The ethical cost of gold

If you’re reading this, then it’s likely you already love jewellery, and give it a lot of thought. But have you considered where the materials for your jewellery come from?

It’s worth reminding yourself occasionally that every ounce of gold, silver, or any other metal you choose to wear was, at one point, mined from the earth. And it’s worth knowing that this mining process can be extremely destructive. It’s often damaging not just to the landscape it is torn from, but also to the communities that mined it and the environment in general.

Both large- and small-scale gold mines have a reputation for displacing communities, contaminating drinking water and wrecking local environments.

The question is: where does that leave us in the jewellery business? And you as a conscientious jewellery buyer?

The answer, we think, is buying Fairtrade or Fairmined.

Like with your food, Fairtrade and Fairmined gold and silver are designed to let you know that you’re making an ethical choice. It sets standards on  “working conditions, child labour, women’s rights, clean technology, health and safety, organisational management, democratic decision-making, transparency and traceability of their mining operations and responsible environmental management”.

That’s why we try and use Fairtrade and Fairmined materials wherever possible, and always try and persuade our bespoke clients to do the same.

You can find out more about fair mining practices here and here. And if you have any questions about our jewellery, feel free to ask. We’d love to hear from you.