January 22, 2007

Reclaim Your Jewelry

F190 Jewelry

You’re well-schooled in the three R’s: reuse (last year’s ballet flats are still looking good), recycle (see: sweater-turned-wacky purse), and refuse (to wear jewelry — everyone knows there’s blood on those diamonds).

But you might reconsider that last one once you get a look at F190, designer Page Neal’s collection made from salvaged metals and chains.

Her pieces are delicately forged with unexpected details. The Coraled necklace features a coral branch cast in silver that’s hung from two long chains. Blue Sided has a hand-carved, ridged silver bit that joins vintage Japanese strands in sterling silver and blue. Any style can be made in the metal of your choice.

Neal does it all to promote a more responsible jewelry industry. (At the moment, she’s also working to create federal standards for recycled metals as well as for fair trade mines.)

Which brings to mind another R: righteous.

To order, e-mail page@f190.org. To see styles, go to f190.org.