Voting Is Open for the Fairmined 100 Challenge’s Best Collection
The winners, picked by a group of judges and voted as the public’s favorite, will be announced in a webinar on Oct. 11.

The Alliance for Responsible Mining’s Fairmined initiative launched the project last year, inviting brands involved in the gold industry to “strengthen their commitment to sustainability” by using Fairmined metals.
Fairmined is an assurance label that certifies gold from small-scale mining organizations that prioritize responsible practices.
To be Fairmined certified, ASM organizations must comply with environmental requirements that eliminate mercury and other chemicals from their mining operations or reduce its usage to a bare minimum that won’t lead to pollution of water sources.
Fairmined certification also allows the miners to give back to the communities through infrastructure, gender equity projects, healthcare, and child and youth programs, and a guaranteed minimum price for their gold, ARM said.
The goal of the challenge was 100 Fairmined collections by this Aug. 31, which was not only reached but surpassed—there are 127 collections from 97 brands.
For 47 of those brands, it was their first collection using Fairmined metals.
“This commemoration of creativity and commitment to supporting the positive transformation of the artisanal and small-scale mining communities brought together Fairmined licensed brands, authorized suppliers, certified mining organizations, retailers, promoters, and allies to achieve and exceed the initial goal to launch 100 collections,” said Laura Galvis, market development specialist at ARM.
The collections were presented together for the first time on Sept. 16 in a digital catalog.
An all-female panel of judges will select the best collections among seven categories: Solid Gold, Silver, Gold Plated, Diamonds, Colored Gemstones, Groundbreaking Innovation, and Sustainability Story.
Organizers have also added another category—the Public’s Favorite—and have opened the voting to everyone to pick theirs. Full collections information and voting can all be found online.
The judges’ selections and the winner of the public vote will be unveiled during a webinar hosted by ARM on Oct. 11.
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From tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.

The “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.

The catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.

Launched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.

The chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”


The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.

Any gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.

Criminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.

The Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”

The new addition will feature finished jewelry created using “consciously sourced” gemstones.

In his new column, Smith advises playing to your successor's strengths and resisting the urge to become a backseat driver.

The index fell to its lowest level since May 2014 amid concerns about the present and the future.

The new store in Aspen, Colorado, takes inspiration from a stately library for its intimate yet elevated interior design.

The brands’ high jewelry collections performed especially well last year despite a challenging environment.

The collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.

The initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.

The new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.

Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.

Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.

The retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.

The new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.

The jeweler’s 2026 Valentine’s Day campaign, “Celebrating Love Stories Since 1837,” includes a short firm starring actress Adria Arjona.

The new features include interactive flashcards and scenario-based roleplay with AI tools.

Family-owned jewelry and watch retailer Deutsch & Deutsch has stores in El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.

The Italian luxury company purchased the nearly 200-year-old Swiss watch brand from Richemont.

Micro-set with hundreds of diamonds, these snowflake earrings recreate “winter’s most elegant silhouette,” and are our Piece of the Week.

Ella Blum was appointed to the newly created role.


























