Originally published on Global Garbs in November 2019

LET'S START HERE.

The stories of an earth grown diamond and a shiny 14k gold band both begin in a mine. Mining is the extraction of minerals and other geological materials from deposits far beneath the earth’s surface. Gold, diamonds and other gemstones are mined around the world with the vast majority coming from small-scale “artisanal” operations often within the informal sector.

It’s estimated that about 90 million carats of rough diamonds and 1,600 tons of gold are mined for jewelry every year, generating over $300 billion in revenue. When sustainability is a top priority for a consumer...

Sustainability is a hot topic. Scientific facts, accessibility, financial privilege, personal opinion, you name it and there’s plenty to read about on the internet. If you’re like me, time spent learning about climate change has shocked and motivated you to voluntarily make changes in your own life.

In the span of five years I've done a lot to re-adjust my mindset and habits, but I still feel like there's so much to do. One thing I know for sure though,...

It’s time to talk about greenwashing.
Because slapping a green label on a product doesn’t mean it’s eco-friendly, amiright?

The word is out and corporations are taking notice that consumers are making sustainability a top priority, and that is a powerful thing. According to Nielsen's Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 66% of consumers would spend more money on a product coming from a sustainable brand and among millennials that number jumps to 72%. You know what that means? That means when consumers talk, big business listens...

MINIMALIST [min-i-mal-ist]
adjective. Being or offering no more than what is required essential.

HOW DOES IRINA VICTORIA JEWELRY PRACTICE MINIMALISM?

Embrace slow fashion. We’re all familiar with the cheap prices, high volume sales, quick turnover and wasteful model of fast fashion, right? Well let us introduce you to Slow Fashion: it prioritizes craftsmanship, quality, customer service and low-waste practices. We intentionally create our jewelry made-to-order or in small batches (no more than 10 pieces) to decrease the amount of “stuff” we accumulate and waste we produce. Designs are priced to reflect the fair market value of materials, living wage labor and the care that is put into each piece...

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LAB GROWN DIAMOND AND A NATURALLY GROWN DIAMOND?

The one difference between the two is origin. One is grown in a lab and one below the Earth’s surface.

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

A lab grown diamond is made with technology that replicates the process of a naturally made diamond by simulating the conditions of extreme heat and pressure. The result is...

SOLID GOLD

Solid gold is a term used to refer to various designations of karat gold. Pure 24k gold is actually too soft and weak to be used for jewelry production, thus the creation of gold alloys. Technically speaking an alloy is a mixture of metals (ex.: gold + silver + copper).

14k and 18k are the most commonly used in jewelry production. 14k gold is comprised...

THE FUTURE IS FINE

Fine jewelry, that is. We've transitioned the entire shop to focus solely on precious metals and diamonds. Our reasons are firmly rooted in the belief that fashion can no longer be a throw-away industry. Money speaks louder than words, so let's join forces in the revolution.

We're happy to be closing the book on demi-fine jewelry. For us, offering only fine jewelry is less about status and more about fully embracing the minimalist lifestyle, simplifying our production process and...