London, England, Ingle & Rhode, the UK’s principal retailer of ethical jewellery and custom engagement rings produced using conflict-free diamonds and fair trade gold, report on a debate that is raging across the American jewellery sector about the use and sourcing of conflict gold.
60 Minutes, America’s premier investigative news programme on CBS, launched a report on the sourcing of conflict gold in the American jewellery trade and how it is helping to fund wars in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the apparent lack of action taken by the Responsible Jewellery Council and the Jewelers of America association against such practices. 60 Minutes levied charges against the whole gold supply chain in America and called it into question, which has prompted fierce debate on the issue.
The programme prompted a response from the Jewelers of America association who were concerned about the reaction the programme would have, issuing question and answer sheets to independent jewellers across the country to help them answer any customer concerns. The Q&A has been leaked and attacked as nothing more than industry spin by ethical campaign groups, however, and the potentially damaging row looks set to carry on between the various parties involved.
“Anything that raises awareness of terrible gold sourcing measures to the public eye can only be good, and help to promote the practice of using ethically sourced gold in jewellery manufacture,” says Tim Ingle of Ingle & Rhode. “We insist on using fair trade gold in all of our ethical jewellery products and believe in giving something back to communities involved in the trade to help their areas grow. It’ll be interesting to see how trade bodies in America deal with this issue raised by 60 Minutes, and where the industry goes from here.”
Find out more about Ingle & Rhode and their range of ethical designer and bespoke jewellery at: http://www.ingleandrhode.co.uk/ or contact them on 0207 917 9515.
