Ethically-Sourced Gem Fair Comes to UK

RAPAPORT... Three UK suppliers are collaborating on a one-day fair inLondon that will feature only ethically sourced and traceable gemstones forpurchase by jewelry designers. Stuart Pool of Nineteen48, KathyChappell of Fair Trade Gemstones and Ian Bone of Queensland,Australia-based Capricorn Gems will present stones at the March 13 event. All the goods on show will include full provenancedetails, including an assurance of responsible mining and production. "Having worked closely together for some time, this event isa natural extension of our collaboration," said Pool. "For jewelers who have anemphasis on responsible sourcing, we think this is the best opportunity to see andbuy a wide range of traceable gemstones from around the world and to quiz usabout our supply chain and provenance face-to-face." Diamonds, sapphires, rubies and opals are among thegemstones that will appear at the fair. The gems are sourced from locations includingSri Lanka, Australia, Malawi, Tanzania and the US.