Pretty Little Things: Behind Beijing’s Ethical Jewelry

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Like moths to a flame, we are all drawn to the sparkle of beautiful jewelry, the seductive curvature of a gem-studded broach, or even the noble elegance of a simple bracelet. We love pretty little things that connect not only to our inner royal selves, but rather guiltily to our capitalist tendencies. But have you ever stopped to think, “At what cost to the environment did my diamond ring come?” We might all be familiar with the direct human conflicts precious metals and gems can wreak, but the environmental impact still remains a mystery to a large extent. It is this sort of question which led Yushan Sun down her chosen path, as a jewelry designer and founder of Solotus Jewelry Studio located in the 798 Art District in Beijing, entirely dedicated to sustainable jewelry design and production.

Sporting a buzz cut and a fresh face, she is unconventionally striking. Observing her work, it is easy to see the passion in her eyes. It is painstaking work, which requires both patience and precision, much like a surgeon working around a delicate nerve. Looking at her exquisitely produced pieces, it is hard to believe that all the glittering stones bouncing shards of light back into my eyes are man-made moissanite and rubies grown in labs. The metals used are also upcycled, a trend becoming a mainstay in the world of design.

Yushan Sun

What initially inspired you when you were a student to study in this field, and what was your parents’ reaction to your choice?
Strangely, I was obsessed with being in the service industry growing up. Ever since I became of legal age to work – which is 16 in China – I loved being a part of a team to serve people. Since then I have been a waitress, bartender, parade performer, bubble tea barista, and dancer just to mention a few. Along the way I realized I was mostly attracted to the immediate outcome in the service industry – the satisfaction of the customer shows, which is always an instant source of validation.

However, as a student with good grades in school, it didn’t make that much sense to be in the service industry; not to mention the fact that my parents wouldn’t have been all too satisfied with my life choices. That withstanding, I needed to find a more skillful way to make something truly unique.
So I decided on making wedding rings as my next goal. I first decided that when I was 17. Part of the decision came from being a romantic at heart as a teenager, but also with a part of me thinking the rings are some of the most important pieces of jewelry and indeed in a relationship; not only wedding rings, but also objects like lockets, signet rings, custom pieces that honor specific events, and so forth. The tradition of wearing an object as a memento is so beautiful that making them sounded truly like the perfect lifelong career.

How did your upbringing inspire you to not only become a jeweler but choose to go the sustainable route?
When I was attending Virginia Commonwealth University pursuing a degree in crafts, I came across a truly inspiring professor: Susie Ganch, who is also the co-founder of the Ethical Metalsmith organization, and director of the Radical Jewelry Makeover movement, a show that travels the world inviting metal-smiths make something new with unwanted jewelry. Learning about what happens behind a piece of jewelry and the possible waste during mining, cutting, and producing jewelry changed my perception of working as a jeweler and designer.
Getting into the industry, I worked as a bench jeweler in Aide-memoire Jewelry studio, which is also a part of the ethical jewelry brand. That provided me with a new and refreshing point of view of what one can do to make a difference in one’s line of jewelry to make it truly sustainable. I decided to take part in the movement and introduce the idea to consumers in China. Therefore my flagship store at the 798 art district, Solotus jewelry studio, serves a possibility of sustainable jewelry using maximum recycled precious metal with lab-grown and recycled gem stones.

What are some things that people don’t consider when they are looking for jewelry that you would wish they did?
People have different reason when shopping or customizing jewelry, so they look for different things: design, brand, and price points. I truly understand that. Lots would overlook other makers, the miners as well as the gem cutters. When you find a piece that’s somehow very cheap, think about the people and hands said piece goes through. The price can tell a lot; would you imagine the share a gem cutter or an artisanal miner can get from selling the goods? Would consider them to be well paid? How about the designers? Did you see a similar piece before? Is there actually a designer behind the piece? Or is it a case of only copying and modifications from some other fellow designers?
As consumers, asking the right questions helps the market to be more sustainable, therefore that’s the unique power that every consumer has. As they say: “we vote with our money.”

Where do you see your industry is heading to? What is the future of jewelry and where do you see yourself in this future?
As the social structure changes with time, we are all headed towards a different direction towards a lifestyle-oriented future. As I personally have a positive mindset, I like to think we are all getting more socially aware as well as environmentally conscious. The process is certainly gradual, but it is well underway.
As a jeweler that makes wedding rings and custom pieces, I see more people who respect and support independent jewelers, especially the ones that follow a more ethical production process. There is a lot to be done, but with a supporting community, we shall all be making an impact in due time.

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What is your advice to parents and kids who might be considering a career in the jewelry industry, and how might you encourage them to go forward with their dreams?
I was lucky to have a supportive family that really respected my own path. Both of my parents were engineers that worked in different fields. Born in the 60s in rural China, they were lucky to have me in a big city like Beijing, but neither of them were in touch with the art or design field. That makes my own career path something brand new to the family. All three of us worked very hard, with me following my dream path, and my loving parents trying to not only understand but also provide unconditional support.

Jewelry design might sounds nice and pretty, but when you dig into it, there’s a lot more in the industry that might be obscured and that one needs to be aware of; for instance, one carat of diamond needs 250 tons of digging into the earth, with further cultural sacrifices in the mining area. Additionally, hard ground mining like gold mines will create acid chemical waste that leaves a drying ground. And I am sure jewelry is not the only such harmful industry.  Every industry has its own ethics and things that are to be found and discussed.

There’s never a straight path towards finding a perfect solution to such problems. This is the time to fully explore alternatives. And not only think of the responsibility we have to the future generations but to the ones that came before. Learn from their mistakes while teaching the future generations of a better way.

What is your all-time inspiration for your work?

Culture and art from history. Recently, I really got into the Indian royal objects from the 1800s. I like to keep a sketch book and sketch out objects found on streets, shops, and museums to have a better understanding of the maker’s creative process.

Photos: Courtesy of Yushan Sun

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