Our Impact

Richard Gretz Goldsmiths is the oldest continuously owned goldsmith shop in the valley. We have designed and created fine, custom jewelry for over 45 years, and are committed to continually adapting our practices to maintain the traceability and sustainability we feel is in accordance with our high-quality jewelry.

Gold

We are committed to creating a positive impact by obtaining precious metals and gemstones in ways that are socially and environmentally responsible. Industrial mining can be destructive, not only to the environment but to the minors who are often underpaid, enslaved, and mistreated. We have a long-standing relationship with our gold vendors and stone suppliers; we trust their reputable practices of maintaining high values and ethical standards concerning gold sourcing. This includes supporting companies that prohibit human trafficking and slavery in the countries they do business. Our gold is refined or recycled into the beautiful pieces we create here, with no degradation of quality or value.

Gemstones

Gemstones come from all over the world and can make it to market through unethical and harmful practices. At Richard Gretz Goldsmiths, we pride ourselves in great relationships with our suppliers, which allows us to track our stones back to where they originated. We work hard to support communities around the globe through the gem trade, purchasing stones directly from the miners, or buying from only the most reputable companies that we’ve worked with for many years. Richard has gone as far as traveling to Madagascar, Burma, and other countries to create relationships with local miners and gem cutters, something the majority of jewelers will never do. Not only does this allow us to support local families from the region, but it cuts out the middleman and the risks that arise from over-exploitation from larger companies. To continue our great relationships with stone suppliers, Richard and our team travel to Arizona each year for the largest gem and mineral show in the world. For one week, we reconnect with many of our suppliers in person and stock up on ethically sourced and quality gemstones. If you have any questions about where your stone comes from and how we obtained it, please feel free to contact us and we’ll offer our best knowledge of the stone and its origins.

Diamonds

History has shown that diamonds are one of the most valuable and sought-after stones on Earth. They have been used for tens of thousands of years to create jewelry, tools, art, and more. Unfortunately, this precious stone draws conflict as humans seek it out. Since the turn of the century, people started really thinking about the effect diamonds had on the world, and how we may be more ethical in how we obtain it. In 2003 the Kimberly Process was created to prevent any "blood diamonds", or diamonds that were correlated with war, corruption, and slavery. You can read more about the Kimberly Process by clicking here.

Here at the shop, we are dedicated to knowing where our diamonds come from and offering not just Earth-mined diamonds, but lab-grown as well. We are one of few jewelers in Oregon that offer both because we care that our customers feel comfortable knowing where their stone came from and choosing the most ethical stone possible. Feel free to contact us by phone to ask for more information on lab-grown diamonds.