-Polly Wales

The role of designer jewellery: taking stock of sustainable jewellery today

What is the Beautiful without the Good? This is the big question that challenges contemporary luxury and shows its true colours. Change is in the air: traceable stones, fairmined gold, recycled metals and diamonds, social commitments, short circuits... There are as many paths as there are debates on the subject. Traditional jewellery is now catching up with designer jewellery, which was always a forerunner in this field.

WHITEbIRD was born from a deep desire to put people back at the heart of creativity. By putting forward designers and jewelers who work in an artisanal way, either in their own studio or in partnership with small workshops, we want to promote jewellery on a human scale that is respectful of those hands and materials that make it beautiful.

In sync with major changes in society itself, our designers are committed to more ethical, ecological and socially responsible jewellery. WHITEbIRD, holding true to its values, highlights their contribution and guides those who wish to buy jewellery that is both unique and committed.

We are committed to “Preserving the best of tradition, feeling the hand of the craftsman, touching the rough edges, admiring the marks of know-how.” - Stéphanie Roger, founder of WHITEbIRD

Find out what we do : About us

WHITEbIRD: treat yourself to a unique and ethical jewel.

Our in-store teams are there to give you all the information you need to guide you in your choices and more particularly to direct you towards our committed designers.

To personalize your search on our website, we have also created an "Ethical Jewellery" curation, accessible via the Products menu. In this section, each jewel is categorized according to the following attributes:

• Locally produced
• Recycled metal
• Socially conscious

What does Socially Conscious mean?

All jewellery that displays the Socially Conscious tag has been designed by designers who put social and human commitment at the heart of their creation.

For Pippa Small, Polly Wales, Alighieri and Bibi Van der Velden, jewellery is a means of supporting causes that are dear to them and to give a voice to those who have none. WHITEbIRD is proud to represent these inspiring designers.

Here are some examples of engaging humanitarian projects:

- Pippa Small x Turquoise Mountain: Pippa Small is a born philanthropist. She’s a pioneer inthe creation of ethical jewellery, holding a master's degree in medical anthropology and having worked for many NGOs. Her humanitarian commitment earned her an appointment to the Order of the British Empire in 2013, and in 2016 she was awarded the prize of Ethical Jeweller of the Year. Fun fact: She's also Meghan Markle's favourite jeweller!

Since 2008, she has collaborated with the "Turquoise Mountain" organization, created by King

Charles III, which works in Afghanistan to protect traditional crafts. In this way Pippa regularly creates collections in collaboration with communities of men and women in Kabul, whom she trains and alongside whom she works.

In 2022 she created Pippa Small for Afghanistan, a project that aims to train 100 Afghan women in jewellery making and writing; they are also fed and housed throughout their training. A hundred vermeil and aquamarine necklaces were created and sold (including at WHITEbIRD) to help fund this program.

Pippa has also developed this type of partnership in many other countries, like Burma and Bolivia, where she employs and "overpays" communities of gold extractors whose artisanal practices respect the environment (zero mercury or cyanide) and workers' rights. Some of her jewels are stamped with the Fairtrade or Fairmined labels.

- Bibi Van der Velden x The Ukrainian Alligator:

In 2022, faced with the war that is devastating Ukraine, Bibi provided support through her creations. She designed an unlimited edition of alligator earrings in topaz and citrine, in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. 100% from the sale of these earrings are donated to UNICEF, which works to protect children on the ground.

- Alighieri x Refuge:

Since 2021, Rosh Mahtani has been collaborating through Aligheri withthe British organization Refuge, which welcomes and supports women and children who experience domestic violence. To date, this collaboration has raised £93,000.

Find out more about her commitment against domestical abuses by reading the British Voque article

Second Hand designer jewellery, a new approach to luxury

At WHITEbIRD, a more responsible approach to fine jewellery goes beyond the choice of materials and the traceability of gemstones. It extends to the life of each jewel, long after it is first purchased.

WHITEbIRD Second Hand, our selection of authenticated pre-owned designer jewellery, is built on a simple belief at the heart of fine jewellery: a beautifully crafted jewel does not become obsolete with time. It can be treasured, passed on and rediscovered by a new generation.

A designer jewellery buy-back service in Paris

Our jewellery buy-back service in Paris gives clients the opportunity to pass on designer pieces they no longer wear, with complete confidence. As a specialist in contemporary designer jewellery since 2010, WHITEbIRD understands what makes each piece unique: its designer, craftsmanship, materials and story.

Every pre-owned jewel is carefully assessed and authenticated by our team with the same exacting eye as when it first entered our boutiques. Selected pieces then join our dedicated Second Hand collection, available online and in Paris alongside our current designer collections.

Rare designer jewellery, ready to be rediscovered

For those discovering WHITEbIRD through our pre-owned jewellery collection, Second Hand offers another way to access rare and sometimes discontinued designer pieces, often at a more accessible price — particularly at a time when the cost of gold, gemstones and other precious materials continues to rise.

It can also be a second chance to find a jewel that once got away: a discontinued creation, a piece from a previous collection or a design that is no longer available new, returning to begin another chapter on a new wrist, finger or neckline.

Each piece of pre-owned jewellery carries a double promise: a rare designer jewel, authenticated and selected with the same care as the first time around, and a story that continues to unfold.

A more circular approach to luxury jewellery, without ever compromising on the standards, craftsmanship and discerning eye that have defined WHITEbIRD since 2010.

Recycled diamonds and recycled metals at WHITEbIRD

It's a practice as old as jewellery itself: gold, silver and diamonds never die, all the raw materials used in jewellery can be recycled without ever losing their value. In other words, jewellery could be king in up-cycling and the circular economy!

Recycled diamonds are diamonds that have already been used on antique jewellery. They are cleaned and mounted on new jewellery. At WWAKE, this circular approach is an integral part of the creative process: the New York jewellery designer works with certified recycled gold and diamonds. For its One of a Kind pieces, WWAKE notably sources recycled, antique and vintage diamonds, selected with specialist partners. This responsible sourcing approach is combined with local craftsmanship, with pieces made in the brand’s Brooklyn studio and New York’s Diamond District.

A different way of thinking about fine jewellery: preserving the value of precious materials while continuing to reinvent them.

“The diamond is eternal and gold can be recycled endlessly. In jewellery, nothing is lost, everything is transmitted.” - Stéphanie Roger

Recycled gold and silver come from different sources: scrap from jewellery production, the recycling of old jewellery, dental gold and electronic devices (telephones, computers). Both metals can be remelted endlessly without losing their value. 80% of the Earth's gold reserves have already been extracted, and the environmental impact of mining is no longer a secret. This is why we have also decided to favour the circular economy of recycled metals for our in-house collection, We by WHITEbIRD, now made from 100% recycled gold.

Our designers who use recycled metals (gold, silver, bronze, platinum…) are numerous and often pioneers in the field.

Locally produced: the essence of designer jewellery

Small-batch, local creation that is artisanal is the very essence of WHITEbIRD, where local production means that the different stages of of jewel manufacture are carried out in a very restricted geographical area, as close as possible to where their designer is based.

As short circuits are at the heart of excellent craftsmanship and designer jewellery, many designers present at WHITEbIRD have chosen local production. This excludes raw materials, though (metals and stones), which, even when traceable, generally come from other countries.

Rosh Mahtani, founder of Alighieri, tells us about her manufacturing process in the heart of the Hatton Garden district, London, where she set up her business.

“Since day one, every piece of jewellery has been made in Hatton Garden, London.

With my team of 35 extraordinary women, we make everything by hand. Knowing the people behind every piece is amazing. We also work with a family foundry located three blocks from our studio and each piece is cast in recycled gold and silver. We are thus able to keep our carbon footprint very low.”

- Rosh Mahtani

Check out the full interview with Rosh Mahtani

Our designers who produce locally are numerous: Alighieri, Noguchi, Yasuko Azuma, Anaconda, and more …

Local production falls under the "Socially Conscious" concept, insofar as an ultra-close location allows designers to provide the best working conditions for their employees and to ensure that the same is true in their partner workshops.

The notion of ethics is a commitment and a daily journey at WHITEbIRD. So we operate with a limited inventory and offer a make-to-order service (special orders), to avoid over-production.

Finally, the short circuits and the close proximity that we maintain with each designer give you full confidence about the ethical jewellery that we offer in-store and online.

WHITEbIRD is proud to offer you jewellery that is both unique and ethical.

What could be more precious than a piece of jewellery that represents both your values ​​and your personality?

38, rue du Mont Thabor Paris 1
+33 (0)1 58 62 25 86
boutique@whitebirdjewellery.com

7, boulevard des filles du calvaire PARIS 3
+33 (0)1 40 24 27 17
boutiquemarais@whitebirdjewellery.com

62, RUE DES SAINTS-PÈRES PARIS 7
+33 (0)1 43 22 21 53
boutiquesaintsperes@whitebirdjewellery.com

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