MajorsMar 30, 2022
RJC Executive Director Resigns, Major Companies Exit Over Russia InactionEditorsApr 01, 2022
What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Responsible’?
It’s a question that’s been on Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff’s mind since Feb. 24.
“Responsible” is a word that’s been on my mind lately, particularly so this past week following the breaking news surrounding the Responsible Jewellery Council.
Every time the word comes to mind, so does this question: What do we mean in the jewelry industry when we say “responsible?” I don’t mean only as the term applies to RJC and its standards, and I’m not writing this piece as a criticism of RJC alone but, instead, to pose this question to the industry as a whole.
I’m asking, obviously, in light of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the jewelry industry, which have spread like smoke trapped in a vacuum chamber.
The first major company to speak out was Brilliant Earth, announcing Feb. 26 that it was pulling Russian diamonds from its website.
Signet announced its decision to cut ties with Russian companies during its March 17 earnings call. Tiffany & Co. followed on March 25, and then Chopard.
The RJC blowback came this week, with the resignation of now-former Executive Director Iris Van der Veken and the exit of major players like Pandora and Richemont.
It’s obvious why these companies are disavowing Russian goods and Alrosa’s participation in RJC now, but the situation at hand forces us, if we are willing, to confront a larger truth.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who first entered office in 2000, has been a bad actor for decades.
The list of atrocities he’s committed or is accused of committing include, but are certainly not limited to, human rights abuses in Chechnya, the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the poisoning of dissidents, and the near extermination of the free press in Russia.
So, was buying diamonds from Alrosa ever really responsible?
It’s another question that’s been on my mind since Feb. 24 and one that JCK News Director Rob Bates addressed in a recent episode of JCK’s podcast.
Bates pointed out that Alrosa has been a well-respected player in the jewelry industry, a “good actor” that’s gone out of its way to be transparent and take social responsibility seriously and, I would add, continues to provide jobs for a lot of people.
But that doesn’t change the fact that the diamond miner is one-third owned by the Russian government, a fact from which Alrosa can no longer distance itself.
“Whatever Alrosa’s merits ... as a business, people really looked at it as something distinct from the Russian government,” Bates said. “And in retrospect, perhaps that was a mistake because it is one-third owned by the Russian government.”
Related stories will be right here …
Every time the word comes to mind, so does this question: What do we mean in the jewelry industry when we say “responsible?” I don’t mean only as the term applies to RJC and its standards, and I’m not writing this piece as a criticism of RJC alone but, instead, to pose this question to the industry as a whole.
I’m asking, obviously, in light of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the jewelry industry, which have spread like smoke trapped in a vacuum chamber.
The first major company to speak out was Brilliant Earth, announcing Feb. 26 that it was pulling Russian diamonds from its website.
Signet announced its decision to cut ties with Russian companies during its March 17 earnings call. Tiffany & Co. followed on March 25, and then Chopard.
The RJC blowback came this week, with the resignation of now-former Executive Director Iris Van der Veken and the exit of major players like Pandora and Richemont.
It’s obvious why these companies are disavowing Russian goods and Alrosa’s participation in RJC now, but the situation at hand forces us, if we are willing, to confront a larger truth.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who first entered office in 2000, has been a bad actor for decades.
The list of atrocities he’s committed or is accused of committing include, but are certainly not limited to, human rights abuses in Chechnya, the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the poisoning of dissidents, and the near extermination of the free press in Russia.
So, was buying diamonds from Alrosa ever really responsible?
It’s another question that’s been on my mind since Feb. 24 and one that JCK News Director Rob Bates addressed in a recent episode of JCK’s podcast.
Bates pointed out that Alrosa has been a well-respected player in the jewelry industry, a “good actor” that’s gone out of its way to be transparent and take social responsibility seriously and, I would add, continues to provide jobs for a lot of people.
But that doesn’t change the fact that the diamond miner is one-third owned by the Russian government, a fact from which Alrosa can no longer distance itself.
“Whatever Alrosa’s merits ... as a business, people really looked at it as something distinct from the Russian government,” Bates said. “And in retrospect, perhaps that was a mistake because it is one-third owned by the Russian government.”
I would be remiss if I ended this editorial without addressing something non-Russia-related that’s come to mind while contemplating the “responsible” question.
Back in fall 2020, Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques resigned after the mining company blew up prehistoric caves in Western Australia that were sacred to two Australian Aboriginal groups—the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura—and archeologically important, containing signs of human habitation stretching back 45,000 years.
Although the news was not specifically related to Rio Tinto’s diamond mining operations—it was the company’s iron ore division that destroyed the caves—the story felt important enough for us to cover. It received little attention in the trade otherwise.
Rio Tinto was in the news again more recently, this time for a report generated by an internal taskforce that revealed, to quote current CEO Jakob Stausholm, a “deeply disturbing” culture where women are sexually harassed and passed over for promotions, employees in Australia who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander experience racism, and LGBTQIA+ employees are bullied.
Rio Tinto, like Alrosa, is, as far as I can tell, a respected player in the industry and a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council, once again begging the question—what do we mean when we say responsible?
Is behavior considered “responsible” up until the point it becomes so blatant—like a full-scale, unprovoked invasion of another country—that we can’t look the other way, though, unsurprisingly, many continue to do so?
Are we willing to take “responsible” measures only if it doesn’t hurt the bottom line or complicate business too much?
Are we worried about being “responsible” only when consumers are asking about a specific situation, or when we think they might “find out about it?”
Where do we draw the line on being “responsible?”
As I finished writing this Friday morning, Alrosa sent out a statement that it was suspending its membership in the Responsible Jewellery Council due to the “current unprecedented realities,” while noting it will continue to uphold its high standards of responsible business conduct and ethics, and fully support RJC’s mission.
We will have a full report on Alrosa’s decision in Monday’s newsletter and will continue to follow developments that relate to Russia and Ukraine.
Ongoing developments aside, this crisis is creating many questions the industry must confront, starting with the one I’ve posed here.
More on Editors
The Latest
MajorsAug 26, 2024
Longtime Industry Sales Trainer Lenny Zell Dies at 97Said to be the first to write a jewelry sales manual for the industry, Zell is remembered for his zest for life.
WatchesAug 26, 2024
IWC Is Sending Its Watches to SpaceThe company outfitted the Polaris Dawn spaceflight crew with watches that will later be auctioned off to benefit St. Jude’s.
AuctionsAug 23, 2024
Abernethy Pearl Tops Estimates at Auction A buyer paid more than $100,000 for the gemstone known as “Little Willie,” setting a new auction record for a Scottish freshwater pearl.
Brought to you by
Watch: Natural Diamonds: A Great (but Often Untold) Geology StorySupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA.
CollectionsAug 23, 2024
Piece of the Week: Gumuchian’s Colorful ‘Spectrum’ NecklaceAnita Gumuchian created the 18-karat yellow gold necklace using 189 carats of colored gemstones she spent the last 40 years collecting.
Weekly QuizAug 23, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 22, 2024
2,492-Carat Diamond Recovered From Botswana Diamond MineThe giant gem came from Karowe, the same mine that yielded the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona and the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond.
TrendsAug 22, 2024
Kaley Cuoco Has a Three-Stone Engagement Ring With a TwistThe three-stone ring was designed by Shahla Karimi Jewelry and represents Cuoco, her fiancé Tom Pelphrey, and their child.
Brought to you by
Watch: Forging the Next Generation of Skilled Bench Jewelers at GIASupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
CollectionsAug 22, 2024
Greenwich St. Jewelers Collabs with TikTok Jewelry Content CreatorThe Manhattan jewelry store has partnered with Xarissa B. of Jewel Boxing on a necklace capsule collection.
TechnologyAug 21, 2024
Instagram’s Notes Feature Expands to Posts, ReelsActing as temporary virtual Post-it notes, Notes are designed to help strengthen mutual connections, not reach new audiences.
TrendsAug 21, 2024
Carol Woolton To Release New BookThe jewelry historian discusses the history and cultural significance of jewelry throughout time and across the globe.
TrendsAug 21, 2024
Amanda’s Style File: Shimmy and ShakeFrom fringe and tassels to pieces that give the illusion they are in motion, jewelry with movement is trending.
IndependentsAug 20, 2024
Mixed-Media Jewelry Artist Jan Yager Dies at 72The designer and maker found community around her Philadelphia studio and creative inspiration on the sidewalks below it.
ColumnistsAug 20, 2024
Google Ads Payment Policy Change: What It Means For YouThe change to accepted payment methods for Google Ads might seem like an irritation but actually is an opportunity, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
IndependentsAug 20, 2024
Pat Henneberry Releases MemoirThe industry consultant’s new book focuses on what she learned as an athlete recovering from a broken back.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2024
The Ethical Gem Fair Is Going to CaliforniaThe fair will take place on the West Coast for the first time, hosted by Altana Fine Jewelry in Oakland, California.
MajorsAug 20, 2024
Kathy Hillelson Joins Board of WJA Foundation Hillelson is a second-generation diamantaire and CEO of Owl Financial Group.
Events & AwardsAug 19, 2024
Nominations Are Open for the 2025 Gem AwardsSubmissions in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Excellence will be accepted through this Friday, Aug. 23.
AuctionsAug 19, 2024
Scotland’s Famed Abernethy Pearl Is Up for Sale Known as “Little Willie,” it’s the largest freshwater pearl found in recent history in Scotland and is notable for its shape and color.
IndependentsAug 19, 2024
Kentucky Jeweler Closing After 89 YearsClements Jewelers in Madisonville cited competition from larger retailers and online sellers as the driving factor.
SourcingAug 19, 2024
A&C Gem Trading Corp. Relocates, Opens Wholesale ShowroomThe gemstone company is moving to the Ross Metal Exchange in New York City’s Diamond District.
CrimeAug 16, 2024
Jewels Stolen During Green Vault Heist Back on DisplayMost of the 18th century royal jewelry taken from the Green Vault Museum in Dresden, Germany, in 2019 went back on display this week.
IndependentsAug 16, 2024
Louis Anthony Jewelers Announces First Resort StoreThe Pittsburgh jeweler has opened a store in the nearby Nemacolin resort.
CollectionsAug 16, 2024
Piece of the Week: Jonne Amaya’s ‘Cat Claw’ NecklaceWith a 40-carat cabochon emerald, this necklace is as powerful and elegant as a cat.
Events & AwardsAug 16, 2024
IJO Names Jewel-Craft as VIP Vendor of the YearThe Erlanger, Kentucky-based company was recognized for its reliability when it comes to repairs and fast turnaround times.
SourcingAug 15, 2024
Greenland Ruby Is Up For SaleUnable to pay its debts, the ruby and sapphire miner is looking to restructure and become a “competitive and attractive” company.
TrendsAug 15, 2024
Paola De Luca to Debut Trendbook 2026+ at VicenzaoroThe trend forecaster’s latest guide has intel on upcoming trends in the jewelry market.
