Originally from Canada, John Hardy went to Bali in 1975 to study traditional Balinese jewelry techniques from local masters. Now he lives there with his family in structures made of wood, woven bamboo and mud with thatch roofs and native stone floors.
We carry the jewelry of quite a few prominent designers, but John Hardy is different. For example, I’m reasonably certain that none of our other designers have found occasion to utter the sentence: “The elephant grass over there is cut by hand to feed the cows.” There is a simple reason for this, and it can be summed up in two words:

Sustainable Luxury.

He doesn’t just grow elephant grass to feed his cows, (or ducks, chickens, geese and pigs) he has an organic farm which produces enough food to feed his 600+ artisans and workers.

Even with six hundred people working-the workshops are surprisingly quiet. Almost every piece of John Hardy jewelry is made by hand. Generations of knowledge and traditional techniques are applied with care in the creation of each piece-and this is immediately apparent when you wear a piece of John Hardy jewelry.
Sustainable luxury is more that a catch phrase, it’s an entire way of life. I got a chance to interview John Hardy via email:
Cleve: When did you first realize the importance of sustainable luxury?
John Hardy: When Indonesia went through its economic crisis there was a story about not having enough food, so I started planting some so our workers could eat.

Cleve: How important is it for the luxury goods industry to understand sustainable luxury?
John Hardy: Extremely important. Sustainability is the future. The path we’re on is clearly not the path of sustainability. There’s plenty of everything, except in the presence of extreme greed. We need to realize that the sustainable future is the future of sharing a plenty.

Cleve: What is the most important thing you’ve learned from the Balinese?
John Hardy: I appreciate the Balinese because of their way of being. No matter what they’re doing, they’re living in a peaceful space. it’s really something to aspire to.

Cleve: In 100 years, what do you hope the people of Bali will say about John Hardy?
John Hardy: JH was the first man to recognize that we were actually the future, we weren’t the past of the world.

Cleve: If you could communicate one sentence to every person who wears a piece of John Hardy jewelry-what would it be?
John Hardy: Put it on, never take it off, enjoy it every minute.
Rings Bracelets Earrings Necklaces Men’s
For more information On John Hardy visit www.johnhardy.com