RESPONSIBLE JEWELLERY
As our small business grows, we are paying attention to our environmental footprint: staying active in researching and developing ways to reduce our environmental impact as much as we can.
We are committed to becoming fully sustainable as our business develops. We use recycled gold and platinum, and offer the use of Fairtrade gold. We do not work with any factories and do not have any large-scale production systems in place: we work mainly on a made-to-order basis to avoid waste, and all of the pieces are made in the UK. We naturally only use conflict-free diamonds. We will also happily work with recycled or heirloom diamonds (either your own, or we can source some antique cuts for you), as long as we have assessed their quality before setting.
RECYCLED GOLD & PLATINUM
Metal is a naturally renewable resource: recycled gold and platinum are of identical quality, and completely indistinguishable from newly-mined gold or platinum. Recycled or reclaimed gold or platinum are made from existing jewellery and scrap metal that is refined to remove any impurities.
Choosing recycled metals decreases the demand for newly mined material, which in turn helps diminish the destructive environmental impact and damaging social effects of 'dirty gold'. Because of the refinement process, precious metals can be recycled again and again with continued high-quality results. We also recycle all of our scrap metal where possible, to minimise waste in our workshop.
FAIRTRADE GOLD
Fairtrade gold is produced fairly and transparently. When buying jewellery made with it, you are making a difference to the miners' work environment and quality of life, as well as their families and communities' well-being. Your support can provide the chance for them to be paid a fair price, to ameliorate their working conditions, and to help communities invest in social projects, such as building new schools and healthcare infrastructures. All of this allows workers and their families to make their way to long-term prosperity.
We offer the option of Fairtrade gold to all of our bespoke customers when possible. For a modest additional charge, your piece can be made from gold whose purchase can help improve the mining and business practices of Fairtrade certified mines. We do not profit from the use of Fairtrade metal over regular metal.
If you would like your piece to be made in Fairtrade Gold or have further questions please get in touch.
CERTIFIED DIAMONDS - ETHICAL SOURCING
We source our gemstones from trusted suppliers and work with some of the world's leading specialists in certified diamonds. Our dealers go to great lengths to ensure that each of the diamonds they sell has been ethically sourced. They guarantee that none of the diamonds they sell have been used to fund wars or insurgencies (stones that are known as conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds).
In 2002, governments around the world implemented the Kimberly Process; an agreement that controls the trade of rough diamonds to ensure they are not used in areas of conflict. These controls ensure that every shipment is numbered and sealed, and contains only certified diamonds. We work with diamond dealers who are committed to eliminating the trade in conflict diamonds and have an auditable means by which they can prove that all the diamonds they sell comply with the Kimberley Process.
For our certified stones, we only buy diamonds certified by GIA, AGS or IGR-Global, the most respected independent diamond grading laboratories in the world. We do not work with any laboratories that deliberately inflate quality claims. We source our diamonds with the confidence that your purchase is genuine and of the best quality.
OUR PACKAGING
Whether you’re collecting you piece from our showroom or having it shipped to your door, we can guarantee that you'll receive it in a neat, consciously considered package.
Our mailers are biodegradable and our shipping boxes are made from FSC-certified card. They’re 100% recyclable, as are our collection bags and envelopes.
When your jewellery is shipped, it's held securely in place by custom-fitted box inserts, so even the most delicate of pieces will arrive safely. Our jewellery boxes – from rings to necklaces – are fashioned from vegan leather, and are made to keep your piece protected forever.
OUR WORKSHOPS
Rachel Boston Ltd. operates in London, England. Supporting our local economy and celebrating British craftsmanship are two tenants at the core of our ethos. Anything we cannot complete in our in-house workshop is done in collaboration with small companies based in Hatton Garden, London's renowned jewellery district. We are proud to offer high-quality jewellery made from start to finish in the United Kingdom, with sustainable and ethical materials.
