Fairtrade Spotlight: Wennick-Lefèvre
In tandem with the launch of our Fairtrade collection we have partnered with Wennick–Lefèvre, a gem company that specialises in natural and responsibly mined and cut gemstones. Their unique supply chain has been created with an ethical focus, measured by the level of engagement and positive impact on the local communities within which they work. From mine to market, Wennick–Lefèvre operates throughout the entire supply chain, ensuring full transparency. Each piece containing a gemstone from Wennick–Lefèvre is accompanied by a brochure of transparency and a certificate of origin. Wennick–Lefèvre is a partner of EdenForest, – for each stone sold, a tree is planted in Madagascar.
Natural, unheated gemstones
“To hold a natural untreated sapphire is like holding the planet in your hand.” - Svend Wennick, Owner & CEO
Each of Wennick–Lefévre’s gemstones are untreated and unheated, maintaining their inherit natural beauty. Untreated natural gemstones are regarded as the very finest and most precious. Only 1% of the coloured gemstones set in jewellery are truly natural, while the remaining 99% are enhanced by man using added chemicals and heat-treatment.
The supply chain
The sapphires and chrysoberyl in our Fairtrade collection were mined in Ilakaka, Madagascar, an area with a well-developed tradition of small-scale gem mining. Many of the mines in Ilakaka are operated as collectives and it is the miners themselves that sell the stones directly. Wennick-Lefèvre select and buy each of their gemstones in-person and always on site, along with visiting the mines to assess the conditions, and only buying from miners and dealers they know.
The stones are then cut in Sri Lanka in a lapidary factory, Sunrise Facets, owned in partnership between Wennick-Lefèvre and Nilanthi Thisera, a colleague and long time friend. Nilanthi is the first woman in Sri Lanka to own and run a cutting factory. Together they partnered to build a cutting factory based on the values of equality, respect, and a healthy life/work balance.
You can find the pieces in our Fairtrade collection set with Wennick-Lefévre gemstones here. Please get in touch if you would like to learn more about our Fairtrade pieces or to learn about how to commission your own individual piece. We would love to hear from you.
