The Sunday Times: Issue #2

How we doing, fam? I know, it seems like a silly question to ask. But I sincerely hope you've carved out a bit of space for yourself this week. If you haven't yet, there's still time. In this edition of The Sunday Times, I'll be spotlighting sourcing, introducing you to some of my favorite gem dealers, and giving you sneak peek into Spring '25.

So pour yourself a cup of tea and get comfy.

It takes engagement and investment to move the industry from the old way of doing business (taking and leaving) to a new way of doing business (investing, buying, and staying).

- Cristina Villegas

STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE

THE BIRTH OF A MOVEMENT

Responsibly sourcing jewelry materials is a relatively new initiative. Not very long ago, resources such as gems and gold were taken from their source by theft, colonialism (arguably two sides of the same coin), or industrial mining. Consumers were not yet empowered to ask the question "Where did this material come from?" and large mining corporations were not about to hold themselves accountable.

As consumers became more educated about and aware of the harm that mining can cause to a community and the environment (largely thanks to Charles Leavitt and his movie Blood Diamond), they started asking that very question. And until recently, the industry tried to either shirk the answer altogether or cleverly hide it with marketing.

It is only recently that small companies such as Columbia Gem House started to get resources to consumers in a fair and responsible way. Eric, the founder of CGH, wrote the world's first Fair Trade Gems® Principles and Protocols in 2000.

So what is ethical sourcing? A good place to start (for designers and consumers) is The Jewelry Glossary Project. This is an invaluable resource that lays out the definitions to some notoriously ambiguous but important terms that are flung around the industry. They define "ethical" as "Guided by principles that facilitate environmental and human well-being and avoid practices that do harm."

Many of the dealers I'm going to highlight below go above and beyond that definition, but it's a great starting point.

COLUMBIA GEM HOUSE

ERIC AND KATHE BRAUNWART

Eric, as stated above, was one of the first gem dealers to investigate and improve the gemstone supply chain. He wrote the world’s first Fair Trade Gems® Principles and Protocols, which Columbia Gem House still operates by today.

From their website:
We are a proud family run business, committed to operating in a way that creates a positive impact at every touch point, both with the people and environments involved, from mine-to-market. We mine and cut on three continents and manufacture our jewelry right here in the United States. We work with governments, non-profits, and other gem miners and cutters around the world to ensure safe workplaces, fair wages, ethical sourcing, and environmentally responsible gem mining.

Join the movement. Our vision is to create a world where responsibly sourced gems are the rule, not the exception. Whether you buy from us or not, we hope you’ll join the fair trade gem movement and demand safe cutting factories, safe and environmentally responsible mines, fair wages for the people and sustainable support for the communities who mine and cut these natural treasures.

Together we can make fair trade gems the rule, not the exception.

Here is a ring I made with a golden rutilated quartz sourced from Columbia Gem House in 2022.

ANZA GEMS

WITH LOVE FROM EAST AFRICA

One of the first gemstone dealers I met on my first trip to Tucson was Monica Stephenson. I was overwhelmed and intimidated by the hustle and bustle of the shows, and she was a bright and comforting energy for me to find comfort in. She explained her newly formed mission, ANZA Gems, and I fell in love and have been sourcing from them and looking forward to seeing Monica every year.

From their website:
We create a transparent, traceable journey from the mines of East Africa to you. With our gems and jewelry alike, we see each design through from rough gemstone to finished product, thoughtfully collaborating with independent artists every step of the way, and capturing the unique story of each piece.

Every journey begins beneath the surface of the East African terrain. I (Monica) am passionate about visiting gemstone mines on my travels to Tanzania and Kenya; meeting the men and women who work so hard to unearth our gems. It’s important to me to get a glimpse of the life of a miner – experience their love of the gem hunt, learn about their challenges, witness their triumphs.

Back in the United States, the beauty of these gemstones is revealed by a number of faceters from master gem cutters to emerging talent. The result is an array of custom cut gems in nearly every color of the rainbow and every variety the land provides in East Africa.

This blue sapphire ring from the Divino Collection was made with an ANZA sapphire in 2024. She's still available and can be purchased here.

MOYO GEMS

MOYO MEANS "HEART" IN KISWAHILI

Moyo gems is a miner-to-market collaboration focused on creating a more equitable and responsible gemstone supply chain that is changing the status quo for women artisanal miners (and their male allies!*) in Tanga, Tanzania and Taita-Taveta and Kwale Counties in Kenya. I love Moyo because I can tell my consumers THE NAME OF THE MINER that mined their gemstone. It is the only initiative that I know of that keeps that granular (and important!) information tied to the stone.

From their website:
The Moyo Gems program buys directly from artisanal miners represented by local brokers and tracks those gemstones through export and faceting, creating more value for the miners and resulting in radical transparency for the market.

The price paid to Moyo miners is considerably higher than traditional trade methods. Miners involved with Moyo make 95% of the export value versus only 10-30% outside the scheme.

You might recognize Monica in this photo above as well. She spearheaded this initiative along with Cristina Villegas, the Tanzanian Women Miners Association (TAWOMA), Association for Women in Energy and Extractives in Kenya (AWEIK), Pact, ANZA Gems, and fellow gem suppliers Nineteen48 and Maison Piat.

To learn more about Moyo, a great article was just published in Huesers Magazine:
https://www.huesersmagazine.com/news/moyo-gems-oltre-la-perfezione-il-punto-dincontro-tra-attrattiva-estetica-e-integrita-morale/
Scroll down half-way to read the article in English.

You'll always recognize Moyo Gems in my collections as the pieces are always named after the miner. Here is the Bahati Pendant from the Tuscany Collection named after Bahati who mined this beautiful olive green tourmaline.

I'll spotlight more dealers and companies in my next issue (reporting from Tucson!!) as there are many more amazing groups to tell you about.

The main thing I'd love for you to take away from this is that responsible sourcing matters. The companies listed above are making a huge difference in the lives of miners and their community.

They are safeguarding their income, preserving their environment, and giving back to the schools and institutions that can help them grow out of the mining industry if they choose.