The inaugural interview with a friend of a friend for EM’s Findings is Donna Distefano.

Donna is a goldsmith par excellence, who has owned Donna Distefano Ltd. in New York City for over twenty-five years. Her work is handcrafted in 22 karat gold and draws upon references from art history and music. She has presented papers on Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy in both English and Italian. She is, dare we say, a Renaissance woman!

[Full disclosure for the sake of transparency: Donna was my first goldsmithing instructor and is a member of Ethical Metalsmiths.]

What are your wishes for the jewelry world for the year 2021?

We posed these questions to people in different corners of the world; their answers are below. Full disclosure for the sake of transparency: several are on the board of directors or advisory council of Ethical Metalsmiths.

What does the word “sustainable” mean in the context of jewelry?

Do we mean a thriving jewelry business, one that we hope will endure for generations to come? Do we mean that miners, their families and communities will have jobs indefinitely, based on their own country’s natural resources?

Today’s jeweler will likely encounter a pickle agent based on sodium bisulfate or a similar and equally harsh chemical. Although I am not a chemist, it seems that when water is added to sodium bisulfate and the solution is heated, acidic fumes can be released.

To most people, the word “recycled” conjures the notion that the thing - in this case, the gold - has been used before, and is now being presented in its re-utilized state.