In early 2020, the British company D&M Jewellery Finishers launched a disruptive service for the gold sector: the Fairmined gold plating. By doing so, the gold platers have been able to access to Fairmined gold, making its use possible for a wider range of products. Only a few months after this announcement the first Fairmined gold plated coin was launched by the London Mint Office. Since then, dozens of fine jewelry collections have been plated with Fairmined gold, and other alloys to give more possibilities to jewelry brands. A year after the launch of this business line, we interviewed Dean Jonhston, co-funder of D&M, to ask about his experience with Fairmined. D&M is now pleased to provide fairmined plating in Europe and the UK.
Alliance for Responsible Mining: Why to believe in Fairmined?
Dean Johnston: The word belief is a great word, and believing in Fairmined constitutes having a mindset towards doing things better. Fairmined is making the change in the world of supplying clean and ethical gold, and D&M Jewellery Finishers want to make that change and get everyone to believe in the ethical and transparent supply chain.
ARM: How has your experience with Fairmined been since your decision to implement the first Fairmined gold plating?
DJ: Our experience has been great, and managing to lift Fairmined gold plating into the electroplating market has been successful. Even in a pandemic we still managed to rise to the occasion. Having key partners that believed in the Fairmined label was our key to getting established up and running.
“Having key partners that believed in Fairmined was our key to getting established up and running”
ARM: What challenges have you faced?
Dean: There have been some small challenges we have faced as of course: the pandemic for covid-19 being the main issue, but we managed to embrace it and keep planning ahead and keeping our partners happy with fairmined gold.
ARM: What are the main benefits of Fairmined for your company and clients?
Dean: Benefits on Fairmined have been for D&M as making a huge change and limiting our normal use of gold potassium cyanide that only has a custody chain. Fairmined is completely transparent and has a great code of conduct that allows you to trace your gold right back to the area and miner. For our clients, it is also a unique way to know where their gold comes from.
"Fairmined has been a great benefit as believing in ethical gold, improving miners living conditions and environmental preservation."
Dean Johnston
Director of D&M Jewellry Finishers Ltd
ARM: How’s the sales performance going for Fairmined plating and what’s your balance a year after launching the first Fairmined gold plating service?
DJ: On a sales performance level, Fairmined has been a great benefit as believing in change, ethical gold and improving miners living conditions and environmental preservation.
Overall, I think we need a year out of a pandemic to really help our key customers and new customers take that step above fairmined to really see the big picture. So far at D&M we have used over 6 kilos of Fairmined gold in our plating lines and are now making our next order. Our clients have contributed to generating $ 24,000 USD to the Fairmined premium, which is a great start. We hope to do more in the years to come because we know that every gram counts!
D&M Jewellry refiners in collab with Jeweler Alex Monroe, a collection made of Fairmined gold
Interested in discovering more about the offer of D&M and of the others Fairmined Authorized Suppliers? Have a look at the Fairmined Supplier list.
