Film premiere • 6.15pm, 11th March 2020 • The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London

In partnership with The Goldsmiths' Centre, we premiered a new film about the global gold industry, showing the harsh realities of the mining and trading of this precious metal that is essential to the jewellery sector.

The film takes an unflinching look at how the world’s favourite heavy metal is extracted from the earth. It explores both sides of the industry - the large-scale mining companies that dig deep and remove mountaintops to extract gold from low-grade ore and the small-time miners (an estimated 20 million people in the world’s poorest nations), who extract gold by hand, often producing just enough to survive.

Filmed in China, Peru, Canada, the USA, London, Dubai, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Shadow of Gold questions the impact of gold mining and the gold trade on our economy, environment and conflicts.

The screening was followed by a Q&A session with members and associates of Fair Luxury.

Symposium in collaboration with the Incorporation of Goldsmiths • Edinburgh College of Arts • 3rd April 2019

Our 2019 conference with Edinburgh’s Incorporation of Goldsmiths welcomed a broad audience, including jewellers and silversmiths, gemstone dealers and mining experts, students and academics. An increasing number of businesses are using the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to help them prioritise and communicate areas for social, environmental and economic impact. Together, we explored how the SDGs relate to jewellery and metalwork practice.

SPEAKERS: Emily Auckland (UK Stake Holders for Sustainable Development), Vivienne Low (Fashion Revolution Scotland), Simon Forrester (the National Association of Jewellers’ Better Business Pathway), Stuart Pool (the Gemmological Institute of America’s and PACT’s Tanzania Project), Dr. Sandra Wilson (Urban Gold Rush), Hannah Bedford and Stefanie Cheong (Ethical Jewellery in Practice), Jennifer Gray (Edinburgh College of Art’s Student Ambassadors).

Seminars • 2nd September 2019 • International Jewellery London Festival, Olympia London

At London’s annual jewellery fair in 2019, we presented a series of talks covering different aspects of responsible sourcing with both practical advice and news of inspirational projects. Our aim was to explore how both small organisations and international collaborations can and are bringing about real change.

Gold with Heart (David Finlay, Manager, Fairtrade Gold)
Fairtrade Gold promises benefits for mining communities, the environment and gold-buying businesses. But what do these benefits look like in practice? And what first steps can businesses take to benefit from a relationship with Fairtrade and small-scale mining communities? This talk answered these questions and pointed towards the future direction of travel for Fairtrade Gold in the UK and beyond.

Using Partnerships to Bring Traceable and Responsibly Mined Gemstones to the International Jewellery Market (Stuart Pool, Nineteen48)
Stuart presented the Moyo Gemstones project - an ethical gemstone collaboration born in Tanzania between Nineteen48, Pact and Anza Gems to bring traceable, responsibly mined gemstones to the international market which really benefit artisanal mining communities. They were, at the time, developing relationships and processes with the female artisanal gem miners of the Uba Valley to deliver their rubies, sapphires, tourmalines, and garnets from mine-to-market and working to empower women miners to work safely, mine better, improve financial security, and create stable, equitable markets for fair trade.

Responsible Sourcing for Small Jewellers: Easier than you Think (Rosanna Tufo, Researcher and Project Manager at Levin Sources; Susi Smither, Founder of The Rock Hound; Arabel Lebrusan, Founder of Lebrusan Studio; Stuart Pool, Founder of Nineteen 48)
This practical seminar gave actionable strategies for jewellers to develop policies and procedures to live up to their ethical commitment, transform their own business and gain a competitive advantage in a market where jewellery customers are increasingly keen to purchase ethical, sustainable and compassionate pieces. This included the steps on the journey to achieving an ethical supply chain - assessing existing suppliers and practice, drafting ethical policies, considering human and environmental impact and communicating ethical commitment to an increasingly questioning jewellery buying public. Our expert panel showed, from experience, how it can be done.

Conference • 11th July 2018 • RCA, London

It was our honour to be welcomed by the RCA’s Jewellery & Metal Programme for our third annual conference in 2018.

Unlike our previous two conferences, which had brought together voices from both the jewellery and fashion worlds, this conference focussed exclusively on ethical sourcing for the jewellery industry. Speakers included Alliance for Responsible Mining representatives from Colombia and France, the Director of the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of Edinburgh and the CEO of the international consultancy Levin Sources. They were joined by professional jewellers and gem traders from Fair Luxury and academic experts on artisanal and small-scale mining in the developing world.

Presentations covered the extraction, sourcing and use of precious metals, diamonds and coloured gemstones. Attendees also heard about ethical certification schemes and the online Ethical Making Resource.

We’d like to thank Dr. Peter Oakley, who did not only help to convene the conference but sourced funding and support that was key to making it happen. He commented: 'Over the past decade, the UK has been one of the leaders in advocating ethical sourcing in the jewellery trade. We owe a great deal to the committed campaigners who have helped get us so far. Fair Luxury at the RCA is an opportunity to celebrate those achievements, whilst acknowledging the challenges that still lie ahead and opportunities for a more ethical and sustainable future. As an innovative and socially engaged institution, the RCA is the ideal host for such an event'.

Public-facing talk at the Fair Luxury Presents… exhibition • 6pm - 8pm, 10th October 2017 • The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London

Another opportunity to explore the collections of our Fair Luxury Presents… exhibition, this free-to-attend talk invited a variety of speakers to investigate the idea of ‘ethical luxury’ with tangible references.

First up was a discussion by Fair Luxury team members Jane Barnett (Levin Sources) and Stuart Pool (Nineteen48), along with ethical jewellery designer Harriet Kelsall. With a focus on beautiful ring belonging to Jane, created by Harriet Kelsall using responsibly sourced gemstones from Nineteen48, the talk explored the idea of ‘romancing the supply chain’; how a deep understanding of a jewel’s unique story is as beautiful a facet as its design and craftsmanship. With perspectives from three unique sides of the trade - a supplier, a jewellery designer and a consumer - the trio talked through the process of commissioning an ethical piece of jewellery, which materials and terminology to look out for, how to know for sure what you’re buying, and why an ethical piece of jewellery doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

Exhibition • 18th September - 27th October 2017 • The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London

This first of-its-kind exhibition demonstrated a new perspective on what it means to offer ‘fair luxury’ in a contemporary and evolving marketplace. It explored how fine jewellery can be made all the more exquisite when provenance, ethics and responsible business practice work in synergy with design and craftsmanship. Fair Luxury Presents aimed to reach a broad audience with interest in luxury jewellery, UK craftsmanship and ethical sourcing.

Building on the overwhelming success of two years of industry focused events, this exhibition was an opportunity for us to bring our independent and catalytic approach to responsible sourcing to a wider audience. Designed to engage jewellery lovers of all kinds, Fair Luxury Present married beauty and luxury with environmental and ethical awareness in what a bold declaration of the innovative and positive shifts in UK craftsmanship.

Meticulously curated by a panel of UK jewellery experts, a stellar line-up of jewellery designer makers was selected, their work reflecting three criteria around sustainable futures: design, craftsmanship and ethical provenance. The exhibition championed established makers alongside up-and-coming names - and in doing so, casts a fresh light on what terms such as ‘ethical luxury’ can mean.

EXHIBITORS:
Hannah Bedford, Julia Thompson, Harriet Kelsall, John Dibben, Karen Westland, Elisavet Messi, Ute Decker , Arabel Lebrusan, Cox & Power , Anna Loucah, Amanda Li Hope, Nineteen48, Mosami

Talk and exclusive exhibition preview for press and buyers • 6pm - 8.30pm, 19th September 2017 • The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London

Casting a fresh light on the various definitions of terms like ‘ethical luxury’, our Fair Luxury Presents… exhibition of designer jewellery told stories from source to beautifully crafted object, championing makers for whom transparency and sustainability are as important as craftsmanship and design.

It launched with a major talk and an opportunity to meet exhibitors to ask direct questions. Entitled A Responsible Supply Chain, the evening consisted of lively discussions on how jewellers can establish responsible supply chains from source to market.

Fair Luxury team member Stuart Pool (Nineteen48) and Victoria Gronwald (Levin Sources) kicked off the special event with a presentation named Ethical Choice in Jewellery Sourcing: What to consider and where to start. Then, founder of jewellery brand Mosami Sarah Greenaway explored the idea of the ethical consumer, who she is and how to talk to her. Finally, Fair Luxury team members and jewellers Amanda Li Hope, Anna Loucah, Arabel Lebrusan and Jon Dibben shared their unique experiences via a talk entitled Ethical Jewellery in Action.

Moderating the talks was Fair Luxury team member and Head of Business Incubation at Cockpit Arts David Crump, who was terrific at guiding our nervous group of jewellers through the evening.

Conference • 25th - 26th April 2017 • The Assay Office, Birmingham

Fair Luxury launched in 2016 as the UK’s first responsible jewellery conference, organised by us under our original name, FLUX. This subsequent two-day event built upon our inaugural conference to further encourage a dynamic platform for debate, providing an atmosphere of collaboration between open-minded individuals who wished to be part of something truly trailblazing.

Delegates were invited to learn from industry experts and engage in Q & A; participate in workshops focusing on 'mine-to-market' topics; find out how straightforward responsible and traceable sourcing can be; discuss questions, ideas and concerns with existing ethical businesses; and network with like minded people.

Day One focussed on a range of introductory topics relating to responsible sourcing in the jewellery sector, including talks from an independent ethical jeweller and a brand specialist, with a panel discussion on the jewellery supply chain and breakout sessions on other initiatives. Also covered were practical ideas for implementing change in a jewellery business, a viewing of a short film by April Doubleday and the crowning of the winner of the Ingle & Rhode 2017 Fairtrade Gold Design Award.

Day Two delved into key subject areas of the supply chain in the context of case studies. There was also a panel discussion on the activities and achievements of bigger brands.

SPEAKERS: Harriet Kelsall (Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery), Sarah Greenaway (Mosami), Juliane Kippenberg (Human Rights Watch), Vincent Pardieu (VP Consulting), Anna Loucah, Arabel Lebrusan, Marcin Piersiak (Alliance for Responsible Mining), Peter Crump (Vipa Designs), Fairtrade Gold, Tim Ingle (Ingle & Rhode), Jon Dibben, Sam Rose (September Rose), Lisa Levinson (ForeverMark), Jack Cunningham (Gemfields), Claus Teilmann-Petersen (Pandora), Andrew Bone (Responsible Jewellery Council), Peter Oakley, Estelle Levin Nally (Levin Sources), Michael Rawlinson (NAJ), Alan Frampton (CRED), Mary Michel (Incorporation of Goldsmiths), David Crump (Cockpit Arts), Anna Barker (Estelle Levin), Stuart Pool (Nineteen48)

Conference • Tuesday 19th - Wednesday 20th April 2016 • The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London

Fair Luxury was the UK’s first responsible jewellery conference, hosted by us under our original name, FLUX. It brought together pioneering figures from both the jewellery and fashion worlds, inviting industry leaders to question the ways we approach provenance and sustainability, examining the journey between original source and end consumer.

A packed day of diverse keynote speakers and interactive workshop sessions began with Lina Villa, Executive Director of the Alliance of Responsible Mining in Colombia, responsible for the Fairmined initiative. Lina shared with an attentive audience her experiences of implementing change through increased standards in mining safety and the positive effect such essential work has had on the lives of the millions of artisanal miners across South America.

Next followed Orsola de Castro – co founder of the global phenomenon that is ‘Fashion Revolution’. Conceived in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster in which 1,130 Bangladeshi garment factory workers lost their lives, Orsola shared her inspirational journey of just what is involved in flying the flag for sustainability amidst todays seemingly insatiable desire for fast fashion.

Jack Cunningham, Group Sustainability Manager at Gemfields PLC rounded off the keynote speakers with a frank and honest discussion of the challenges faced in gemstone mining and marketing when acting as the model for ethical policy within an industry that has an inherently chequered history of environmental practice.

Woven between these fascinating topics were workshop sessions held by such industry specialists as campaigner, Greg Valerio MBE, responsible sourcing specialist, Estelle Levin and CMJ Chief Executive, Willie Hamilton.

The day’s proceedings where brought to a buoyant close by Antiques Roadshow jewellery expert Joanna Hardy who shared a light hearted presentation on her recent experiences whilst searching for rubies in Myanmar.

The ticketed event sold out soon after launch proving the un-doubtable hunger for such debate within the jewellery supply chain.

‘The UK really is leading the way in ethical practice within our industry” commented key note speaker Lina Villa. ‘It is always inspiring to come here and see the enthusiasm you have to make real change.’