Jewellery has a long history, from ancient Greece to modern times and from Africa to Europe, humans have always had the desire to adorn their bodies. Jewellery can express many things about a person. It can be a symbol of power, a symbol of wealth, a symbol of love or an expression of individuality. It can be discreet and understated or it can be bold and outrageous. It can arouse feelings of envy, shock or even disgust.
Which one’s this? Envy, Shock or Disgust?
However, despite our passion, or maybe because of our passion for adornment there is a darker side to jewellery. The beautiful and expensive stones that may be used in our jewellery can be the result of environmental destruction and human misery. Often the people who mine the stone for our jewellery live in very poor countries and will never see a fraction of its value. The mining of the stones or metal often leaves behind polluted rivers and large scars upon the land that can be visible from space. The average gold ring can have an environmental footprint that includes 5 tonnes of water and 18 tonnes of waste. It is also not just the mining of metal and stones that can cause environmental problems. Increased tourism and global warming is causing damage to many coral reefs so buying jewellery made from coral is not a good idea. Also consider carefully before buying jewellery made from shells. Some shells do not come from sustainable sources and buying the shells may merely encourage the depletion of the already declining marine life.
Diamonds are not the enviornment’s best friend
Thinking about where our jewellery comes from does not mean that we have to forsake jewellery. So how can we be both environmentally friendly and still enjoy jewellery? There are a number of options.
The most environmentally friendly jewellery is second-hand jewellery. No new resources need to be used either to provide the materials for the jewellery or in its manufacture. Buying second-hand jewellery is also a good way of finding something that is unique and unusual, and it also reduces waste. The Jet used in Victorian times can be unusual and stunning and Art Deco designs add class to any outfit. There are various places where you can go to find second-hand jewellery. Car boot sales or eBay may offer some items, but you need to be aware that you have little comeback on these sellers if they sell you something that is not what they say it is. You also have no opportunity to have it examined so if someone tells you that it is solid gold you need to know what to look for to decide whether they are telling you the truth or not.
Jet is pretty funky
Perhaps one of the best places to find second-hand jewellery that is often unique and unusual is antique shops or fairs. You might think that you would need a lot of money to buy at such places, but in fact depending on what you are looking for it needn’t be that expensive. As these sellers often stay in the same place or are well known you have more chance of getting your money back if something goes wrong. You might also consider asking at ordinary high street jewellers. Some of these shops not only sell new items, but will also sell second-hand jewellery and if you are looking for gold or pieces with stones you are more likely to find them in jewellers than elsewhere.
However, you do need to take some precautions before parting with your money. Try to buy only from reputable retailers, if you do buy privately then check that the item is not stolen, has not been smuggled and ask for a guarantee. Also don’t simply accept the seller’s valuation, look at similar items (both new and second-hand) to get a good idea of what the price should be. Examine the piece carefully. If there is minor damage you may be able to repair it yourself or take it to a jeweller to be repaired at a reasonable cost. However, in other cases the item may be so worn or damaged that repairing it is unfeasible.
You have to trust the dealer
Your next option depends on what you are looking for. If you simply want costume jewellery then consider one of the charities. Many charities not only collect money, they also sell items in their shops or online. These items are made by communities in poor countries and they provide valuable income and are often made from sustainable materials. There are also many companies on the internet that sell jewellery either made from sustainable materials or recycled materials. For example you can get beautiful jewellery made from bamboo. Bamboo is a fast-growing plant that is light yet strong and this makes it the ideal material for many items from clothes to furniture, to jewellery. It is a natural product, sustainable and it requires relatively little water. For those who want something truly original there are a number of designers who work with recycled marble, recycled glass and even recycled plastic to create beautiful pieces of jewellery. If you are a creative person then you may want to try your hand at making your own jewellery from recycled materials or materials that you have found. There are a number of books that will give you step-by-step instructions on creating your own unique jewellery.
You might think from the above that gold and precious stones are out of the question when buying jewellery. However, even if you go for this type of jewellery you can take certain steps to ensure that you are being as green as possible and not contributing to the exploitation of the people who mine the metal or stones. Probably your best option is to look for companies that make jewellery from recycled gold. There are also companies that only deal in ethically sourced gold and it is up to the consumer to put pressure on retailers by asking questions about where materials come from and how they are produced. Shopping channels on television often sell jewellery as well, some of which may be ethically sourced. Be careful if you are buying from a shopping channel as there have been a number of reports that suggest that whilst some pieces are sold at below retail or at reasonable prices others may be exorbitantly overpriced.
Gold!
The Responsible Jewellery Council is a non-profit organisation that has been created to promote responsible ethical, social and environmental practices in the gold and diamond jewellery supply industry. The Council is in the process of creating an audit process so that every business in the supply chain can be inspected and their practices verified by an independent body. The Council is registered as a participant in the United Nations Global Compact. So if you do want to buy gold or diamond jewellery, then make sure that the company that you are buying from obtains their materials from ethical sources.
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