Smart EcoStyle of the Week: Whimsy Jewelry

(top set) 'Sarah' ($225.00) accented with burnished, reclaimed 14-karat gold details, (bottom set) 'Hannah' ($125.00) crafted with reclaimed pure sterling silver. Whimsy jewelry collection designed by R. Craig Whitten.

Eco-friendly jewelry is surely making its presence in the world of eco-fashion. I came across a collection of customizable rings designed by R. Craig Whitten. His latest collection, 'whimsy' offers a new twist on the wildly popular collectible bead jewelry and provide a new and easy way to showcase the striking glass beads. I love that whimsy rings are designed to accommodate beads made by all the major bead manufacturers including Trollbreads, Pandora and Chamilia. So, you can easily change the beads to whatever the color or pattern trends are every season!
Aside from the unique and functional design, whimsy rings are made ONLY from reclaimed gemstones and metals. Reclaimed meaning that no post industrial waste but dormant metals and gems.This is a conscious decision on Whitten's part as his way to counter the effects of the top toxic polluter in the U.S., the mining industry. According to the NoDirtyGold campaign (nodirtygold.org), a single gold ring leaves a shocking 20 TONS of harmful mine waste? Makes me think if the next gold jewelry I buy is worth the harsh effects to the environment it does during manufacturing.

The price range for whimsy rings is $125.00 -$399.00. I know you think that is more than what you would spend on a piece of jewelry like this. But with the interchangeable bead feature just change it up with a different color bead or gemstone and voila! a new ring. And think about how much toxic mine waste you prevented by buying a whimsy ring instead of a gold one. As R. Craig Whitten said about whimsy rings, "It's a small step, but a step in the right direction". So, true.

For more information about the whimsy jewelry collection and where to purchase, go to whimsywoldrwide.com. Stay tuned for your chance to win a whimsy ring on Earth Day!