Total Traceability: Exploring the Mine-to-Finger Principles of Morebelli in Madagascar

Every year, I mark my birthday with a trip to a country I have never been to. In 2025, I excitedly boarded a plane and headed to the island nation of Madagascar to visit Aurelien Morette and Giuseppe Pocobelli, the founders of fine jewellery brand Morebelli. They had invited me to this biodiversity hotspot in the Indian Ocean to discover their process of sourcing gemstones from local miners (it was my first trip to a gem mine ever), cutting them in-house, creating jewellery and selling pieces to international buyers via their online store and boutiques. While in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, we discussed how Aurelian and Giuseppe are running a jewellery business with what they call a 'mine-to-finger concept'. Read on to learn what this encapsulates and what makes Morebelli special.

Sometimes, an opportunity will arise that is so remarkable that you will move mountains to make it happen. That's exactly how I felt when Aurelien Morette and Giuseppe Pocobelli invited me on a once-in-a-lifetime gem discovery trip in Antananarivo and Ilakaka. I have dedicated a separate article to this on-the-ground experience, focusing on my perceptions of the artisanal and machine-led mining I saw, the people I encountered, and my impressions of the gemstone culture that has flourished in this pocket of south-western Madagascar. The other facet of my trip included a visit to Morebelli's fine jewellery shop and ateliers in Antananarivo to dive deeper into its mine-to-finger principles, which allow it to offer greater traceability and operate more responsibly in relation to fair practices, wages, and employment at its cutting facilities. This is the topic that I will focus on in this article, but I do recommend reading my debut report on Morebelli's history and ethos to ensure you have some helpful background.

The first thing to know about Madagascar is that it is incredibly beautiful. The scenery alone is enough to take your breath away, and the people are welcoming and hospitable. That being said, it is not a luxurious place. Roughly 75% of the population is considered to live below the poverty line, especially in rural areas. The country's natural resources, including sapphires, chrysoberyl, emeralds, aquamarines, and tourmalines, are vital currency but are open to exploitation by foreign actors.

When I was first introduced to Morebelli in Hong Kong, I was impressed by its founders, both of whom are expat gemmologists, and their fully integrated business model, but I will admit to having a healthy dose of scepticism. After all, a company can espouse its ethical, sustainable and responsible principles online without committing to any of these attributes behind closed doors. It was essential for me to get proof of their claims about ethics before I vouched for the brand in this article. And the founders didn't disappoint. Both Aurelien, who was born in France, and Giuseppe, who is of Italian German origin, live in Madagascar and have focused not only on sourcing gems from the country but cutting them in-country and setting them in jewellery too, helping to build skills and employment that are lacking.

What the pair have created is a 'mine-to-finger' business. What is it? It's a structure which takes custody of gemstones from the moment they are unearthed in Ilakaka, Vatomandry, Mananjary, Manakana, Ibity, or Bekily, and sees them through to a finished piece of jewellery, whether that's a simple tennis bracelet or a statement cocktail ring. Because Giuseppe has lived and worked in the country for so long, he has well-established relationships with mines and a knack for selecting rough gems in the hectic trading streets of Ilakaka. He takes care of the gem side of the business while Aurelian focuses mostly on jewellery - from designing and manufacturing to selling to the end consumer. Both of the brand's founders are often in the boutique to assist not just the VIP clients but anyone who pays a visit, which is rather rare nowadays in the jewellery business.

Now, back to gems. By cutting out the middlemen – the rough gemstone traders – and having long-lasting relationships with local suppliers, Morebelli has great advantages. It gets the first pick of Madagascan mineralogical treasures as soon as they come out of the mines, allowing Giuseppe and Aurelien to offer fine jewellery with traceable gemstones at very attractive prices to the end consumer. This also allows it to pay 50% of the purchase value of a gemstone in a piece of jewellery directly to the miner who unearthed it. For example, if the value of a mineral set in a ring is $1,000, then $500 will be paid to the miner for that stone! This is a crucial detail, as it gives Morebelli clients peace of mind about how their spend is distributed and provides assurances that wealth ends up in the pockets of those who found the stones. Another benefit of cutting out the middleman is affordability. For international clients, such as myself, it's one-of-a-kind, natural, and untreated sapphire tennis bracelets and Riviera necklaces, cocktail rings and everyday earrings are of surprisingly good value. Plus, jewellery can be purchased online on morebelli.com, which is certainly easier than taking an 11-hour flight!

It's also important to mention that Morebelli does not export sapphires out of the country and sell them elsewhere (typically in Sri-Lanka) like many other Ilakaka dealers do. This leads to the emptying of the already relatively poor country's wealth. All sales, even online, are done in Madagascar and help to give back as well as nurture the company's growth and continue its in-house manufacturing that employs local people. Among them are several gem cutters, including some who are fresh out of school, learning artistry from more seasoned employees. There are local people in the brand's manufacturing department, including setters, polishers, makers, and many of them are women. Of course, no jeweller exists without the design, marketing or quality control department, and they are all nested in one building in the middle of Antananarivo. They implement 7 am starts to avoid the scorching heat of the day in Madagascar, and finish at 4 pm (or sometimes earlier) to be able to do errands before it gets dark, which happens rather early.

As I mentioned, Madagascar is abundant in natural beauty but does not have the kind of thriving luxury scene that we are familiar with in Europe and the Middle East. Morebelli is taking steps to introduce this kind of elevated shopping experience to Antananarivo, starting with its bright, calming space at the Tana Waterfront shopping centre. A new three-story flagship is being built right around the corner as you read this article. It will be a place for shopping, manufacturing and client events, offering a new, more luxurious level of customer experience. As I mentioned, rather than staying behind the scenes, Giuseppe and Aurelien often spend time with clients and take a very hands-on approach to work.

Morebelli also has a boutique in Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire, and two in Mauritius, all of which have slightly different aesthetics to match the local culture and surroundings. What unites them is the beautiful colour palette of gemstones on display, which are sometimes used tonally (such as shades of green tourmalines, tsavorites, Paraibas and emeralds) or as rainbow mixes. One of my favourite pieces that I saw in Antananarivo was the Collier Bohème – a masterpiece necklace created to celebrate Morebelli's 10th anniversary in 2022. It's crafted entirely with natural sapphires from Ilakaka, including pink, purple, blue, green and yellow gems, plus a further 19 larger, unheated stones that really showcase the beauty of Madagascar's minerals.

Am I glad I invested my time in this trip and celebrated my birthday with the Morebelli team? Absolutely. The warm welcome I received and all the things I have discovered: gem mining, nature itself, sunsets, Ilakaka and its life, the wonderful hotel close to the mining city, taking a tiny plane for the first time, seeing the happy smiles of 12 people somehow rammed into one car and goats being transported on the top of a bus… lemurs, chameleons, and gorgeous natural gemstones! This quality time made my first visit to Madagascar something I will never forget.