Ethos

A note from Christine:

This page is here to hopefully answer questions about the materials I use in my pieces, as well as the sustainability of those materials, but I will first indulge you with what drew me to this world in the first place.

I will never forget my first time on 47th street; it felt as though the energy of the entire city emanated from that one block. I found myself somehow both apprehensive of and charmed by the vigor of the salesmen calling me into their storefronts. I became completely mesmerized by window after window of glowing rocks; magnificent minerals that formerly dwelled within our earth, only to be transformed by human hands into glistening works of art. Chaos is found all over New York City, but this chaos was different. This felt electric, laced with history and mystery and I knew that every person bumping into me had a story worth hearing; if only I could. A love affair was born, and I wanted nothing more than to be a part of that world.

Working Local

Everything is designed by me and made with my own two hands in my home studio, and when I need it, with the help of my very talented friends in the Diamond District of New York City. One of the most incredible things about this wildly intimidating industry is that it has brought the kindest, most forthcoming people into my life. Working small and local means I get to support (and be supported by) the industry on a personal level.

Gold

When it comes to the gold I use in my pieces, I work with a casting house that sources its gold from suppliers who are independently certified. Wherever possible, they use alloys that have been recycled and processed responsibly and sustainably. We only use gold from suppliers who have verified that their metals come from DRC-Conflict Free mines or other domestic sources within the U.S. In the future, I hope to begin casting in Fairmined gold, which is sourced from small and artisanal mining companies.

Diamonds

There is much debate as well as confusion and misinformation about the ethics and value of lab-grown versus mined diamonds. First of all, I beg you to understand that both are "real". The Federal Trade Commission defines a diamond as a mineral made of pure carbon crystallized in the isometric system, regardless of whether it was mined from the earth or grown in a lab.

You may have noticed in your search for diamond jewelry that many brands will tout their commitment to only working with one or the other, each claiming their reasons as truth. Ultimately, it is my belief that it should be you who gets to choose; after all it is you who will wear the stone. I am proud to work with materials that fit within a range of budgets and that align with the buyer's beliefs and core values. At the end of the day, the "facts" surrounding the diamond and gemstone market are often at odds with each other. Brands focused solely on lab-grown diamonds will highlight their sustainability and reduced environmental impact—though lab-grown diamonds still require significant energy to produce. Brands that works exclusively with natural stones will emphasize value and rarity— yet neither type holds much resale value; diamonds are not an investment. Diamonds are beautiful, and they hold sentimental value, and you should choose one based on those reasons alone.

Any natural diamond my suppliers source are Kimberly certified, which is the bare minimum and a legal requirement in the United States. The Kimberly Process functions as a commitment that prevents the flow of conflict diamonds (which are defined as rough diamonds used to finance wars against governments) throughout the entire world. I am also happy to dig a little deeper and source post-consumer or antique stones, or work with an heirloom you already have (in fact, I love this the most and hope to have more opportunities to do so). 

Very few people know that of the 4 Cs (cut, color, clarity and carat), cut is the most important aspect that contributes to the beauty of your diamond. If you have a slightly warmer, more included rough, but it is faceted by an exceptionally skilled cutter, your diamond is going to sparkle and shine exponentially more than the better color and clarity diamond that was poorly cut. When I work with lab-grown diamonds, one of the benefits is I am often able to have them custom cut by the best of the best. This means I can offer unique and even antique cuts you rarely see when shopping for a lab-grown stone.

A certification can be obtained for any diamond we select, whether natural or lab-grown, if one isn’t already provided by the supplier. It is my preference to have diamonds certified through GIA or IGI (the most prestigious labs in the industry), so I will typically try to source a stone that already comes with a certification from one of these laboratories. If I need to send it to the lab myself, it may add some time to the custom process, but it can always be done.

Gemstones

And onto gemstones... my personal passion. I love them, I dream about them. Of course I love the big three (sapphires, rubies, emeralds), but some of my other favorites are spinel and certain varieties of garnet like rhodolite and spessartine and tsavorite. Spinel comes in so many colors and is August's alternative birthstone (mine) and some of its top tier colors are even more rare than any of the big three.

To be frank, sourcing gems is tricky. While traceable diamonds can be found fairly easily on the market, colored stones with ethically sourced guarantees in standard sizes and cuts are much harder to find; there is no Kimberly Process equivalent in the colored gemstone world. Unlike diamond mines, which are largely owned by just a few companies, semi-precious and precious stones are often mined by small communities. I often communicate directly with suppliers local to the town where the mines or cutting centers are. Forming these personal relationships often promotes fairer treatment of miners and better environmental practices at the source, helping to ensure the local community benefits from the sale of the stones.

Whenever possible, I work to source stones from suppliers that are members of the American Gem Trade Association. AGTA Members agree to the disclosure of gemstone enhancements on all commercial documents and to abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics and Principles of Fair Business Practices. Annual affirmation of the Code of Ethics, and enforcement by the AGTA, holds an AGTA member to a stricter disclosure policy than required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Lastly (for now), I would like to say that while certainly complicated, the most beautiful thing about fine jewelry is its inherent sustainability. Built into the very nature of its being is longevity and recyclability. How special it is, to be able to create something that is not only beautiful, but will live on forever.