Information About Purchasing Sustainable Jewelry NYC Buyers Should Know

By Freida Michael


Jewelry has long been worn as a symbol of status and expression of personal style. However, what most people who wear it are not aware of is the fact that a considerable amount of harm to the environment takes place just to make one ring, bracelet, or necklace. By making the decision to buy only sustainable jewelry NYC shoppers can help contribute to the protection of the earth's natural landscape.

Most jewelry is made from gold, silver, or platinum. Contained within rocks and ore in very minute amounts, they can only be extracted through mining methods which by nature are quite destructive to the earth, and implement the use of mercury and cyanide which are toxic elements that remain in the form of waste product contamination.

A reasonable solution to this problem is deciding to buy either previously owned pieces or to get old jewelry melted down and reformed into a new creation by a jeweler. In the case of platinum, it will likely be necessary to locate someone who specializes in its refinement. There are also a select few jewelers who only deal with metals which have been mined in an environmentally friendly manner.

Diamond extraction does not involve toxic materials but it does cause a considerable deal of harm to the landscape just the same. There is one species of diamond, found in Canada which is mined from lake-beds after they are drained to begin excavation that present somewhat less damage to the earth. Diamonds are also a resource that produces some of the wealth needed to fund wars and violence in some nations, although in recent times treaties have been drawn up to change this situation.

The good thing about opting to buy diamonds that are mined from either Canada or Australia is that they are not tied into any conflict, and some mining organizations even restore the land when the site is no longer going to be used. Man-made diamonds are another option and they look almost exactly the same as the real thing but do not tax the environment.

The colored gemstones, for instance, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies, must also be extracted from the earth using destructive processes, and these too can be the object of political conflict. During their processing and refining, they are often treated with radiation, heat, and resin fillers to make them look the most dazzling, but all of these can present health hazards to those working with them.

Because these gemstones are found closer to the rock surface, they don't call for as much destructive extraction as diamonds. Research conducted by some companies in the mining industry has also allowed them to alter their practices in a way that limits the pollution produced during extraction. Gemstones can also be recycled by removing them from one piece and resetting them in another.

If sellers are continually asked to provide buyers with information about the source of the materials used to manufacture the jewelry, they will need to oblige and ensure that it is available. In doing this, both consumers and retailers alike become more aware of the importance of this issue.




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