Ethical Metalsmith needs you!

September 19, 2012

We need your help.

The Alliance for Responsible Mining and Fairtrade International have put forth proposed standards that call for selling Fairtrade and Fairmined gold that is mixed with gold coming from other “responsible” sources.  You can review the proposal on pages 86 to 89 via this link.  

In sum, the document calls for gold that is Fairtrade and Fairmined to be “mass balanced” or in the words of the consultation paper ‘diluted’ with other gold from “responsible” sources. The gold in jewelry products would be only 85% traceable to a Fairtrade mine. The proposal also creates two new product categories. “Made with Fairtrade and Fairmined gold” would be 50% from certified mines, and “contains Fairtrade and Fairmined gold,” which would be at least 10% certified fine gold content. 

At Fair Jewelry Action and Ethical Metalsmiths, we see Fairtrade gold, the most precious gold in the world, as a transformational product.  The power of this gold lies in its story, and its purity.   

If you agree with our views, sign the letter below and email it to us by September, 26 at action@ethicalmetalsmiths.org The official ARM/FLO comment period ends on Oct. 7, 2012 and we will compile your signatures and forward the letter by the deadline.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,
Christina Miller, Ethical Metalsmiths
Marc Choyt, Fair Jewelry Action, USA
Greg Valerio, Fair Jewellery Action, UK

PS: If you are interested, read Marc’s editorial response to the response to our first letters from ARM and the Responsible Jewellery Council.

An Open Letter to The Alliance For Responsible Mining and Fairtrade International

Dear Alliance For Responsible Mining and Fairtrade International,

As jewelers and other members of civil society, we strongly oppose one aspect of the current proposed standards, which changes the product composition component to allow mass balancing or dilution to take place. These proposed changes to the standard are described in Section 6, put forth July 2012, in the Fairtrade and Fairmined Standard for Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Document.

The proposed standard to mix Fairtrade and Fairmined gold with other gold will severely damage the FT&FM gold brand and create confusion in the marketplace.  It will also undermine the confidence in the product.   We are also concerned with how the mass balancing might negatively impact the FT&FM brand as it develops not only with gold, but with other mined products emerging into the market.  As jewelers, who deal with customers every day of the week, we understand the market better than anyone else.  At this juncture, we urge in the strongest possible terms that Fairtrade gold be kept pure.

We urge ARM and FLO to direct more efforts toward supporting jewelers and strengthening a consumer campaign to build on the great success in the existing market.  The certified FT&FM Sotrami miners in Peru received £75,000 ($120,00 USD) of premium from gold purchases by jewelers in 2011 alone.  Our greatest continued success will only be achieved if we all work united, in a concerted effort to support FT&FM small scale miners to bring pure, traceable Fairtrade and Fairmined gold to a vibrant market. 

Sincerely,

Name
Company
Country of Origin

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NOTE: Ethical Metalsmiths and Fair Jewelry Action are working together to bring certified Fairtrade and Fairmined gold to the US.

Diamond Concept

Looking at the Diamond part of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, I started to research where people or companies source a Diamond, and what information is given on the history of that Diamond. My first port of call was Ethical Metalsmiths to start gathering their thought's on sourcing a diamond.

"Ethical Metalsmiths recommends that jewellers interested in using diamonds in their jewellery carefully consider the sourcing of these stones. There are a variety of diamond sourcing options available from conventional to lab grown and every jeweler needs to decide which sourcing option suits their needs best." Christine Miller 

1. Conventionally sourced diamonds: these are newly mined and have no traceability structure in place. In the U.S. "Diamond Certificates" have nothing to do with traceability, but are designed as a "blueprint" to describe the stone (size, carat, cut, color and clarity). As a generally policy, not know the provenance of a diamond not good practice. 

2. Kimberley Process certified: The Kimberly process was established with the intention to prevent conflict minerals from entering the supply chain, but Kimberley certification has recently come under scrutiny and is no longer a trusted certification. 
- http://www.globalwitness.org/campaigns/conflict/conflict-diamonds/kimberley-process (Global Witness is located in London and Washington, D.C.)
- http://www.globalwitness.org/library/global-witness-leaves-kimberley-process-calls-diamond-trade-be-held-accountable
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10307046
- http://www.fairjewelry.org/archives/5079

3. Forevermark Diamonds: These diamonds are part of an elite line of DeBeers diamonds and have only been recently introduced to the market. "Beautiful, Rare, Responsibly Sourced, Inscribed"  http://www.forevermarkdiamond.com/us/discover/forevermark-promise http://www.forevermarkdiamond.com/us/discover/responsible-sourcing
- Certified by: http://www.mining.sgs.com/en

4. Vintage, Used, "Post-consumer" Diamonds: In many ways sourcing diamonds that have already had a life with someone offer a great alternative to buying conventionally sourced diamonds, of which is my prefered method of reuse, revamp, recycle. At this time however no studies have been done to determine whether or not using recycled diamonds is affecting the demand for newly mined diamonds. Another thing to consider is that in some parts of the world diamond mining provides a critical source of income for poor communities, of which is their only source of income. Jewelers can use stones that clients provide, especially if the original certificate for the stone was kept (to assure that it really is a diamond). The Jeweller or dealer can also assist by offering buying services to clients for vintage or post-consumer rings available that include diamonds (again with proper paperwork) and then re-sell these pieces of jewelry. Some suppliers are beginning to offer loose "post-consumer" diamonds for purchase to be incorporated into new designs. In the US, Hoover and Strong has started offering this service: http://www.hooverandstrong.com/category/Hoover+&+Strong%27s+Loose+Diamond+Program/
Ethical Metalsmiths has not investigated Hoover and Strong's "HARMONY Diamonds" and is therefore unable to comment on their product or process.

5. Synthetic Diamonds: These are diamonds that are manufactured in a laboratory from carbon and other minerals and is being described by companies such as "Diamond Nexus" (http://www.diamondnexus.com/)  as "a diamond simulant is a revolutionary coated crystal that near to perfectly recreates the optical and physical properties of an earth-mined diamond." 
Synthetic diamonds to provide ultimate traceability. While this process essentially creates a diamond without mining it does require energy use in the form of heat to produce the crystals and it relies on raw materials mining to source the ingredients in the first place.  And so the process of tracing needs to be in-place for working conditions of the raw materials.

Diamond simulants have not yet been evaluated in ways that would facilitate a comparison between simulant creation energy expenditure and related "costs" in the mining process. More jewelers are excited about this diamond option, because they appreciate that the resulting product hasn't been mined. 

Other companies include: 
http://www.diamondhybrid.com/
http://www.lab-diamonds.com/

6. Fair trade Diamonds: Currently there are no sources of "fair trade certified" diamonds available. There are initiatives in place that are exploring these options and a lable that consumers recognise. Fair trade could become an ethical model for sourcing diamonds from various diamond rich areas of the world. Fair trade as an economic and development concept, that aims to improve the lives of miners and their communities. The fair trade concept is typically reserved for miners working on the artisanal and small-scale. Fair trade products cost more because a percentage of the price goes directly back to the communities for development programs of their choice. Diamond miners who would meet fair trade standards would have to comply with and guarantee that certain social and environmental safeguards are in place.

Current Fair trade initiatives:
Rapaport Fair Trade: http://www.diamonds.net/fairtrade/About.aspx
Fairtrade International: http://www.fairtrade.net/

Ask your jeweller if buying a diamond, on what method of sourcing they use.  Or even revamp your vintage family treasures if it is not to your taste. This will hold a value other diamonds cannot compare to due to the sentimental value of its history personal to you.