Ethics and Materials
Studio Practices
In my home office/studio I uses green energy, paying extra to ensure the electricity I use is sourced from environmentally responsible and renewable sources.
I also work in a shared studio. This means our equipment is used by 20 artisans. I subcontract to a small team of experts ensuring each stage of the process is completed with attention to detail. All locally made.
In the last few years have there been more and more options for jewellery designers to choose and ethical and environmentally responsible options. As we evolve as a brand we will choose to offer those options to customers and to be transparent in regards to gemstone sourcing and material origins.
Recycled Gold
All new samples are made with 100% certified recycled gold.
We are also working on offering Fair Trade / Fair Mined gold, however this is a complicated process so it will be a while yet.
Canadian Diamonds
All newly made pieces use white Canadian melee diamonds. We also use larger high quality white Canadian diamonds in our samples. These are readily available in round brilliant cuts, any other shapes are extremely rare but not impossible. I also have a very small selection of unusual rose cut diamonds of Canadian origin.
Montana Sapphires
We strive to provide as many options in Montana sapphires as possible. We have three suppliers, one of which is both mined and cut in the US. They come in a variety of colours but can be a bit limited, we are striving to offer them in a variety of cuts as well.
Australian Sapphires
We have these in a number of our sample pieces. We do not currently have a supplier but we are working on finding one with a great selection of options.
Black, Salt and Pepper and heavily included Rose Cut Diamonds
These are considered a lower quality diamonds, by international market standards. They tend to be cut from “undesirable” material. Unfortunately because of this it is very difficult to trace origin. I have one supplier who occasionally provides Canadian origin options. I also use two companies who have their own cutting factories. This ensures that the working conditions and practices from that point on are very regulated. As options become available we will strive to raise the verifiable ethical standards of these gemstones.
Moissanites
A lab grown option for the diamond look without using mined material. They are almost as strong as diamonds and have more brilliance. We recommend these as the best lab grown option for white gemstones. We have options in a variety of sizes, shapes and a few colours (white, teal, champagne and black). They can also be custom designed into almost any cut.