Gemporia is now 19, and a lot has happened since our inception in 2004. We've had a multitude of ups and downs, but bringing natural and bespoke gemstone jewellery to you has always been our number one priority – and we’ve hit some huge milestones along the way!
So, for our birthday this year, we’re honouring our 19-year legacy by celebrating some of our greatest achievements.
Here are just a few of them!
LAUNCHING THE UK’S FIRST-EVER GEMSTONE SHOPPING CHANNEL
GemsTV first launched at 4pm on 8th October 2004, and we’ve never looked back! We launched as a way to sell affordable gemstone jewellery, and we were hugely proud to be the first reverse auction shopping channel in the UK, and the first British channel to just sell gemstones.
Since our inception we have brought a whole host of different products to your screens, but we continue to honour our legacy by still presenting you with high-quality, fine jewellery at a price that’s accessible.
FORMING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SUSTAINABLE MINES & ENSURING ETHICAL SOURCING
Part of our ethos at Gemporia is to source not only natural gemstones, but to source them as ethically as possible. After all, it’s Mother Nature who provides us with these stunning gems, so we owe it to our planet to ensure it’s looked after.
Over the years, we have formed some significant partnerships with sustainable mines, and we always make sure to responsibly source our stones. We pride ourselves in only sourcing the finest natural gemstones, and this is just one of the vital steps we take in order to do it.
BEING RECOGNISED BY MAJOR JEWELLERY AND GEMSTONE INDUSTRY AWARDS
Although it’s not why we do what we do here at Gemporia, but we’re always grateful for the recognition we receive for our hard work.
Over the years, we have had many industry awards bestowed upon us; we were recognised by the Sunday Times for being the UK’s fastest-growing privately owned business in 2012, and following that we became E-Tailer of the Year for three years running!
We are extremely privileged to have received honours like these from the likes of Jewellery World Awards and the National Association of Jewellers, and we’ll never stop striving to continue to be the best at what we do.
BECOMING AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED BUSINESS
Back in 2017, our founder Steve Bennett sold 75% of Gemporia to us, meaning everyone who is employed at Gemporia is a partner in the business.
As an employee-owned business, all employees have an equal share in the company and has an input all company decisions, meaning we all have a stake in the organisation we help to run.
GIVING YOU ACCESS TO THE WORLD’S RAREST GEMSTONES
Here at Gemporia, the most important thing to us is never forgetting the reason why our business began: to make the world’s finest gemstones accessible for all.
For the last 19 years, we’ve had the pleasure of bringing you some of Mother Nature’s greatest treasures, and done the impossible to showcase some of the rarest and most beautiful natural gemstones that the planet has ever seen.
These gemstones are, but aren’t limited to:
Alexandrite
Known for its mesmerising colour-changing properties, Alexandrite is quite rare and highly prized. It exhibits shades of green in daylight and shifts to a reddish-purple under incandescent light – in short, it’s a true marvel of nature.
Paraiba Tourmaline
This stunning stone is well-known for its electrifying neon-blue or green colours – which is also what makes it highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Originally discovered in Brazil, deposits of this wonderful gemstone are now also found in Mozambique and Nigeria.
Tanzanite
This captivating gemstone is found in just one place on Earth: the Merelani Hills of Tanzania. Known for its breath-taking blue-violet hue, Tanzanite is widely desired for both its beauty and rarity.
Grandidierite
With its striking blue-green colour, Grandidierite is an incredibly rare gemstone with an immensely small supply. As a result, it is extremely valuable and highly sought-after by collectors and gem enthusiasts worldwide.
Padparadscha Sapphire
Affectionately named after the delicate colour of a lotus flower, Padparadscha Sapphire features an enchanting and unique blend of pink and orange hues.
Argyle Diamonds
Argyle Diamonds are renowned for their exceptional quality and stunning natural colours. Before its closure in 2020, the Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia was known for producing some of the most exquisite pink and champagne-coloured Diamonds in the world. Now, as supplies diminish, the stones are becoming all the more desirable.
Imperial Jadeite
Known for its vibrant green colour and exceptional transparency, Imperial Jadeite is a rare and highly prized gemstone that’s steeped in myth and legend.
COLLABORATING WITH INFLUENTIAL DESIGNERS AND CELEBRITIES
Since our inception in 2004, we have had the pleasure of working with some of the largest jewellery houses and designers in the world, including the likes of Samuel Benham, Rebecca Sellors and Charles Winston (who just so happens to be one of our brilliant birthday guests this year!)
Plus, our pieces have been worn and adored by various famous faces on and off the red carpet, including Nicole Kidman and even Her Majesty Queen Camilla.
Accompanying Charles on our screens throughout October will also be Baltic Amber expert Mariusz Gielo and master gemstone carver Glenn Lehrer.
BEING FEATURED IN TOP FASHION AND JEWELLERY MAGAZINES AND ONLINE PLATFORMS
Although our products are sold completely online, did you know we’ve also been in print?
Magazines such as Vogue, Glamour and Retail Jeweller have featured us and our jewellery pieces in their publications, and we’re proud to stand alongside such powerhouses of fashion and jewellery.
CELEBRATING SUSTAINABILITY & GIVING BACK
Ethics, people and the environment have always been integral parts of everything we do at Gemporia, and we’re constantly working to make our operations more sustainable and improve the communities affected by gemstone sourcing.
Since our inception in 2004, we have:
Responsibly sourced natural gemstones from ethical mines
Switched to eco-friendly, recyclable packaging
Improved the working conditions of Turkey’s Csarite mine, and planted two trees for every one we fell
Created our jewellery designs based on the gemstones we find, reducing wasted materials
Offset our carbon emissions through various projects since becoming Carbon Neutral in 2021
Built libraries and schools to provide education for those living in affected areas
To read about our sustainability efforts in more detail, read our sustainability blog.
75% OF OUR GOLD JEWELLERY IS MADE FROM RECYCLED GOLD
One of our largest sustainability pledges is making sure that all the materials we use to create our jewellery is made as responsibly as possible.
Currently, we create our Gold jewellery using 75% recycled Gold, with a pledge to make this 100% by 2026. Businesses account for a huge portion of the UK’s Carbon Footprint and, although we’re aware that we still have steps to take, we are committed to tackling the climate crisis wherever we can.
PROVIDING NEW AND IMPROVED SHOPPING EXPERIENCES
Despite starting out as a shopping channel, we’ve been constantly evolving to bring you new and easy ways to shop with us. Now, you can purchase our jewellery via our website, our app and our social media channels such as TikTok.
Both our content and our products are constantly being updated on each of these platforms, so you’re always able to shop the latest deals and get the newest information on all your favourite items.
We've come a long way over the last 19 years, and this just makes us even more excited for everything we want to bring to you in the future. It's been a privilege to bring you Mother Nature’s treasures for the last 19 years, and we look forward to doing it for 19 years more.
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