On the world’s largest island, Greenland, an untouched dead lake has buried rubies and pink sapphires under snow and ice over two billion years. In 2005, geologists unearthed the significant ruby mineral in this fjords surrounded site nestled 155 miles south of Greenland’s capital Nuuk. Licensed by the Greenland government in 2016, Greenland Ruby is the only legal ruby and pink sapphire miner of the deposit named Aappaluttoq, meaning ‘red’ in Greenlandic, for 30 years. Greenland Ruby’s head office locates in the capital of Greenland while the sales and marketing division set in New York. The gemstones mine construction initiated in 2014 operated by LNS Greenland, a sister company of Greenland Ruby. Almost all miners are sourced from the country with some of them are local fishermen and hunters, who are all protected by local laws. Both companies are subsidiaries of Leonhard Nielsen and Sonner (LNS) group, a Norwegian family-owned group that handles mining contracts, road projects, bridges and tunnels in arctic regions.
The raising star
Aappaluttoq is believed to be the oldest corundum deposit in the world that is twice as old as most of other deposits. The site is accessible only by boat and helicopter for three months in summer. Estimated to have 9-15 years operation life together with two newly identified neighbouring deposits, Greenlandic rubies and pink sapphires are expected to have an ample and steady supply of 87 million carats annually for about 40 years while 10 percent of the rough remains in the country for tourist and local market.
Gemstones from different origins have distinctive hues and identifiable properties. Greenland Ruby’s gemstones vary in shades from deep and vibrant red, known in the industry as ‘pigeon’s blood’ to pale icy pink, which is regarded as pink sapphires. The company has considered introducing the hue as ‘Viking Red’. The gemstones are embedded in amphibolite host rock, the same deposit host from deposits in Mozambique, Tanzania and Madagascar and differ from rubies unearth from marble deposits in Burma, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan and from basalt deposits in Cambodia and Thailand.
The rough will be transported to Nuuk, where for removal of any host rock by hydrofluoric acid for 48 hours after a series of examination and classification done by a magnetic separator and an optical sorter. Polishing process takes place in Thailand and India at the moment. Greenland Ruby hopes to establish cutting and polishing operation in Greenland to support the local economy as well as a self-sufficient production line. All polished come with a certificate of origin authorised and issued by the government of Greenland, guaranteeing the origin, human rights record and environmental responsibility. They are trackable from mine to market as well.
Values beyond profit
The firm values human rights, ethical, social, environmental and responsible practices. It has established the Pink Polar Bear Foundation, an initiative to donate a percentage of proceeds from its gemstone sales to international polar research in all disciplines, especially protecting the inhabitants (both animal and human) of Greenland, who are affected by climate change and accompanying cultural changes.
Bedazzling presence
Danish Hartmann’s Jewellery, one of the only three European retailers to claim the ‘Argyle Pink Select Atelier’ title, is the first ever brand to introduce jewellery features stones of red hues from Greenland Ruby. “Denmark has very close ties with Greenland because it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The fact that the Greenland ruby being our first real precious stone is important, I think many Scandinavian customers will be very interested in acquiring this beautiful and warm gemstone that has such a wonderful story to tell,” said the brand founder Ulrik Hartmann. The launched collection in 2018 composed of 50 pieces using approximately 300 carats of gems priced from US$1,500- $45,000 sold out in nine days on the market.
Los Angeles jewellery designer Victor Velyan launched a collection in the last festive season. “The visual contrast of these deep, blood-red stones and the stark white glaciers under which they’re created filled me with inspiration. I knew I wanted to develop collections that feature these unique gems,” he explained his reason behind the selection. The collection comprises 10 to 12 pieces of earrings, rings and cuffs adorned with cabochon Greenland rubies and wreathed in diamonds. The artist plans to apply these gems from the ice-covered island to his future jewellery designs.
Hayley Henning, the company vice president of sales and marketing said the firm will roll out sales and marketing strategy and search for like-minded partners who are into telling stories in the United States, Europe and Asia and Middle East. Greenland Ruby positions itself as one of the most influential suppliers of coloured gemstones in the
market.
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