin or course of development that may be found or followed.” If applied to a jewelry piece it highlights the importance of origin and the journey of a piece and what it has been made of. But a traceable piece of jewelry in my opinion tells a lot more. It provides insight on the creation process and the decisions that came before, such as the thoughtful approach a designer, a goldsmith or a team took to create pieces that shine brighter than gold; it tells us about their inspiration and about a curious mind that wanted to start asking difficult questions after taking upon themselves the responsibility and paradigm of using mined goods as a main material in their craft; it also tells us about a jewelry piece that has a story which started long before it was created, with the origin of the gold, and for this edit, the gemstones too!
Today, I’m here to tell you a lot more about our selection of jewelry pieces which use Fairmined gold and the traceability efforts of its designers: 8 pieces, 8 stories.
1. W.R Metalarts: Fairmined Arizona Peridot Trillion-Cut carved Solitaire Ring
The solitaire ring from W.R Metalarts is part of their our Gold for Good collection made with entirely traceable Fairmined gold and US-mined gemstones. The setting for the solitaire has been hand-carved from wax in a durable high-set bezel setting and casted in Fairmined gold which uses Fairmined silver for the alloy, where rests a 1.46ct trillion-cut olive green Mesa Verde, Arizona peridot (Fairtrade level 2), US-mined and cut.
W.R Metalarts are based in Brattleboro, Vermont, USA and have been part of the Fairmined initiative since 2022 as part of their believe that brands have an ethical responsibility and their promise to make jewelry with integrity, intension, and transparent practices.
2. La Luce Gioelleria: Dead Flower Earrings
Inspired by imperfections, this one of a kind earrings, celebrating the slow passage towards death, not as loss, but as added layers of nuances, lights and shadows. The earrings are hand-made from grain to polish in 18K Fairmined gold, 925 Fairmined silver, an oxidized copper base, and completed with blue and green drops of Tourmalines from Brazil. Like water droplets, drenched in color, 3.13ct of tourmalines dangle, adding movement and light to the earrings. The tourmaline drops untreated and were supplied by Aurhen EcoFair, who sourced them from Minas Gerais, in Brazil, a mine operated by artisanal miners, the Soares Family.
La Luce was founded in 2021 by Joy Harvey and Marco Rossi in Rimini, Italy. The brand aims to focus on what is right and have a positive impact by focusing on their supply chain and promoting craftmanship.
To do this La Luce has implemented several strategies: among then and in addition to working exclusively with Fairmined gold and silver, La Luce is B Corp certified, work on 10 to 15 one-of-a-kind pieces per year, offset their CO2 emissions and use renewable energy in their workshop, among.
3. Bliss Lau: Loyalist + Cascade Ring Set
A Fairmined gold ring set with a custom-made approach, made with diamonds extracted from a pendant previously owned by one of the Designer’s loyal customers. The design pays homage to the container where we hold love and devotion for friendships, family, and lovers. The Loyalist Ring has an open framework at the top of the ring connecting to a delicate band to bring mobility and movement while wearing it.
Influenced by growing up in Hawaii and being a New Yorker, and her biracial heritage, Bliss finds inspiration in combining dualities within each design, often exploring both nature and architecture. She believes that every decision, no matter how small, can make an impact. This idea is infused into each creation, from the materials to how the pieces come to life with her artisan partners.
4. Anna Moltke-Huitfeldt: Extra high D-shaped ring
For the edit we are showcasing a slightly organic and new look to an otherwise traditional ring design. The setting is made of Fairmined Ecological gold and is set with Australian champagne diamonds, sourced through a local supplier from Origin Australia. Anna is inspired inspired by transparency and the eternal movement of the spiral, which she describes as a special feeling from knowing that the raw materials she uses, were mined and sourced ethically.
I was Anna Moltke-Huitfeldt is based in Denmark and has been part of the initiative since the very beginnings by being involved with the certification that preceded Fairmined: Oro Verde.
5. Noen Jewelry: Shine ring in gold with sapphires
A delicate ring design series which is meant to be mixed and matched. The series of hand-made rings are available with 3, 5 or 7 sapphires in a playful assortment of pink, yellow and blue, which are originally from Sri Lanka Ring and sourced by Cylons Munich. The series is meant to be combined with other rings and other series from the brands, and it is available in yellow gold, rose gold and white gold.
Claudia and Malte Schindler, have been on a professional path together as a couple with Noën since 2006. With a deep conviction and basic trust that they can make a difference with their jewelry made from fairly traded gold, move far away from our own comfort zone in every respect. But pioneers, and that’s exactly what we are in the jewelry industry, sometimes have to take paths that have not been taken before. In 2023 Noen joined the Fairmined initiative and quickly transitioned to using only Fairmined gold and silver
6. Caelesti Handmade: The Lotus Pendant
Behind Cealesti’s pendant is the very powerful oriental symbol for greatness and positivity: the lotus flower. A divine symbol in many religions which blooms out of the mud and the darkness, in its quest to catch the sun by elevating itself and turning to a beautiful flower. This pendant celebrates nature by representing a flower that grows in a rough environment to become something smooth and beautiful; volumes and superposition are also used to represent fulfillment, success and purity, and a vibrant red sapphire (treated) is used to bring to life the concepts of beauty and vitality. The pendant is made in 18k yellow Fairmined gold, with this 3mm red sapphire from Madagascar.
Cealesti is based in Saint-Denis, France and is working Fairmined gold exclusively in unique hand-crafted pieces since 2023.
7. Clarissa Atelier: Fairmined 925 silver Che Palline bracelet Clarissa Atelier di Chiara Mennonna
This bracelet made in Fairmined silver, is full of symbolism. It is made up of a tiny open bracelet with 3 spheres, and inside, 3 little empty beads, it is also fully traceable as it is made entirely in 925 Fairmined silver. The bracelet represents the 3 possible worlds or planets, which the designer imagines for the Earth’s future. The first and biggest sphere represents a harsh scenario of our future, as it is the messiest and the most polluted one with not enough resources for all; then we have the second one, the medium, the ideal or perfect one, where the Earth and the environment are protected and in consequence it shares with us its treasures in equal parts; and finally the smallest and cutest sphere, which represents a utopic beauty that is not enough for everybody to live at peace. The 3 holes at the top of the beads represent ope nness and hope in the shape of volcanoes.
Clarissa Atelier has developed a concept in which handcrafted jewelry joins the essential style of comic strip together with the showy virtuosity of Art Decò. In the effort to be part of the transformation and to support a new concept of sustainable jewelry and ethical production system, Clarissa Atelier became a Faimined licensed brand in 2023.
8. Berg Kette: Personalisiertes Bergarmband
This bracelet carries BERG.KETTE signature round design and inspired by the unique experiences one gets to live by the mountains. The piece is fully traceable as it is made in a Fairmined 925 silver coins shaped as the surface of the Earth and its mountain ranges, and a thread traditionally used in pearl necklaces. For this edit we chose the personalized version of the bracelet which can represent the most important moments as it can be shaped with a custom place: inspired by nature and designed by Earth.
Berg.Kette is based in Budenz, Austria and was created by Christopher Graf with the intention to create value in every step of their supply chain. In addition to using Fairmined exclusively in all creations, they collaborate with the Alpine Club Vorarlberg, to generate a longlisting impact, invest in local forest protection projects and a 10% of their profits in benefitting impact causes, recently they donated 10% of the Berge des Himalayas inspired jewelry to hospitals and schools in Nepal.
