Respecting the Earth through Jewelry

Keep this holiday season special and sustainable with Precious Earth’s Fine Jewelry. At Precious Earth, they believe in inside as well as outside beauty. Their pieces are made from recycled and renewed metals to limit the environmentally hazardous processes such as metal mining as well as preserve the limited natural resources. The diamonds that Precious Earth incorporates into their beautiful pieces are natural, social responsible, and high quality. Commitments In addition to the environmentally sustainable materials with which the jewelry is made, Precious Earth is devoted to empowering the people with whom they work. They work with the socially responsible Namibia Diamonds company, which supports workers in Namibia through education and fair wages. The Namibian workers are further empowered with more complex skills because the diamonds are cut and polished at the Namibian Diamond factory, thus keeping the labor local. Precious Earth is committed to both environmental and social sustainability. Engagement Rings The jewelry available from Precious Earth is incredibly beautiful. They offer an array of different types of jewelry, including many engagement rings. The holidays are a big time for proposals, so if this is on the horizon, be sure to check out Precious Earth’s incredible collection of engagement rings. This 18-karat white gold engagement ring is a wonderful example of the sophisticated and beautiful rings they have to offer. Silver Jewelry Precious Earth also creates incredibly complex and beautiful silver jewelry pieces. Check out their sterling silver zebra bangle inlayed with a single gem of environmentally friendly and conflict-free imperial dioside and featuring a “zebra stripe” design of raised silver. This bracelet is made of 100% recycled silver and contains the “little green gemstones” that are the signature of Precious Earth’s designs. In addition to the bangle, Precious Earth offers lovely matching zebra cuff links as well as matching rings. Other Great Ideas At Precious Earth, beautiful, sustainable jewelry is not just for woman. They have a “for men” section of their website, as well as a couture section which houses more elaborate designs. Check out this 18-karat World of Africa bracelet. It is beautifully hand carved with out of yellow gold and features 1.60 total carats of diamonds as well as their signature single diopside gem. So, for this holiday season or the next, think about giving the gift of sustainability and support with a beautiful piece from Precious Earth, whose tag line is, “sustainable luxury, transparent beauty.” Image Credit: Precious Earth

Even Greener Jewelry

Sure, lots of jewelry calls itself "green." There are certainly lots of sustainable options, from vintage pieces to recycled works of art. When nothing but the greenest will do, though, cutting edge designers turn directly to the world of plants. Hafsteinn Juliusson, for example, creates the modern pieces in the Growing Jewelry line with a unique combination of clean metal lines and Icelandic moss. Artist Paula Hayes has also created some very interesting Living Necklaces. However, since both of these product lines are currently unavailable in most locations, we're lucky that there are a few other options.

On Etsy, these cute Terrarium Pendants are one attractive and convenient line, prestocked with a living supply of a grass-like moss. Of course, once you receive your living jewelry, it's up to you to maintain it in a lush natural state for maximum style.

Recycled Jewelry: Sea Glass & Vintage China

With two painters for parents and displaying an interest in elaborate beaded jewelry at an early age, it was inevitable that Jessica Lee would fall into a career that allowed her to explore her artistic roots. Equipped with a college education in jewelry design and apprenticeships with notable silver smiths, Lee now sells her own eco-friendly trinkets in shops all over the world.

In the world of jewelry making, Mother Nature often inspires artists to look deeper into their surroundings for ideas and materials to create their next masterpiece. In this case, Jessica Lee was introduced to the natural beauty of sea glass found along the Californian coast. Thanks to the ocean, lost glass vessels are broken, washed away, and naturally smoothed over by constant love from sand and waves. This means that each piece of sea glass possesses its own unique shape, size, and texture – making both unpredictable and one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. Today, Lee's product line includes sea glass necklaces in hues of green and amber; rings with sterling silver surrounding antique Coca Cola bottle sea glass; and amber-tinted sea glass double earrings. She also expanded her recycled wearable art to include stained glass, carved stone, and themed pottery pieces depicting floral and Asian designs. Sea Glass Bracelet From amber to green to gray, you can proudly wear the colors of sea and earth with this striking sea glass bracelet that offers exclusive shapes fashioned directly from California waters. Handmade in Bali and California, each piece is hand bezeled in sterling silver. Pottery Watch Some watches were just born to leave a statement and this Jessica Lee creation accomplishes just that with bold pieces of pottery that certainly catch the eye. The combination of sterling silver and inviting designs immediately draws attention. The watch face showcases a stainless steel back. The entire piece is handmade in Bali and hand finished in California. Lee is quite adept in creating the perfect match of materials. Other creations include red and white vintage pottery paired with clear sea glass; hand-carved pottery pieces in the shapes of leaves and flowers; and floral pottery pieces and pearls. Sea Glass and Vintage China Leaf Bracelet I absolutely love this bracelet, as the soft tones of green are not only soothing to look at, but the detail is also extremely interesting to explore. Comprised of vintage china and sea glass, this bracelet is sure to transform your wrist into an intriguingly delicate sight. This is just one of the many displays of what Jessica Lee can produce with vintage china that she collects from antique shops, auctions, resale stores, family, and friends. Handmade in Bali and hand-finished in Oregon, this bracelet is absolutely unforgettable. To browse an assortment of colorful sea glass and pottery jewelry by Jessica Lee, including rings, earrings, and pins, don’t forget to visit her store. Photo Credits: Uncommon Goods

Men's Accessories: Cuff Link Crazy

Welcome to the world of Ward Wallau, who has made discarded and discontinued items a usable art form. There seems no end to his imaginative cuff link creations, as he transforms everyday and nearly forgotten objects into the mark of a well-dressed man. 1) Old New York City Transit Tokens When New York City finally discontinued its 'Y' cutout subway tokens in 1980, a light bulb went off in Ward Wallau's head, as he envisioned the ultimate city-inspired pair of recycled cuff links. It actually took him 11 years to petition the New York Transit Authority to grant him permission to use the outdated tokens in his jewelry making. Thankfully, Wallau was granted an exclusive license and now you can own the final product of his labor, priced between $80 and $125/pair. Click here to find other subway token cuff links by Ward Wallau, including San Francisco, Honolulu, and Chicago Transit. 2) Typewriter Keys Long gone are the days where the diligent journalist pounds away on a heavy, manual typewriter, but the beauty and allure of our literary past is not yet a closed chapter. Set in fresh base-metal findings, genuine vintage typewriter keys are handmade into a striking pair of cuff links. A set of Typewriter Key Cuff Links (2 white keys, 2 black keys, or one of each) costs $38. 3) Vintage Watches The combination of levers, gears, and jewels create striking ornamentation for any cuffed shirt. Wallau uses genuine movements from stem-winding watches that date back to the early to mid-20th century. Set in sterling silver findings, these distinctive Vintage Watch Movement Cuff Links ($130) make the perfect Father's Day, birthday, or anniversary gift. 4) Stadium Seats Looking for the perfect gift for a Yankee fan? Imagine an authentic piece of history decorating the sleeve with a pair of Yankee Stadium Cuff Links ($150) – made from recycled wood stadium seats. Aptly molded into the shape of a diamond, this priceless collectible comes from actual seating removed during the renovation of New York's infamous Yankee Stadium. Each cuff link comes with an engraving of the stadium name on back. A certificate of authenticity also accompanies this timeless gift. Wallau also designed cuff links from Chicago's old Wrigley Field stadium seats. 5) Dice Thanks to the pairing of jewelry designers Ward Wallau and Dia Kline, you can display your high-roller status or increase your luck with a pair of Lucky 7 Dice Cuff Links ($90/pair) mounted in sterling silver findings. Why is this piece eco-friendly? The cuff links are made from recycled/reground plastics that are cast and hand-drilled – not molded and produced in mass quantity like the majority of department store selections. Other Ward Wallau creations include:

• Liberty Dime Cuff Links ($60)
• Old Buffalo Nickel Cuff Links ($62)
• Scrabble Tile Cuff Links ($80)
• Motherboard Cuff Links ($128)
• Wine Barrel Cuff Links ($130)

Photo Credits and Purchase Information: Eco-Artware.com