By Ase Anderson in London
The natural beauty of uncut emeralds is laid bare in Gemfields' new advertising campaign starring its global ambassador, the Hollywood actress Mila Kunis.
Shot entirely in black and white by the famous fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, the stunning pictures stand out for two reasons. Firstly, Mila is not wearing any of the gemstones. Instead, the raw green emeralds have been superimposed onto the monochrome advertising visuals, emphasising their colour as well as Gemfields' role as a leading producer of coloured stones. Secondly, it features the actress in a completely natural state, sans clothes, make-up and elaborate hairstyle. Says Mila: "I think it was probably the most natural I've ever felt on a shoot. It was all about being free, present and totally at peace with nature and the environment."
With an emphasis on social and environmental responsibility, Gemfields works in close partnership with dealers and manufacturers to track and monitor its gems throughout their journey, from mine to consumer. As the world's leading supplier of coloured gemstones, its Kagem mine in Zambia is the source of 20% of the world's emeralds.
Gemfields' CEO Ian Harebottle says: "As a company we are passionate about colour and fully committed to ethics, transparency and the sustainable development of the communities in which we operate, and finding the right partner who shares these values is vitally important. Mila has blown me away with her energy, enthusiasm and dedication."
For her part, the actress says that her involvement with Gemfields has made her "appreciate jewellery so much more because you learn how much work goes into finding that stone and how truly special they are. Who doesn't want to feel special?"
