Why Choose Reclaimed Jewellery
Have you ever heard of blood diamonds? Did you know that extraction of precious metals is one of the main causes of deforestation? Well, it is true. Many lives have been destroyed in diamond rich areas, especially Africa and serious damage is caused to the environment for us to enjoy the beauty of precious metals and gemstones transformed into exquisite pieces of jewellery. But by choosing reclaimed jewellery, you can enjoy its beauty without having a bad conscious. By choosing reclaimed jewellery, you will:
Reduce the pressure of human activities on the environment. Reclaimed jewellery is made either from recycled precious metals and other environmentally friendly materials. By choosing reclaimed over regular jewellery, you will help save many trees that would otherwise be cut down. At the same time, you will reduce your carbon footprint as trees absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants, helping keep the air clean and combat the greenhouse effect.
Promote fair trade. Reclaimed jewellery artists strictly avoid blood diamonds and other coloured gemstones from areas that are notorious for violence and severe human rights violations, often involving child labour and catastrophic working conditions. Instead, they choose fairly traded gemstones and minerals that are certified as such.
Support environmentally conscious companies and jewellery artists. They put a lot of effort into reducing their impact on the environment and making sure that the workers in the mines have proper working conditions and are paid fairly for their work. If everyone would choose reclaimed jewellery over the regular counterpart, unethical dealers would soon run out of business and the world would be a lot greener and friendlier place.
Look just as glamorous as if you would wear regular jewellery. Reclaimed jewellery is made with just as much attention to beauty and exclusivity as the regular one. Recycled gold necklace for instance isn’t any different from that made from newly mined gold. It is just as beautiful, if not even more so as recycled jewellery is typically handmade. As a result, it is reflects many hours of the artist’s dedication to the slightest detail in order to achieve perfection which gives it a unique character in comparison to mass produced jewellery. The latter may look beautiful but it doesn’t have that special feel of hand-crafted pieces of jewellery.
Save money. Reclaimed jewellery isn’t always less expensive than the regular counterpart. One gram of gold has the same price regardless whether it is old or new. But by choosing crystal or coloured gemstones over diamonds for instance, you will save a great deal of money.