2010 Wedding Trend Predictions

The Knot, a trusted source of wedding information, recently released its predictions for 2010. Time will tell if The Knot was on the mark or not, but whatever your vision for your wedding, C5 can help you have the perfect rings. Here’s The Knot’s assessment of what will be hot in weddings this year: 

 

 

Emerald cut diamond engagement ring

Retro glamour, with styles inspired by the 1950s and ’60s, will be channeled in everything from elegant gowns and art deco color palettes to Rat Pack-style cocktail receptions and engagement jewelry that features old-fashioned diamond cuts. Gold will be the metal of 2010 for engagement rings and wedding bands, and that for a vintage feel, brides will choose rose-, emerald-, or Asscher-cut diamonds.

In addition to the vintage trend, The Knot says wedding guests in 2010 can expect to find plenty of quirky surprises at the events they attend: interactive elements, such as video announcements and special performances; first dances inspired by TV’s comedy-drama Glee; over-the-top wedding exits; style surprises, such as bright pink shoes peeking from beneath the bride’s dress; and anti-bride details, including non-traditional elements culled from the ’80s fashion revival, such as fingerless gloves and ’80s prom music.

World Diamond Council Resignation Over Blood Diamonds

Diamond industry veteran Martin Rapaport is expected to resign from the World Diamond Council (WDC) – the organization devoted to the issue of “blood” or “conflict” diamonds – on Monday over the industry’s struggle to deal with the current situation involving Kimberley Process (KP) violations in Zimbabwe, according to an e-mail sent to National Jeweler and others Friday morning.

The issue of Zimbabwe remaining part of the Kimberley Process is indeed quite controversial as is Martin Rapaport himself. He has been widely criticized for becoming an advocate of ethical diamond sourcing only after personally receiving significant profit from the sale of traditionally mined diamonds. Traditionally mined diamonds are considered to be a cause of violence, oppression and environmental damage in many parts of Africa.

Read Martin’s call to action.

Jewelry Found to Contain 7th Most Hazardous Substance

Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America (MJSA) has alerted its members to take precautionary steps to ensure any base metal jewelry imported into the U.S. market is not made with cadmium. The alert came following an Associated Press (AP) investigation of U.S. retail outlets, in which 12 of 103 pieces of mainly Chinese-made children’s costume jewelry were found to contain dangerous amounts of the toxic metal-a finding that has spurred the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and state and federal legislators to vow regulatory action.

On Jan. 13, a bill (H.R. 4428) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives “to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution in commerce of children’s jewelry containing cadmium, barium, or antimony, and for other purposes.”

MJSA noted that cadmium, when used, is mostly found in non-precious, white-metal alloys for cast costume jewelry, and in some solders. It also said that most solder and lead-free alloys now used in U.S. manufacturing had no cadmium added; if they had any cadmium at all, there would only be trace amounts.

However, experts interviewed by AP in Yiwu, a city that dominates China’s low- to mid-range jewelry making industry, said cadmium-containing alloys were being used by Chinese manufacturers in greater amounts because cadmium’s price had fallen and it could be worked at lower temperatures, saving energy and prompting less frequent changes to silicon rubber molds. China supposedly does restrict cadmium in jewelry, but enforcement is lax.

Cadmium ranks seventh on the U.S. government’s priority list of hazardous substances, according to data from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry at the Department of Health and Human Services.

The CPSC announced Jan. 10 that it was launching an investigation “to take action as quickly as possible to protect the safety of children.” Several state officials and federal legislators also vowed to take quick action to ban cadmium in children’s jewelry.

MJSA said in its alert that there are currently no specific cadmium restrictions on jewelry. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), enacted in 2008, does regulate cadmium in painted toys, and the CPSC has the power to target cadmium based on the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.

MJSA advised its members to require all suppliers of non-precious, white-metal alloys for cast costume jewelry or solders to provide documentation concerning cadmium content (if any), and to consider third-party testing to confirm assurances of safe levels.

Original article appeared on MJSA.org.

Sustainable Jewelry Plant in China?

A new industrial park in China will use advanced technologies to recycle wastewater, in an effort to build a sustainable jewelry manufacturing site.

The project between Black & Veatch and Zhongying Precious Metal aims to produce effluent that complies with Class 1A Chinese National Discharges, according to a press release. The Class 1A designation means that wastewater discharged into sensitive water bodies must be treated to reduce nutrients and suspended solids.

The plant is using a new membrane bioreactor/integrated fixed-film sludge technology that should help make the water reusable, in certain applications. The park, which covers more than 25 acres, will feature two wastewater treatment plants. One of the wastewater treatment plants has a capacity of 9,000 cubic meters a day, designed to treat domestic waste. The other plant, which can treat up to 2,000 cubic meters a day, is geared toward industrial waste.

The project is expected to be completed in December.

In Virginia, a new project is using algae to clean water that is discharged into a river. An associated by-product benefit of the project is that it produces bio fuel and green coal from the algae residue.

Article originally posted at Environmental Leader.

The Allure of Fancy Color Diamonds

I attended an event last night where Ambrish Sethi from Manak Jewels talked about the natural allure of colored diamonds. In the course of his 20-minute talk, I became fascinated with colored diamonds. Here are some of the reasons why colored diamonds hold such intrique…

• For every 10,000 carats of white mined diamond, there is only 1 carat of fancy color diamond.
• Colored diamonds are cut specifically to enhance the vibrant color where as white diamonds are cut in such a way as to supress color.
• The Argyle Mine in Australia is the world’s largest producer of champagne and cognac diamonds. They originally predicted that the mine’s supply would expire in 2009.
• The results of an entire year of intense pink diamond production from the Argyle Mine can be held in a single hand.
• There are only 6 known red diamonds in the public domain.
• There are only 7 shades of white diamonds, but infinite shades of colored diamonds making them much harder to grade and price.

The Hope Diamond is arguably the most famous diamond in the world and is a deep blue color gem weighing 45.52 carats. It was brought from India to Europe in the 17th century when it was still known as the Tavernier Blue and sold to King Louis XIV of France. It came to be known as cursed for all its subsequent possessors including Marie Antoinette, Lord Francis Hope and Evelyn Walsh McLean. The Hope Diamond now on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Generations collection launches!

Generations defines sustainable luxury. Each piece in this collection, made of 100% reclaimed precious metals and ethically sourced gems, illustrates the C5 philosophy that you don’t have to sacrifice beauty for sustainability. All pieces are meticulously hand crafted to order in Oakland, CA. 

Generations collection by C5 company available at Sulusso.com.

About our ethically sourced materials: 

White Diamonds – C5 uses diamonds (VS-SI/F-G) from the Argyle Mine in Australia that have been traced from the earth to the market. The diamonds are third-party certified by the International Diamond Laboratory and the Jeweltree Foundation, a label that guarantees supply chain transparency, social responsibility and ecological sustainability. Five percent of the wholesale price of the gems is donated to Jewelers That Care, a nonprofit organization providing education and addressing water contamination in rural Africa.

Cognac Sapphires – These fair-trade gems are mined in Malawi, Africa and are completely natural. Expect some color variation of the gems.

Australian Blue Sapphires – These fair-trade gems are mined in Australia and are only heat treated to bring out the enchanting hue.

Smoky Quartz – These gems mined in Northeastern California are completely natural. Due to the limited supply, gems do range in size from 8×10 to 9×11 mm.

14K Gold – All of the gold used in the Generations collection including the chain and clasps was purchased from an eco-friendly refinery in the United States. The gold is 100% reclaimed and is third-party certified by Scientific Certification Systems.

Palladium (950/ru) – All of the palladium used in the Generations collection including was purchased from an eco-friendly refinery in the United States. The palladium is 100% reclaimed and is third-party certified by Scientific Certification Systems.

Generations is available at Sulusso.com.

Gold’s Dark Side

The Fast Company blog just posted an article by CSR writer, Christine Arena, about the gold industry. Here are a couple of excerpts:

“Most consumers don’t know where the gold in their products comes from, or how it is mined,” says NoDirtyGold.org, a group that encourages retailers to cease carrying gold that comes from illegal sources.  “Gold mining is a dirty industry: it can displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments.” 

“Haupt crafts jewelry made with either recycled or fair-trade metal, using processes with minimal social and environmental impact. As her company reminds consumers, every piece of jewelry purchased from C5 versus a mainstream jeweler is one less that contributes to pollution, destruction of habitats, forced labor, displacement of communities and other negative impacts.”

There are a few quotes from me too….thanks Christine!

Read the full article now.

Why is sustainable jewelry more expensive?

While sustainable jewelry has far less cost to the environment, habitats and communities than traditionally manufactured jewelry, the end financial cost can indeed be higher. Just like organic produce, hybrid vehicles and fair-trade coffee are more expensive than their not-so-eco-friendly counterparts, so too is sustainable jewelry.

Here are a few reasons why…

1. Ethically sourced gems are traced from mine to market. That means that they need to be kept separate throughout the whole process including cutting, polishing and shipping.
2. Third party certification of gem origin is simply more overhead.
3. Paying miners and manufacturers a fair, living wage means that the jewelry will be more expensive than if it were manufactured in sweatshops.
4. The process of producing jewelry in an ethical and responsible way is more cumbersome. More staff time is required to identify sources of gems and contractors who share a commitment to minimizing social and environmental impact.
5. Many jewelry findings (clasps, hooks, jump rings) are simply not available in recycled metals, which means that they need to be hand crafted. Supply of ethically sourced gems is limited as is the supply of jewelry supplies.

* Recycled precious metals cost the same as virgin harvested metals and there is no issue with compromised integrity. Wonder why so few companies use recycled metal.

Sustainable Jewelry Explained

Conflict-free diamonds seem to be the only aspect of sustainable jewelry that ever gets any attention, but as you know, there are a myriad of other issues (beyond funding armed conflict) associated with traditional jewelry.

In their January issue, new Bay Area-based eco-lifestyle magazine Eucalyptus, presents a terrific overview of the sustainable jewelry movement. Read the article titled “Eco Bling Responsible Luxury.”

Read the article about Sustainable Jewelry

You can shop C5 and other sustainable jewelry designers at Sulusso.com.

Learn more about conflict-free and ethically sourced diamonds.

C5 to Give Away Emerald Pendant

Eco-friendly emerald pendant to be given away to a C5 facebook fan on February 28.

C5 company  just announced that if we can get 500 facebook fans by February 28, all fans will be automatically entered in a raffle to win a stunning emerald pendant necklace.

The eco-friendly necklace features a 1.4 carat Chatham lab-created emerald gem in recycled 14K yellow gold on a 16″ chain with a retail value of $1000.

Become a fan of C5 on facebook and tell your friends.

Thanks for your support!