Female Founders of Luxury Jewelry Brand Attrē Bringing Transparency and Ethical Practices to the Diamond Industry

Ever since Hollywood blockbusters like “Blood Diamond,” diamonds’ reputation has been tarnished. With their luxury jewelry brand Attrē, two women from Linz and Vienna have now made it their mission to not only literally polish up the image of gemstones, but also to leave their lasting fingerprint in a male-dominated industry. The idea for Attrē was born in the Gemological Training Center in Linz; the two founders, Maria Zelenko and Marina Stütz, were trained there together, Zelenki to become a diamond appraiser and Stütz to become a gemologist. “We quickly realized that our views and visions for the jewelry industry were very similar,” says Zelenko, who worked as a fashion journalist for more than ten years and wanted to take a new path with her training. The jewelry industry is not new territory for Stütz, the Upper Austrian was the first woman to take over the fortunes of the family business Goldwelt in Linz. “I almost couldn’t escape the industry, I’m the fourth generation on my father’s side and the third generation on my mother’s side to work in the jewelry industry,” she laughs.

The expert knows all the more about the current state of the jewelry industry. “There are hardly any women in the diamond industry at the moment, this is a historical phenomenon. When you consider that the jewelry is primarily designed for and worn by women, it’s almost ironic,” says Stütz. The two founders are also aware of the mixed reputation of diamonds and gold. “The term ‘recycled’ is overused in the context of gold, because once gold is melted down and poured into a mold, it is essentially recycled. “So that can mean almost anything,” says Zelenko. In this case, the term secondary gold is much more appropriate. “This is gold that already existed for another product, so a much more transparent description.” The two women use 18 carat secondary gold at Attrē, and the women also rely on the highest quality for the diamonds. “It took us two years to find the right partner from whom we source our diamonds.” The choice fell on Sarine, a manufacturer of precision technology for the assessment and planning of gemstones, which also specializes in the traceability of the origin of diamonds Diamonds engaged.

Only 0.2 percent blood diamonds worldwide

According to the experts, 100 million carats of diamonds are found in the world every year. “95 percent of these go through Sarine’s machines,” says Stütz. The fact that the majority of diamonds are found under poor working conditions can invalidate support. “80 percent of diamonds are found by large companies that follow and comply with ethical standards.” However, the experts do not deny the existence of blood diamonds. “However, fortunately the number is small,” says Zelenko. Just 0.2 percent of the diamonds found worldwide are so-called blood diamonds.

For this reason, the duo is relying on a process that can determine what cut diamonds looked like in their raw form and where they came from. “This involves 3D printing the diamond and analyzing external and internal features. This technology makes it possible to determine the exact origin,” explain the founders. When purchasing a piece of jewelry, customers receive all the information about how the diamond was produced in the form of a certificate, the so-called “Diamond Journey”. “We are the first luxury jewelry company in German-speaking countries to use this technology, and we are proud of that,” say the two. “With the Diamond Journey we want to underline the appreciation for the product.” How does a small Austrian start-up get access to such technology? Stütz read about the new technology in an industry magazine and asked if he was lucky. “I had an answer an hour later, and two weeks later Sarine’s European boss visited me in Linz.” The jewelry expert adds that it is of course an additional advantage that the family has been anchored in the industry for generations.

Each piece of jewelry comes with a “Diamond Journey” certificate © Craig Dillon

Long-lasting jewelry for generations

With Attrē, the two women want to commit to producing long-lasting jewelry that will last for generations. Traditional craftsmanship should be combined with modern yet timeless elements. “These are pieces that are ideally bought once and then remain beautiful for decades. Of course, we also hope that as women we can kick off a stone that will give the industry a more feminine touch. Even though we know that the clocks in this area turn slowly.”

2023-12-17 07:27:26
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