Recently, Cheeky Monkey Jewelry was tapped by SeaWeb, a charitable organization driven to protecting the world’s ocean and wildlife while raising awareness of global aquatic issues. Their current campaign, To Precious To Wear, aims to focus on consumer knowledge of the harmful harvest of Pink and Red coral for jewelry and interior decoration purposes. TPTW has already teamed up with artisans and jewelers including; Tiffany & Co., Frank Gehry, Norma Kamali and now.…Cheeky Monkey Jewelry.
The Cause: "Red and pink are among the most valuable and widely traded of all precious corals. They are long-lived, slow growing marine species that have been intensively fished for centuries to meet global demand for jewelry and home décor. Now, they are facing their last chance to receive international trade protection. The United States and the European Union is proposing all species of red and pink coral be listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) . Countries will decide red and pink corals' fate in March 2010 in Doha, Qatar, when they convene for the 15th Conference of Parties. Help protect red and pink coral: Sign Too Precious to Wear's pledge. See a list of jewelry and fashion designers who support an Appendix II listing for red and pink coral.”
Please visit CheekyMonkeyJewelry.com or TooPreciousToWear.com soon to view the entire collection of coral inspired creations.
Shark Week
This past summer, Cheeky Monkey Jewelry played with Sharks during the Discovery Channels' famous Shark Week. Inspired by these fascinating creatures GemGossip brought the CMJ message to the fans of fine jewelry and Shark Week.
Cheeky Monkey Jewelry is please to announce that we were recently noted in the BusinessWeek Executive Gift Guide 2009. Check out all the fun products and ideas including our Seal pendant.
Recently Cheeky Monkey Jewelry donated a silver I Heart Dogs Chihuahua pendant necklace to Ally Shapiro, star of the Real Housewives of NY. Ally, who is a member of Teens Turning Green, “a national movement of teens transforming the world by investigating and eliminating toxic exposures that threaten our health and the environment,” will be wearing and talking about her Cheeky Monkey Jewelry piece in the upcoming season.
Keep an eye out for Ally’s I Heart Dog pendant and her real Chihuahua – Ginger!
Check out Ally talking about being green and Cheeky Monkey Jewelry on NBC: Click Here
DESIGNERS AND OCEAN ACTIVISTS PARTNER WITH SEAWEB TO RAISE AWARNESS OF CORAL CONSERVATION
NEW YORK, N.Y. — October 30, 2009)—SeaWeb today announced that designers Temple St. Clair Carr, CEO and creative director of Temple St. Clair Fine Jewelry, and Simon Cardwell of Cheeky Monkey Jewelry along with environmental activist Céline Cousteau have joined its Too Precious To Wear campaign in an effort to raise awareness about the threats facing corals and reefs and to gain greater protection for precious corals worldwide.
Corals are among the most important animals in the sea, yet they face threats from climate change, ocean acidification, destructive fishing and overfishing, in particular for use as jewelry and home décor and in aquariums.
“We are proud to have these three respected leaders in their fields join the Too Precious To Wear campaign,” said Dawn M. Martin, president of SeaWeb, who will speak at the upcoming conference “Coral: Symbol, Substance and Significance” October 30 and 31 in New York. “Their commitment serves as an important message to the design industry and consumers alike that corals are living animals, not just colorful stones. We look forward to engaging these important voices to highlight the alternatives that are available to real coral.”
Red and pink corals are some of the most valuable of all precious coral species, but they are among the least protected. The United States is the world’s largest documented consumer of precious red and pink corals (also known as Corallium), importing 26 million pieces between 2001 and 2006. Too Precious to Wear is calling for international trade protection for red and pink coral under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species’ (CITES) next meeting in March 2010. Consumers can support this and other protections for corals by signing Too Precious to Wear’s pledge.
“Partnering with SeaWeb was an automatic fit for me and a complement to important ocean conservation efforts I have been involved with for many years,” said environmental activist and filmmaker Céline Cousteau. “Raising awareness about coral conservation is essential to ensure we have a healthy ocean, which is vital for a functioning, healthy planet.”
“In my designs, I will not use coral,” said jewelry designer Temple St. Clair. “I am an avid diver and I draw much inspiration from beauty I see in the ocean without physically taking away from the environment. I am thrilled to join other esteemed designers in acting as a coral conservation spokesperson and advocate for healthier oceans.”
Cheeky Monkey Jewelry founder Simon Cardwell said, “Using responsible materials in jewelry is an important step in protecting our Earth’s vital resources, and that includes corals. SeaWeb’s Too Precious To Wear campaign is a unique approach to attaining coral sustainability and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Corals provide people around the world with food, pharmaceuticals and economic benefits, all while serving as a buffer to protect coastlines from destruction during storms. A recent economic study showed that a single hectare of coral reef provides annual services to humans valued at US $130,000 on average, rising to as much as $1.2 million. Coral reefs also provide food, reproduction areas and safe havens from predators for 25 percent of all marine fish species.
St. Clair, Cardwell and Cousteau join other designers and jewelers who have committed to doing their part for coral conservation by leaving real corals in their natural habitats, including: Tiffany & Co., Lilly Pulitzer, Pottery Barn, Lela Rose, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava, Melissa Joy Manning, Monique Péan, Leber Jeweler, Kimberly McDonald, Hannah Garrison, Michael Aram and Chantecaille.
Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Calendar
On July 15th, Cheeky Monkey Jewelry was invited to Philadelphia for the launch and reveal of the upcoming 2009 / 2010 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Calendar. The eco-friendly Philadelphia Eagles celebrated their second year of an all Green Cheerleading Calendar. The 100% all green calendar used recycled paper, printing, all organic clothes and swimwear in the photos along with all recycled and fair trade jewelry, including CMJ custom pendants.
To honor the Eagles and their cause, CMJ unveiled their newest item to our collection, the American Bald Eagle which is now available for purchase online and in specialty stores near you.
To learn more about the Philadelphia Eagles organization and to see videos and photos from the evening please visit these links below.
A month back CMJ was tapped by Fine Jewelry News to appear in their current issue cover story, Doggie Dazzle.
Here’s a quick excerpt from the issue……
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But wait—what about best pals who happen to be pooches? Now you don’t have to choose, thanks to a wide variety of diamond-studded doggie-themed gems for both you and your favorite furry friend.
Simon Cardwell founded Cheeky Monkey Jewelry as a tribute to the animals and planet he’s come to know and love—and protect. His I HEART Dogs collection spotlights the 12 breeds (and one mix) that represent the most popular dogs in the United States. Sadly, they’re also the breeds that are most often the victims of puppy mills—mass breeding facilities that value consumer demand over the welfare of animals. A portion of the proceeds from the I HEART Dogs collection supports the Humane Society’s campaign against puppy mills, and each charm is made in the USA of 100% Argentium (tarnish-free) recycled.
To read the current issue in it’s entirety please visit Fine Jewelry News by clicking, HERE.
Green With Fashion
Cheeky Monkey Jewelry recently was in Philadelphia to celebrate Earth Day at the Green With Fashion show. The event itself was put together to raise awareness for eco-friendly fashion alternatives with a silent auction to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The show highlighted over twenty eco/green designers with over 300 guests in attendance. Cheeky Monkey Jewelry was even able to snap a quick picture with the lovely Gretchen Rossi wearing a new I HEART Dog pendant.
Check out some pictures below......
Also, we would also like to thank Jenni Izzo for such a wonderful event and for having such a warm heart.
Selena Gomez and Cheeky Monkey Jewelry “HEART” Dogs!
Recently Selena Gomez was in Puerto Rico supporting the non-profit organization Island Dog. Selena was photographed wearing our newest line of jewelry from the I HEART DOGS collection. She wears this necklace in tribute to Fina, one of four rescue dogs she has at home in California, and it was the perfect accessory for her recent day with DoSomething.org where she worked with Island Dog to rescue abandoned dogs on a Puerto Rico beach. The idea for the I HEART DOGS collection came after Cheeky Monkey founder Simon Cardwell custom-designed a pug for Tori Spelling in the likeness of her recently passed canine companion, Mimi LaRue.
To view the video of Selena in Puerto Rico - Click Here
Curb Your Cheeky-ness!
That’s what Ashley Holloway (Sami) from Curb Your Enthusiasm is doing in this recent photo, seen here sporting her silver Owl pendant and necklace.
