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AURHEN ecofair

It is no secret that not all that sparkles is gold. The fact that noble metals and gemstones are often extracted under conditions that are as unfair as they are unworthy is no news. Jutta Werling-Durejka runs a Fairtrade jewelry studio AURHEN in Überlingen.

To show that jewelry can not only look good, but also feel good, Jutta Werling-Durejka brings eco-fair colored gemstones from Minas Gerais (Brazil) to Germany under the name BrazilGems and sells them wholesale. In 2003, she was awarded the first certification for eco-fair produced and traded gemstones. Since 2014, Fair jewelry made from eco-fair materials has been produced at AURHEN ecofair’s jewelry studio in Überlingen.

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Earrings from AURHEN

And what about gold? River gold, recycled gold and Saxony silver

The gold from Peru comes from the Fairtrade controlled and certified Sotrami mine. The so-called natural or river gold comes from the Isar, Danube, Rhine and Elbe rivers. This gold is washed gravimetrically – without the use of chemicals –  in various gravel works along the these rivers. Approximately 250,000 flakes yield to one gram of gold. The processing in the laboratory is carried out under strict environmental conditions. The water used is reused by means of recycling processes.

The jewelry production also uses recycled gold, eco-Andina gold from a small community in Argentina, Suomigold from Lapland and Fairtrade certified gold. The Fairtrade gold comes from the Sotrami mine in Peru and Suomigold from Lapland. The “Ökoandina” silver is sourced from a village cooperative on Lake Poopó in Bolivia. And the Fairtrade-certified silver from the Macdesa mine in Peru is processed into jewelry at AURHEN.

Jutta Werling-Durejka in Argentina

Good to know:
All stones processed at AURHEN come from their own wholesale of eco-fair colored gemstones from Brazil. An XL selection of eco-fair aquamarine, tourmaline in all color variations, white beryl, amethyst and citrine. Rutile quartz, garnet and tourmaline quartz are only certified from the cutting room onwards. Diamonds are purchased from Australia or Canada, if needed.

Diamonds and colored gemstones

AURHEN works closely with the Soares family of mine owners from Minas Gerais, Brazil. They mine the minerals and cut them to gemstones in the family’s own cutting shop, which reach AURHEN directly without intermediate trade. Together with AURHEN, this small family business enables a humane and secure existence for 15 miners and cutters and their families.

Rings from AURHEN

The AURHEN Promise

Sämtliche verarbeiteten Komponenten des Schmucks werden ohne Kinderarbeit, ohne Finanzierung von kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen und unter Beachtung strenger ökologischer Aspekte abgebaut und verarbeitet. Die Edelmetalle werden ohne Zyanid gewonnen. Keiner der verwendeten Edelsteine wurde mit Gammastrahlen behandelt oder auf andere Art manipuliert.

All processed components of the jewelry are dismantled and processed without child labor, without financing warlike conflicts and considering strict ecological aspects. The precious metals are extracted without cyanide. None of the precious stones used have been treated with gamma rays or manipulated in any other way.

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