About Monthly Birthstones Author *Mandy

Hi there, my name is Mandy and as most ladies do I love jewelry!

I have always loved gemstone jewelry in particular, but had never really thought about how or where the gemstones came from. Join me on my journey as I discover how gemstones are formed, mined and processed to become the stunning jewelry that we admire and love to wear. To find a starting point in the huge range of gemstones, I have begun with those that have been traditionally assigned as birthstones for each month of the year. Researching these twelve gemstones and their alternatives will likely keep me busy for a couple of years!

During my lifetime I have developed a keen interest in conservation and began to realize that everything that we purchase has an impact on the environment. As I began to learn about the origins of gemstones, I began to comprehend that the effect of mining gemstones can be extremely detrimental to both people and the planet. I was devastated to realize that in my innocent act of purchasing gemstone jewelry, I was inadvertently creating a demand in an industry that could be contributing to the destruction of the very thing I was passionate about conserving.

Luckily in recent decades there has been a fast growing awareness that industry globally has a significant role to play in conserving the planet for future generations, as well providing acceptable working conditions for people in their employment.  We as consumers are becoming far more aware of the impact our purchases can have and can start choosing products that are ethically and sustainably sourced.

To complement my research on gemstone origins I began to investigate birthstone jewelry. I discovered this took many forms from colored glass crystals, treated low quality gemstones, high quality natural gemstones to man-made lab-grown gemstones. Each type has their pros and cons in terms of environmental impact and I will explore this as I go along.  However during the course of featuring birthstone jewelry on the website I decided I would only include artisans and jewelers that indicate their gemstones are ethically and sustainably sourced. I additionally check if they take care to ensure their business touches lightly on the earth – such as using recycled materials and packaging. I know this sometimes makes products slightly more expensive but personally I would rather pay a bit extra if I know my purchase is people and planet friendly.

Please join me on my exploration of this fascinating subject and feel free to comment on the issues discussed here. I look forward to meeting you 🙂

Kind regards
*Mandy