When Christie and Rosanna Wollenberg launched demi-fine jewellery brand Otiumberg they became increasingly aware of the serious environmental impact the jewellery industry has on our planet.
Here, they talk to Tatler about why there are still too few brands out there tackling the most severe environmental and socioeconomic effects of luxury business, and why it's important we all admit there's room for improvement.
Read more: 5 of the Most Breathtaking High Jewellery Collections of 2021
What inspires your jewellery?
Our community, friends and those who surround us. We design pieces that we ourselves love to wear, so each piece is incredibly personal.What’s it like working with your sister?
We instinctively drive the business forward together and we’ve always have a natural and intuitive understanding of what we want Otiumberg to be, as both a brand and a business. We’ve never disagreed on anything when it comes to design, so we’re totally in tune with each other.
Surely there are challenges?
It can be hard to switch from being co-founders to sisters. Our business has grown really quickly, so it’s been all hands on deck for the last couple of years. We make sure we carve out time and space to enjoy each other’s company as sisters and as part of a family.
Who wears your jewellery?
People who appreciate beauty. Our customers wear jewellery that feels good and that they associate with a special memory. They want to invest in timeless pieces and are passionate about investing in jewellery that’s well made.
How do you ensure your jewellery is sustainable?
Sustainability is something we are hugely passionate about. We recognise that it’s an ever-evolving conversation and that there’s always room for improvement, and we’re committed to an ongoing multi-criteria review of every piece we make. All our jewellery is made using recycled gold and ethically sourced diamonds.
What could other jewellers do to make the industry more sustainable?
Jewellers need to work together. Jewellery can be a very tight-knit business, and we’ve had to work really hard to open up our supply chain so we can ask for actionable changes to the way our pieces are produced. The more brands that take on this responsibility, the more supply chains will have to respond, react and change for the better.
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