Pearl
Color: We work with white to cream colored pearls mostly but they come in beautiful pinks, greens, and blacks as well.
Our Sources: We source our pearls from Columbia Gem House which is known for its practices in fair trade and sustainability. We also use recycled pearls from our internal recycling program!
Stone Cutting: This natural “gemstone” is uncut and sourced in its natural state.
More on Pearls: We absolutely love working with Pearls! Pearls are an organic gemstone that are created by oysters and mussels. They can be formed by either freshwater mussels - which produce more organic shapes in a beautiful cream color, or saltwater oysters which produce the traditional round iridescent white pearls. Pearls are believed to bring good fortune, luck, and prosperity to the wearer.
More on Our Commitment to Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing:
We go beyond sourcing stones that are "conflict free" because we view the certification as problematic in several ways. First of all, it excludes small family mining and refining businesses that are unable to afford the certification, but who are producing excellent products by putting their money into paying their employees and ensuring safe conditions rather than paying the costly fee for certification (if you are familiar with the challenges of "organic farming" certifications in the US, this is a similar phenomenon). Second, the "conflict-free" certification only means that company has had to prove that profits have not gone to fund civil war activities in certain conflict regions---it does not ensure safe working conditions, fair wages, or safe and sustainable environmental practices. Another growing concern are the labor abuses that take place in large stone cutting factories worldwide, which conflict free certifications do not regulate.
We find that sourcing directly from local cutters and miners is the best way to insure ethical, responsible and sustainable sourcing, practices and conditions. Through direct relationships, ongoing assessment and accountability we continue to strengthen and develop these practices and the demands for them.
Thank you for supporting responsible and sustainable sourcing! It is truly an honor!