Sapphire Origin Explained: How We Source Ethical Sapphires From Around The World

How do you manage traceability?

I supply sapphires from all in excess of the entire world, but in most overseas nations around the world, origin is not that trustworthy – sometimes marketplaces in Sri Lanka will have Sri Lankan and Madagascar tough sapphires all mixed with each other. Folks are so invested in this concept of origin, but the reality is, unless you pulled it out of the ground your self, you can in no way be 100% confident. Stones get combined up together the way, and quite a few stones are indistinguishable from each other. Even labs that say they can distinguish – you can consider the identical stone to 3 different labs and get 3 various origins.

Having said that, I have a couple of suppliers that very own their personal mines and lapidaries – they dig the rough out of the floor, they minimize it, and I acquire it specifically from them. This is the most traceable solution from these locations.

Other stones I buy from dealers who supply locally from acknowledged mines and then I order from them and have the stones cut. We have a terrific stage of believe in with our suppliers and we hope we’re receiving what they say they are offering us. Very long-standing associations are a way to ensure that, but again, there’s no warranty.

When you are sourcing abroad, there’s an ethical accountability to talk to that uncertainty – to say “to the greatest of my awareness, this is where it will come from”, fairly than stating definites that you just cannot assure. For me, ethics is also about dealing with my suppliers nicely, inquiring inquiries, currently being truthful and transparent, and in no way earning guarantees or statements that I can’t verify.

What does ethical sourcing search like in Sri Lanka & Madagascar?

Element of the discussion that folks do not want to speak about – these are people and real men and women mining these stones and they are relying on that profits to endure. Moral sourcing to me is about supporting the neighborhood overall economy and making sure (to the most effective of your know-how) that no folks are staying harmed in the mining of sapphires.

General, sapphires are not superior-conflict stones – they’re mined domestically and they help the community overall economy of individuals supply regions. I test to hold the wealth in Sri Lanka by shopping for the stones and having them slash there. Executing as significantly processing inside of the resource countries will help to maintain the most price inside of that supply nation.

I have extended-standing relationships with my suppliers and it is vital to me to guidance these small, local distributors. Especially for some of my overseas sellers, mining is their livelihood so I check out to preserve a reliable flow of enterprise likely their way.