The Literal Pendant

Front: “THIS STONE WAS MINED BY HADIJAH”
Back: “AND THE GOLD WAS MINED BY LUIS”
18kt Fairmined yellow gold, mined by Luis Celadita Abel III in Peru and a 1.80ct garnet mined by Hadijah in Tanzania, cut by Jenna Sloane in Carlsbad, CA. Hanging on an 18” recycled oxidized sterling silver paperclip chain with an 18kt Fairmined yellow gold clasp.

Part of the Literal Series designed by Emily Phillippy of Emily Chelsea Jewelry for the Reciprocity Show 2024, part of NYC Jewelry Week.
The Literal Series is a tribute to the often-overlooked individuals of the jewelry industry—the miners whose labor and dedication lie at the heart of each piece. This collection shifts the spotlight from the designer to the miner, honoring their essential role by plainly and proudly displaying their names directly onto each piece. In stripping away fine details and ornamentation, these designs embody the raw beauty of gold in a less refined state, a nod to the material’s origins and to the hands that mined it.
The Literal Series challenges the conventional hierarchy of the jewelry-making process, where the designer often receives acclaim while the miner remains anonymous. Here, I aim to create an unembellished celebration of the miners’ work—a reminder that the story of each piece begins not with design, but with the miner’s labor and resilience.

The gold used in this pendant was directly mined from AMATAF in the Tambopata National Reserve in Peru. AMATAF is the first alluvial mining organization certified Fairmined in the AMAZON.