Connecticut Woman Turns Guns Into Jewelry

Jeweler creates bracelets from melted down guns and bullet casings. Julie Noce reports.

Published

4 months ago

Categories

Seriously?, Arts & Society

Topics

Seriously?, Gun Control, Arts & Culture

People

Julie Noce, Jessica Mindich, Samuel Demaio

Places

Connecticut, New Jersey, Newark

Transcript

It's not your average $300 designer bracelet... this piece of jewelry started out as, this. The jewelry line is called The Caliber Collection-- and is made from melted down weapons seized by police in Newark, New Jersey. Jessica Mindich is the CEO and founder of Jewelry for a Cause. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JESSICA MINDICH, CEO AND FOUNDER OF JEWELRY FOR A CAUSE, SAYING: "The Caliber Collection is a line of jewelry made in part from illegal guns and brass shell casings taken off the streets of Newark, New Jersey and a portion of the proceeds go back to Newark Police Department to benefit their gun buy-back/amnesty program." In taking the weapons off the street, crimes rates in Newark have gone down. Newark Police Director Samuel Demaio. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAMUEL DEMAIO, NEWARK POLICE DIRECTOR, SAYING: "Last year, we had almost a record-setting year with taking guns off the street, over 855 guns and for a year we saw a reduction in murder, for the first time in several years. There is definitely a correlation with taking guns off the street and seeing your murder and shooting rate drop." The first series of bracelets went on sale in late November of 2012, but Mindich says sales have soared since the shooting incident at an elementary school in Connecticut. The price of the bracelets range from $150 for the steel cuff to $375 for the brass bangle with diamonds.