Provenance: The Story of a Gemstone and Its Journey
IF GEMSTONES COULD TALK…
Many of us have treasured heirlooms passed down to us by a grandmother, mother, or another significant person with whom we share a deep emotional connection. Such jewelry that has a profound story makes them precious and priceless.
In their own way, gemstones themselves have a special story to tell - one connected to the journey of “who”, “where”, and “how” it came to be set in a future heirloom.
AVAILABLE GEMSTONES FOR YOUR FUTURE HEIRLOOM
Be it an engagement ring, layering necklace, or statement earrings, the below gemstones can amplify your personal style and align with your values…
THE STORY OF A GEMSTONE
The phrase “sustainable jewelry” is problematic for many reasons - ambiguity and overuse among them. Responsible sourcing is a better, more holistic goal.
RESPONSIBLE SOURCING MEANS
ethical
conflict-free
traceability and transparency
protecting people and their skills
protecting the natural environment - be it land or sea
While mine-to-market sourcing is ideal, there are realities why some gemstones’ journey may include trusted brokers.
Responsible sourcing looks different all around the world from Columbia to Australia to Nigeria. Also, thoughtful jewelry designers practice responsible sourcing differently. As much as possible, they create using any combination of newly mined or recycled precious materials.
TRANSPARENCY IN THE JOURNEY
Artisanally mined colored gemstones, post-consumer recycled diamonds, and Fairmined gold are just a few responsibly sourced jewelry “ingredients”. The trusted partners I collaborate with provide as much information as possible about each natural gemstone and precious metal.
TRUSTED PARTNERS
Nomad’s provides a Provenance Report for each gemstone - transparently disclosing a gemstone’s origin in 4 possible levels of traceability. Each level corresponds with the degree of certainty we have with the information and history of the stone:
Level 1 – Mining partnership
Level 2 – On-site Contact
Level 3 – Trusted Dealer
Level 4 - Open Market
Roger Dery is a celebrated precision gemstone faceter who is committed to “Holistic Sourcing”. This means traveling directly to where gemstones are found, purchasing gems in a way that supports the local community, and encouraging the success of the miners and their families. An important reframe is to see artisanal miners as entrepreneurs.
So much of what Roger and Ginger do on buying trips is centered around people - from listening to miners’ needs to sharing gemological perspectives to sharing expertise with lapidary students.
The Dery family founded Gem Legacy, a 501(c)3, whose mission supports vocational training, entrepreneurship, and community development in East African artisanal mining communities.
With vertical integration, communities are empowered to not just survive, but sustainably thrive.
Perpetuum primarily obtains diamonds and colored gemstones from origins such as private estates, store trade-ins, and auctions. These post-consumer recycled diamonds can be 4 or 400 years old, having already incurred a cost in their environmental footprint.
Vintage and antique diamonds have a unique beauty all their own as they usually don’t look like every other diamond! Some are cut by eyes and hands, versus math and science. As one of the world’s first art forms, jewelry has always been circular!
Fairmined gold is an assurance label certifying that your gold is traceable from empowered responsible artisanal and small-scale mining organizations. When you choose a gold chain carefully crafted by Riva Precision, there is clarity about where the gold is from and the conditions in which it was mined - ensuring social development and environmental protection.
Discover a comparison of Fairmined gold vs recycled gold here!
Whether you are the chairwoman in the boardroom, the CEO of your household, or an industry changemaker, I help you invest in fewer better things.
What are the benefits of The Brilliant Concierge service?
A fluid, personalized experience, presenting you with thoughtfully designed jewelry for purchase you will love. The service can be:
• Editing your current jewelry wardrobe to rediscover treasures you already have and prioritizing needs for your next purchase.
• Advising you on kinds of jewelry that fit your lifestyle and values, as well as wear and care considerations.
• Sourcing jewelry for you or a gift for someone you love, be it day-to-night stud earrings or an engagement ring.