How we're managing our environmental impact

Environmental impact has been a hot topic for quite some time now, and we feel it's especially weighty for us working in the jewellery industry, using materials sourced directly from the Earth. We feel lucky that, being a small business, we can make decisions and implement processes that can show almost immediate effects in this regard. For us, our environment encompasses both the greater natural environment that has supplied us with the raw materials we use to create our jewels, and also our immediate physical environment of Hatton Garden, London, and the UK.

We use 100% recycled gold - As a brand that grew from a fundamental interest and passion for the natural world, using recycled gold seems the most natural path for us to follow in our efforts to be as sustainable as we can in our choice of materials. Choosing recycled metals is one way to assert our commitment to reducing our environmental impact. Recycling promotes a reduction of our planet’s resources’ extraction and decreases the global demand for newly mined gold - because precious metals can be recycled repeatedly without degradation in quality, they are a naturally renewable resource.

Many of our gemstones are antique or recycled - Since the inception of the brand, Ruth has used old cuts of precious stones that have been recycled from centuries past. Although it began as a passion for reviving historical jewels, it has more recently become increasingly relevant to our environmental impact. Other gemstones of more recent origin are sourced in the most ethical and environmentally responsible manner, adhering to the Kimberley Process.

We encourage our customers to recycle their unworn jewels - A large part of our commission-based work is resetting our customer's unworn, sentimental jewels into our contemporary designs, thus reviving the jewel and providing our customers with wearable treasures that resonate better with their personal style, while still holding the sentimentality of the jewels story. 

Our jewels are locally made - Our jewellery is handcrafted in our London atelier by our small team of skilled goldsmiths, with Ruth at the helm designing and making each new piece. We work with a few local suppliers who specialise in particular parts of the making process, all based within walking distance of our atelier. These low-impact methods ensure that we can actively oversee every step of the making process, while supporting the local economy and continuing to champion the traditional craft of jewellery-making in London’s historic jewellery district.

Our 'green' atelier - We use non-toxic products in our workshop, this includes all jewellery cleaners used in both the manufacturing and finishing of the jewels. The lemel caught in our bench skins and swept up from our work surfaces and floors is all carefully collected for refining and recycling along with our scrap gold and gold dust. Our building was assessed for its energy efficiency before we moved in and positive changes made throughout: double glazed windows and LED lighting installed. We have recycling bins on each floor, we use only recycled packaging for all non-retail shipments, we use recycled paper for all of our office and workshop admin, and our team all travel to and from our workplace on either public transport or by bicycle.

Our environmental impact is an area that we review and reassess on a regular basis, continuously looking for more ways to improve and to reduce our footprint. We are currently working towards having our packaging produced with only post consumer, fully recyclable materials.