New Jewelry Company Provides Alternatives to Burmese Rubies
Sustainable products are now available in almost every industry, but the fine jewelry industry is only recently accommodating the conscientious consumer. C5 Company, LLC, a new kind of jewelry company, is asking consumers to think twice about their purchases of traditionally mined gems and fine metals and is offering a wide range of alternatives.
Though the issue of conflict-diamonds surfaced a few years ago, most notably with the movie Blood Diamond, traditionally mined gems and metals are still marked by significant environmental and human rights issues including poor working conditions, displaced communities, land stripping and extreme pollution, to name just a few.
Diamonds and gems are primarily mined in some of the poorest countries in the world - 65% of the world’s diamonds come from Africa and 90% of the world's rubies come from Burma. "Consumers throughout the world should consider the implications of their purchase of Burmese gems," said First Lady Laura Bush in a statement from the White House. "Every Burmese stone bought, cut, polished, and sold sustains an illegitimate, repressive regime."
C5 company is working to change the fine jewelry industry by producing products made from lab-created and ethically sourced gems as well as recycled metals. Lab-created stones are chemically, optically and physically identical to their mined counterparts, but are created without significant harm to the environment or society.
C5 proposes that consumers consider a fifth "C" when making decisions about jewelry: Cut, Clarity, Carat, Color, and Consciousness. "You don't have to sacrifice beauty to have jewelry you can feel good about," said C5 founder, Meghan Connolly Haupt.
About C5 Company, LLC
C5 Company, LLC is an innovative fine jewelry retailer grounded in sustainability practices and offering an unparalleled selection of environmentally and socially responsible alternatives to the traditional fine jewelry industry. Using lab-created and ethically sourced gems and recycled metals, C5 Company carries gorgeous jewelry you can feel good about. www.C5company.com
Though the issue of conflict-diamonds surfaced a few years ago, most notably with the movie Blood Diamond, traditionally mined gems and metals are still marked by significant environmental and human rights issues including poor working conditions, displaced communities, land stripping and extreme pollution, to name just a few.
Diamonds and gems are primarily mined in some of the poorest countries in the world - 65% of the world’s diamonds come from Africa and 90% of the world's rubies come from Burma. "Consumers throughout the world should consider the implications of their purchase of Burmese gems," said First Lady Laura Bush in a statement from the White House. "Every Burmese stone bought, cut, polished, and sold sustains an illegitimate, repressive regime."
C5 company is working to change the fine jewelry industry by producing products made from lab-created and ethically sourced gems as well as recycled metals. Lab-created stones are chemically, optically and physically identical to their mined counterparts, but are created without significant harm to the environment or society.
C5 proposes that consumers consider a fifth "C" when making decisions about jewelry: Cut, Clarity, Carat, Color, and Consciousness. "You don't have to sacrifice beauty to have jewelry you can feel good about," said C5 founder, Meghan Connolly Haupt.
About C5 Company, LLC
C5 Company, LLC is an innovative fine jewelry retailer grounded in sustainability practices and offering an unparalleled selection of environmentally and socially responsible alternatives to the traditional fine jewelry industry. Using lab-created and ethically sourced gems and recycled metals, C5 Company carries gorgeous jewelry you can feel good about. www.C5company.com
Not just alternatives to Burmese rubies, but alternatives to gems from all sorts of areas of conflict. I made a beautiful ring with Meghan and C5 that has lab-made pink sapphires commonly mined in Sri Lanka. I'm so happy that instead of contributing to political unrest, I've created a wonderful piece of jewelry with lab gems and recycled metal that comes conflict free. Meghan is a consummate professional and one to watch in this business.
Here's a link to my ring: http://c5company.com/images/ring-03.jpg
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A month ago most people would have had a hard tome picking out Burma on a map, but in the wake of cyclone Nargis the eyes of the international community are suddenly on this small country.
It is a country that is known for its beauty, it's gems and it's ruling junta which keeps the majority of it's population at or below the poverty line.
When someone purchases a ruby or other mined gem from Burma where do you imagine the money is going to? The people who's faces we've seen splashed across our television sets who lost everything in the storm? Of course not. It will go to the government, just like every other country that has a gem or diamond trade.
It sounds harsh, but the only way to know that the shiny bauble on your finger did not come at great cost to someone else's livelihood or safety is to wear a lab created gem.
Lab created gems are exactly the same as mined gems.
I'm getting married in September, and I wanted a ring that represented my taste, but also my beliefs. So I went to C5 and am having a ring made of recycled gold and lab created sapphires. I look forward to using my beautiful ring to educated more people about "sustainable jewelry".
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Finally a company that makes purchasing jewelry feel good! Meghan embodies true professionalism as well as a genuine passion for the products. My C5 pendant is beautiful and quite honestly, I see no reason to ever purchase gems made any other way!
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