Fair Trade Jewelry

Here’s my best list of resources and suppliers. I will make additions to it as more information is passed to me. I put comments after those organizations that I know something about.

This list was drawn and expanded from the resource section my Ethical Jewelry Handbook, a free e-book available upon request.

RESOURCE LIST

[Read more →]

Tags: CSR, Transparency, Change Agents, Ethical Jewelry Handbook, Ethical Initiatives, Resources & Suppliers, Sustainability, Fair Trade, Environment, Ethics, Rubies, Madison Dialogue, Fair Trade Gems, Mining, Gold, Gem Lore, Platinum, Diamonds by Marc Choyt
No Comments »

Introduction:

An article in the Journal Times from Racine WI discusses a local jeweler’s line of fair trade gemstones from Eric Braunwart’s Columbia Gem House, along with supporting comments from Steve D’Esposito from Earthworks.

[Read more →]

Tags: CSR, Ethical Initiatives, Fair Trade, Sustainability, Spin, Transparency, Rubies, Mining, Ethics, Change Agents, Fair Trade Gems by Marc Choyt
No Comments »

Introduction: This post is an ongoing discussion of fair trade issues in the gemstone sector. It was first posted on the Madison Dialogue list server. Laurent has worked on issues relating to artisanal mining in Madagascar and has studied global gem supply chains.

Midway through this writing, Laurent poses a question to me personally which I respond to in a companion post.

Laurent raises several critical issues around marketing, sourcing and spin that gets to the heart of why the fair trade gemstone market poses so many challenges to the jewelry sector.

[Read more →]

Tags: Transparency, CSR, Ethical Initiatives, Sustainability, Change Agents, Environment, Fair Trade Gems, Rubies, Mining, Ethics, Diamonds by Marc Choyt
No Comments »

An article by Jutarat Tongpiam that was released through Agence France in March, details why the Burmese gem boycott, which Jewelers of America and CRJP strongly advocate, is not an appropriate course of action. ~ Marc

“Jewellers associations from around the world plan to meet in Switzerland next month to draft a letter calling on the United States not to ban all sales of Myanmar gems,” said Vichai Assarasakron, President of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Association.

[Read more →]

Tags: Mining, Rubies by Marc Choyt
No Comments »

This article coming out of a new website from Tiffany Scholar, Sally Dickinson DeLeon as part of a project run by Saleem H. Ali, Ph.D. out of the University of Vermont gives an in depth portrait of the mining sector in Burma. It lends evidence to earlier posts that suggest what needs to be boycotted are Burmese government sponsored trade shows and outlets, not the entire ruby trade which artisan miners depend upon for support.

[Read more →]

Tags: Transparency, CSR, Fair Trade, Change Agents, Ethics, Rubies, Mining, Fair Trade Gems by Marc Choyt
1 Comment »

With the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show just around the corner many dealers will be looking to purchase rubies. In this, my third post on this subject, I discuss the implications and the politics of Jewelers of America’s boycott of Burmese rubies

[Read more →]

Tags: Transparency, Spin, CSR, Sustainability, Change Agents, Environment, Fair Trade Gems, Rubies, Mining, Editorial by admin
No Comments »

In this, the second of three posts on the subject of Burmese rubies, I publish a letter to the New York Times on The Burma Ruby Trade by Edward Boehm, Vice President of the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA), http://www.gemstone.org/ Boehm explains why a blanket boycott of Burmese rubies is the wrong move. Special thanks to Mr. Boehm for permission to print this letter.

A Letter On The Burma Ruby Trade by Edward Boehm, Vice President of ICA

[Read more →]

Tags: Transparency, Spin, CSR, Sustainability, Change Agents, Environment, Fair Trade Gems, Rubies, Mining, Ethics, Editorial by Marc Choyt
No Comments »

Is there such a thing as a “blood ruby?”

Should gems from Burma be boycotted?

In this, the first of three posts on this subject, I provide some interesting information about where the generals in Burma really get the money that supports their oppression.

[Read more →]

Tags: Spin, Transparency, CSR, Ethical Initiatives, Sustainability, Change Agents, Environment, Fair Trade Gems, Rubies, Mining, Ethics, Editorial by Marc Choyt
1 Comment »

One of the most important outcomes of the Madison Dialogue is the working groups, each assigned to focus on developing standards for particular area within the jewelry sector.

These working groups are just getting started. If you wish to participate actively or to receive information, you are welcome to join any of the groups. Email contact information is below.

[Read more →]

Tags: Transparency, Change Agents, Environment, Spin, CSR, Sustainability, Fair Trade, Ethical Initiatives, Toxins, Ethics, Madison Dialogue, Fair Trade Gems, Diamonds, Rubies, Jewelry Manufacturing, Platinum, Gold, Mining, Editorial by Marc Choyt
No Comments »

In my last post, I discussed the notion of radical transparency as a means of examining the integrity level of two large players in the jewelry industry. Now, I want to give examples of companies that are already working within this model that provide a model of how all of us can differentiate ourselves from the rest of the industry in our Blue Ocean strategy by being transparent.

[Read more →]

Tags: CSR, Transparency, Change Agents, Ethical Initiatives, Fair Trade, Resources & Suppliers, Sustainability, Environment, Ethics, Madison Dialogue, Fair Trade Gems, Rubies, Mining, Platinum, Gold, Diamonds by Marc Choyt
No Comments »