The $125 Green Bracelet, the first piece from the Simmons Jewelry Co.’s Green Initiative collection, was released in April and is already showing up on the wrists of black celebrities.
The bracelets are made of green malachite beads and conflict-free African diamonds. The company, co-owned by Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons, is giving 50% of the net profits from the bracelet and 25% from all other pieces in the collection to the Diamond Empowerment Fund. The fund will help finance educational programs that empower the people and communities of Africa, where diamonds are a natural resource. The fund’s first charity focus will be the CIDA College, which has 3,300 students.
“I’ve been involved with a few organizations that give to Africa. But most just give money for the bare necessities, like clean water. I didn’t see any that promoted empowerment,” says Russell Simmons. “I think higher education will have a larger and longer impact.”