Jewellery Wanderlust was born from the idea that "it would be great if there were gemstones that were mined without exploiting miners."

 

Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that using "gems mined without human rights violations" is the raison d'être of Jewellery Wanderlust.

Gemstone mines are concentrated in developing countries. In mines, workers face a risk of violence and exploitation, and accidents such as landslides and falls.

 

The most vulnerable miners are informal miners known as artisanal miners. Artisanal miners account for 90% of the world's mining workforce, and about 30% of them are women*. These workers mine minerals without proper equipment and in unsafe environments, taking on dangerous risks. Even though they know mining is dangerous, most choose to work in mining due to poverty and high unemployment rate.

What's even more problematic is that the minerals that these miners have risked their lives to extract can be sold to brokers at unreasonably low prices. Despite working hard and enduring the risk of violence and accidents, their lives are not getting any better.

At Jewellery Wanderlust, we say no to the exploitation of miners and collect stones from all over the world that are mined without human rights violations.

 

A prime example is our use of aquamarine and diamond.

 

Zimbabwean Aquamarines

Our aquamarine comes from the world's first sustainable mine staffed entirely by female miners .

 

Zimbabwe is located in the southern part of the African continent. When you drive two hours northwest from the capital, Harare, you will arrive in the Karoi region, where the mine is located.

 

The people who work there are all women, many of whom are single mothers, who take on the mining work with responsibility and pride in order to support themselves and their children.

 

Why is it necessary to actively recruit women as mining workers? The answer has a lot to do with the fact that the mining industry is fundamentally a male-dominated industry.

 

The majority of mine workers are men, and the reality is that women are less likely to be hired due to the stereotype that "women cannot work in mining," and even if they are hired, they face a higher risk of harassment than men. In order to address these issues, this mine actively hires women and provides them with an appropriate environment to work in the mine safely and securely.

The mining process is also carried out in consultation with the local community regarding the impact of the mine on the surrounding environment. This is what makes the mine sustainable.

Their aquamarines spread positive vibes to anyone who wears them.

 

Their efforts continue to have a positive impact on the mining and jewelry industries. By working with them, Jewellery Wanderlust will also spread a positive impact on the Japanese jewellery industry and your daily life.

 

Diamonds in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Our diamonds come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located almost in the center of the African continent.

The country is rich in mineral resources and is the fourth largest diamond producer in the world (as of 2022), but many miners extract diamonds without proper equipment and in dangerous working conditions where accidents are likely to occur at any time.

Jewellery Wanderlust buys diamonds from artisanal miners at a fair price through a partner with roots in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The miners are paid a premium on top of the price, which they use to buy equipment, pay for their children's school fees, and improve their lives.

 

 

What sets our diamonds apart from others is that we can tell you when they were mined . Not only can we tell you when they were mined, but we can also tell you the place and date when the rough stones were cut. There are many diamonds that claim to be ethical or traceable, but there are very few other diamonds that can be traced to this level.

Your diamond comes with a storybook so you can explore the journey your diamond has taken to get to you.