Jewellery Focus April 2019 | Page 15

Quality Casting in the Jewellery Quarter since 1982 www.aconia.co.uk In the last ten years The Aconia Casting Company has grown considerably. Our new, larger premises accommodates our growing number of new, state-of-the-art furnaces, casting machines and 3D Printers. Most of our castings are bespoke, using up-to-date CAD software to produce exactly what our customers want, with our up-to-date 3D printers building models to bring your designs to life. Visit our website to fi nd out more at www.aconia.co.uk Call us on 0121 236 9838 or email [email protected] WANT YOUR SAY? Talking Point Email Lewis or Alessandro to find out our latest hot topic: [email protected] [email protected] What ethical standards do you place on yourself when creating your jewellery? LIZ STOVELL NATALIE PERRY KATY TROMANS creative director of Untold Jewellery owner at Natalie Perry Jewellery university lecturer I use either FairTrade or recycled metals and gemstones. I also seek out suppliers who go the extra mile, who work under fair trade principles and support the local communities. My packing is made from recycled materials, my business cards are made from recycled t-shirts. Makers can make a difference and I believe that supporting artisanal miners to reduce unethical working practices is important. As such I donate to PACT who elevate the lives of some of the poorest artisanal communities. The traceability of the materials I’m using is important to me so I can be sure that they have been produced in an ethical and sustainable way. Where ethical gold, such as Fairtrade Gold, isn’t available, I use recycled metals as a more eco-friendly option. My jewellery is carefully handcrafted so that it’s made to last, can be worn for years and comes in responsibly sourced packaging. I’m hoping to make a difference in this fast-consumerist world we live in. Wherever possible I look to source repurposed stones in any commissions I do, which can be challenging but also great as they sometimes have a sentimental story behind them. The majority of my own personal work is made out of 925 Sterling Silver and all cast at Weston Beamor in Birmingham who, when possible and available use Fair Mined/Fair Trade Silver. While it’s hard to be 100% ethical in some of the materials we use as jewellers, every step helps. April 2019 | jewelleryfocus.co.uk JEWELLERY FOCUS 15