Serendipity Diamonds Becomes Fairmined Gold Licensee

Fairmined Gold Serendipity Diamonds

Fairmined Gold at Serendipity Diamonds

This week we are very proud to introduce Fairmined Gold to our bespoke jewellery service and for use in future collections at Serendipity Diamonds. We were delighted earlier this week to receive our Fairmined license – a further step towards expanding our services for responsibly sourced jewellery made from traceable gold.

What is Fairmined Gold?

Fairmined is gold mined by empowered responsible artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) who have committed to work to the Fairmined Standard – improving working conditions, protecting the environment, addressing gender equality, abolishing child labour and ensuring there is no link to conflict situations. Traditionally artisanal mining is largely a poverty-driven activity where miners face precarious working conditions. Fairmined is a positive solution for ASM gold miners.

Fairmined Gold miner (copyright Alejandro Cock)

Fairmined Gold miner (© ARM Alejandro Cock)

Fairmined was founded in 2004 by the Alliance for Responsible Mining promoting environmental and social responsibility. It certifies gold that has been mined under strict standards – fully traceable and audited by a strict 3rd party system giving the consumer rock solid reassurance and added meaning.

Fairmined and Fairtrade Gold

There might be some confusion about the existence of Fairtrade Gold and Fairmined Gold. To clarify – both types of ethical gold are fully traceable and belong to systems responsible for improving the lives of small-scale miners and their communities. As with Fairtrade, The Fairmined Standard and Certification system has gained industry recognition and credibility as being a leading standard for artisanal gold mining, backed by international organisations, industry associations, major luxury brands (like Chopard for example) and national government organisations and ministries from around the world.

Both Fairtrade and Fairmined deserve equal recognition. A recent article in the Huffington Post incorrectly noted Fairtrade Gold as the only fully accredited, independently audited and totally transparent source of gold. The article also noted the auditor as ISEAL Alliance, where it should be FLO Cert for Fairtrade Gold. 

What Fairmined means for the Consumer?

Whether it is Fairmined Gold or Fairtrade Gold, any precious item of jewellery is given far greater meaning when it has been responsibly mined within a system that improves the lives of poor communities of miners around the World. With the backing of larger players in the jewellery industry, more mines will ultimately mean a greater supply of ethically sourced gold. Only this week we learned of 6 new mines reaching certification under the Fairmined Standard. Great news for our industry. As more jewellers embrace ethically sourced gold – educating themselves and their clients, we will hopefully see increased demand and greater awareness which will benefit the lives of the millions of miners and their families, that depend on artisanal and small-scale mining to make a living.

About Mark Johnson

My name is Mark and I'm founder at Serendipity Diamonds. By day you'll find me working in our showroom—in a variety of roles. My work (which I love) ranges from photographing jewellery, to writing blog posts and helping clients with my colleagues Drina, Emily and Debbie.

About Mark Johnson

My name is Mark and I'm founder at Serendipity Diamonds. By day you'll find me working in our showroom—in a variety of roles. My work (which I love) ranges from photographing jewellery, to writing blog posts and helping clients with my colleagues Drina, Emily and Debbie.