Emilie Bliguet: the most radical change to fair metal, in a new gallery dedicated to responsible jewellery
The work of a jeweller is a profoundly artisanal one, involving hours of dialogue between the materials and the creator. For Emilie Bliguet, in these moments of intimacy the artist’s hands listen to the stories that the metal reveals about its origins. With this idea in mind, one day, more than ten years ago, she decided to embark on the search for stories of a different kind.
She recalls that it was not so easy back then. The Oro Verde program was the only responsible metal-sourcing initiative, and her attempts to contact them were unsuccessful. Some time later however this project gave way to the creation of the international Fairtrade and Fairmined certification system for artisanal and small-scale mining. This was a major step forward. In 2014, she obtained the Fairmined licence and integrated responsibly-sourced gold and silver into her jewellery.
The move she made was far from a gradual transition, and more of a radical change. Soon, 80% of her production was made from fair trade and traceable metal. In terms of using metals, she states that making the change is much easier than it might otherwise seem. At least that’s how it was in her experience. She also incorporated diamonds and coloured gemstones, and has gradually been using up the stock she had left over from a trip she made to India years ago. She now buys all the stones from a supplier who provides gems from various small-scale responsible mining projects that apply the mine-to-market model in order to ensure traceability and decent conditions from the source.
In mid-2024, she opened the doors of the Emilie Bliguet Ethical Jewellery Gallery, located in a neighbourhood with a long tradition of craftsmanship in the heart of Barcelona. The gallery is a slow-paced space where she welcomes each visitor with the warmth and intimacy with which she understands the craft. It exhibits a selection of unique and collectible pieces: organic, fluid and rich in texture, they express her sensitivity in translating the emotions evoked by nature into the language of jewellery. Increasingly, she is focusing on creating customised pieces and giving a second life to family jewellery, reusing materials laden with sentiment to reinterpret them and honour the past. The gallery houses pieces from fellow brands such as Adoro mi oro and Majoral and occasionally hosts exhibitions and other events dedicated to responsible jewellery.
The composition of the space defines a contemporary jewellery design studio, in which Emilie also pays tribute to old crafts that are being lost and which she wants to highlight: carpentry, engraving, glasswork… The furniture and interior elements are very special objects that she has obtained by tirelessly scouring the Encants Market, and which reflect this desire to celebrate a rich and high-quality craft culture that is unique to the region.
On her journey towards more responsible practices, she currently faces two challenges. On the one hand, moving towards ethical finance. On the other hand, learning to explain more and better what has led her to work with responsible materials and the stories with a positive impact behind her pieces, thus contributing to raising critical awareness through active, honest and transformative communication.