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All proceeds go to Gem Legacy and the Tanzanian Women Miners Association.
Ten designers each created a one-of-a-kind piece to promote ethical gemstone sourcing in East Africa for the new “Lift Collection.” Nine are pictured here.
New York—New York City retailer Greenwich St. Jewelers is stocking a new collection that gives back to East African mining communities.
The 10-piece “Lift Collection” is the result of a collaboration between Anza Gems and 10 designers who exhibited this year in the new Emerald Expositions jewelry trade show, Premier.
Each designer selected a donated Anza gemstone—purchased for fair trade prices directly from dealers in Tanzania and Kenya, according to the company—to create their one-of-a-kind jewel, supplying all other stones and materials.
The designers who participated in the collection are: Aimee Kennedy, Debra Navarro, Enji Studio, Gigi Ferranti, June Nineteen, K8 Jewelry, Leigh Maxwell, Leslie Paige, Mia Chicco and Pamela Zamore.
The finished collection was presented at the Fashion Institute of Technology during New York City Jewelry Week’s sustainability event, where four of the designers—Aimee Kennedy, Gina Ferranti of Gigi Ferranti, Kate Hubely of K8 Jewelry and Leslie Smith of Leslie Paige—participated in a discussion on the topic moderated by publicist Michelle Orman.
Anza Gems founder Monica Stephenson noted in a statement, “Each of the designers we selected is genuinely passionate about using their creativity to support these important causes … Each piece is a celebration of the diversity, tenacity and spirit of the miners of East Africa.”
Now, the collection is available in-store and online at Greenwich St. Jewelers.
All proceeds will benefit nonprofit Gem Legacy, which funds projects benefiting East African mining communities, and the Tanzanian Women Miners Association.
RELATED CONTENT: Gem Legacy's 2019 Goal: Updating a Tanzanian Cutting School
“We are delighted to take part in this creative collaboration,” Greenwich St. Jewelers owner Jennifer Gandia said. “We have long been supporters of Gem Legacy, and their ethos, along with those of Tanzanian Women Miners Association, are completely aligned with the principles we embody at Greenwich St. Jewelers.
“Helping to develop and support the infrastructure of the communities from which we, as an industry, source the raw materials that go into the creation of the beautiful collections we sell is not only the right thing to do, it’s the only thing to do; it helps that each of these 10 pieces are gorgeous!”
See the full collection online.
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