sustainable/socially responsible jewelry conversation, part 2

QUESTION: It's great that your gems are from "fair trade' and other
legitimately mined sources. Are any of your gems certified Fair Trade?
ANSWER: As of yet, as far as I know, there is no "official" Certification, only are reputable dealers who follow "Fair Trade Gem Protocols" and guarantee this on paper in their own words. Since 2005 I have been purchasing colored gems from only 2 or 3 dealers with whom I have a trustworthy relationship, and who can inform me the source and thus the trade practice of the stones from which I am purchasing. One of those dealers, my favorite, is Columbia Gem House, who is the only dealer SPECIALIZING in Fair Trade Gems- (http://www.columbiagemhouse.com/)
Before 2005 I had a larger market of work using colored gems, and
while I prioritized Ethical/highly reputable dealers, I did not research each stone as I have been doing since. Lastly, I am no longer developing new designs which include colored stones, too complicated to align with my Fair Trade Philosophy, except when dealing with Columbia Gem House. Most of the recent work which includes colored stones are working with clients stones, or clients specific request.
QUESTION: If not, what other certifications do they carry?
ANSWER: They are therefore not "Certified" per se, each case is different, and each dealers' information is tracked. Again, I am moving away from working primarily with colored stones in my own work for this reason.
QUESTION: If certifications are not the process by which gems are tracked,
(because I'm not a gemnologist/ jeweler) how do you know where your
gems come from and under what conditions they were mined?
ANSWER: I purchase from dealers who can tell me the source and practices because they are closer to the source, and have themselves long established relationships with the miners or site holders.

sustainable/socially responsible jewelry conversation, part 1

I have begun the process of joining a "green" network and the process includes discussions about what we do as a "socially responsible business" in order to be considered GREEN. This and several following posts are clipped from the conversation and help illustrate what goes on behind the scenes:
QUESTION:It's wonderful to think that some ugly gold jewelry could
become something lovley by being recycled! How does working with
recycled metals work? When you make your jewelry, do you buy bars of
gold, silver and platinum that were made from melted/ reprocessed old
jewelry?
ANSWER:I purchase all my metals from only two sources: Hoover and Strong http://www.hooverandstrong.com/category/HARMONY+Metals+and+Gems/
and my caster, Empire Jewelry Mfg. who purchases his supply from 100% recycling refiners. This way I can claim 100% recycled- guaranteed by my suppliers. (Please spend some time on Hoover's site,they just got SCS Certification!) I have ALWAYS bought from Hoover since I started in grad school, a terrific company who supplies everything I need. As for the "ugly old jewelry" being recycled, I weigh and value the gold from my clients when they want me to credit them toward a new piece, send their "old gold" to the refiner and purchase newly refined gold for the project. Because of the impurities in the already made "old gold" I cannot directly use their metals but it recycles into the system and gets refined. Tis is why Hoover does not need "new mined material" since there is billions of pounds of gold coming back to them at all times.

Ornament Magazine

the latest press with ORNAMENT:

amethyst ring/pendant with yellow diamond

the latest with 15ct emerald cut amethyst... fun as a ring, elegant as a pendant

Art Meets Fashion, save the date

come to the San Diego Airport on April 28 to view the runway show of the collaborative efforts of Artists, Fashion designers, textile designers, teachers and many other creative spirits!