Trends

This Jewelry Book Highlights ‘Sustainable’ Design

TrendsNov 05, 2019

This Jewelry Book Highlights ‘Sustainable’ Design

A new book from jewelry journalist and influencer Kyle Roderick highlights the prevalence of the discussion on “eco-friendly” and ethically produced jewelry.

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British supermodel Adwoa Aboah pictured in a campaign for Pippa Small’s collection produced in collaboration with Turquoise Mountain, a nonprofit that trains and employs artisans in traditional crafts. Small is one of the designers highlighted in “Bejeweled.”

New York—In jewelry, the use of environmentally sustainable materials and employment of ethical production practices are trends that are here to stay, as an ever-more-knowledgeable consumer wants to know the provenance of their purchases.


Now, a new book highlights the relevance of these topics.

“Bejeweled: The World of Ethical Jewelry,” by journalist and jewelry influencer Kyle Roderick, released this fall from Rizzoli New York, profiles 14 jewelry brands on the forefront of sustainably minded design.

Roderick’s book focuses on this latest, impactful chapter in jewelry design history, arguing that the designers spotlighted represent a new take on luxury, in which social consciousness and eco-responsibility play key roles for the first time.

“While luxurious ethical jewelry is a widely varied and continually evolving realm,” Roderick writes in the “Bejeweled” introduction, “it is significant in the narrative of applied art history because it allows for adornments to serve as more than mere decoration.”

Crystallizing the start of what is a growing movement toward jewelry deemed as sustainable, “Bejeweled” recognizes the work of designer Pippa Small, who has long crafted jewelry using Fairmined gold and supports Afghani artisans through her involvement with organization Turquoise Mountain; Coomi, who recycles antique elements into luxurious, contemporary adornment alongside ethically sourced gems; and AnaKatarina Fine Jewelry from Ana-Katarina Vinkler-Petrovic, who is on a continuous journey to source ethically mined and produced materials, like Canadian diamonds and sustainably farmed Sea of Cortez pearls.


Also featured are Alice Cicolini, Dewey Nelson, Loren Nicole, Stella Flame, Anabela Chan, K. Brunini, Samira 13, stôn, Joan Hornig, Sandy Leong and Karma El Khalil.

“Bejeweled” is an essential addition to any jewelry aficionado’s library, marking the beginning of a conversation that is only becoming louder.

With a foreword by Hutton Wilkinson, it’s available wherever books are sold.

Ashley Davisis the senior editor, fashion at National Jeweler, covering all things related to design, style and trends.

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