The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source Anna and I first met when we were both living in East Sussex, UK. We both exhibited at B2C shows in London and the South East of England and we were part of the Sussex Metalsmiths social group who met up once a month to share stories and techniques. After my move to Brussels, we lost touch, but our paths have reconnected as we are both team members for FairLuxUk. Anna is one of the UK's first Fairtrade licensed jewelers. -Saskia Shutt Anna Lo ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source Celine Rose David, Chie Murakami, Saskia Shutt and Maki Yamagishi. Photo courtesy of Celine Rose David. In June 2023 I listened to Chie Murakami give a presentation at the IPIS research center in Antwerp on the difficulties confronting Diamonds for Peace (DFP) in rural communities due to local myths and superstitions.  Diamonds for Peace is an NGO which aims to support artisanal and small-scale diamond mining in rural Liberia. DFP aims t ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source. Michelle Nakata-Murray headshot. Photo courtesy of Michelle Nakata-Murray. Michelle Nakata-Murray is founder and designer of M.Hisae [hee-sigh], a portfolio of fine jewelry evoking inner landscapes, unspoken languages, nuance, balance, and the inherent wisdom in metal, gemstones, and ancient craft. As an EM member, Michelle’s studio is constantly evolving to Earth-forward practices. We had the opportunity to connect in New York last year, an ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. Full disclosure: Toby Pomeroy is on the Advisory Council for Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was initially published on December 13th, 2023 via LinkedIn. We received express permission from author Toby Pomeroy to repost this article.  We chose to repost this article because it is an encouraging update on Mercury Free Mining’s progress introducing the GOLDROP mercury-removing device to artisanal miners: this time in Sierra Leone! Mercury pollution continues to be a huge proble ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source. Happy New Year!! To all our EM members and non-member readers alike, we hope you had a great year! We really appreciate your support for our online publication and so we’re continuing our annual tradition of gathering the top 5 Most-Read Source articles from the past year. ~ Chloe Beaumont EIC of The Source   Top 5 Most Read Source Articles (based on view count) Women miners at CECOMIP in Peru separating Fairmined gold ore by panning ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source. Andrea Hansen, Marla Aaron, and Zulaikha Aziz. Photo by Chloe Beaumont.  Redefining Responsibility Moderated by Andrea Hansen, w/ Marla Aaron and Zulaikha Aziz at MAD Museum  The first event I attended to kick off NYC Jewelry Week this year was a panel moderated by Andrea Hansen featuring jewelry designers Marla Aaron and Zulaikha Aziz of Mazahri. Both designers, although their aesthetic differs greatly, are committed to sustainabi ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source Gold vein. Photo courtesy of Noën Jewellery.  My recent trip to Colombia was an intense roller-coaster ride: there were a lot of ups and downs and unexpected changes, but it was an incredible adventure. We got to meet Fairmined Gold miners and hear their stories, visit a museum with the largest gold collection in the world, and even swim in the desert in a pool filled with natural springwater.  Before I begin, some perspective is ne ..read more

Lucy Louise Derickson is EM’s Education Director as well as Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Jewelry & Metalsmithing/Craft Area at Montgomery College, Maryland. Her article was originally written for the Scottish Goldsmiths Trust’s Ethical Making Resource blog. This is a great article to read if you are less familiar with EM and covers who we are, our history of accomplishments, and what we are doing today. Even better: share this with a jewelry friend or colleague who is interested in a responsible gem and jewelry community to call home!   Chloe Beaumont EDITOR-IN-CHIEF T ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source. Please Note: Chloe Beaumont currently works at ANZA Gems. Cheers to three years of The Source! Looking back on what we’ve built since our pandemic-era launch brings me immense gratitude and joy. We hope to continue to grow and bring you the best responsible gem and jewelry content each month for years to come! From all of us, thank you for your support and for continuing to share our articles worldwide.  Stay curious, Chloe Beaumont ED ..read more

The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source.   As per usual, this year’s Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference (CRJC) was eye opening and powerful. It was a weekend where we came together to learn and discuss how to make our industry more inclusive, fair, transparent, connected and accountable. Chicago also enables a mosaic of little moments in between the sessions where we can bond, share resources, and get re-energized. CRJC graphic courtesy of Andrea Hill. Good food and good ..read more