The provenance of our materials is of utmost importance to us. When selecting our precious metals and stones, we implement a strict criteria, taking into consideration land and water usage, environmental and human impact, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the material’s quality and durability. 

Our raw metals are from 100% recycled sources certified for their quality by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) and London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). By choosing recycled over mined metals we significantly decrease our carbon impact.

1 kg of recycled gold produces 99.8% LESS carbon per kg than mined gold!

Mining has many negative environmental and social impacts. Industrial as well as artisanal and small-scale gold mines create toxic emissions and deplete local resources.  

In 2019, a study funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology looking into the sustainability aspects of gold mining versus gold recycling was published. The study found that the carbon impact of recycled gold (not from electronic scrap) is significantly lower than that of mined gold. 

The study concluded that buying gold from precious metal recycling facilities with high technological standards and a reliable origin of the recycling material is about 300 times better than primary production (mining).

The Carbon Impact of Recycled vs Mined Gold

CED = Cumulative Energy Demand.
Source: 'NaGold – Sustainability Aspects of Gold Mining and Gold Recycling and Theory for Extensive Metal Recycling', funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology, 2019.

Our Gold Vermeil

Vermeil is a high-quality alternative to solid gold. Developed in France in the 18th century, vermeil is a premium gold plating technique in which a thick layer of gold is applied to a base of pure or sterling silver. In order for a piece of gold plated jewellery to be legally called 'vermeil' it has to meet the following criteria:

– The base metal must be pure silver or 925 sterling silver.
– The gold plate must be 2.5 microns thick or higher.
– Gold karat must be 10k or higher.

Our Gold Vermeil styles are handcrafted using 100% recycled 925 sterling silver with a 3 micron thick layer of 100% recycled 14k gold.

Our Fine Gold

We use 100% recycled 9k and 14k gold for our fine gold jewellery due to its durability, which makes it suitable for daily wear. For Bespoke pieces such as engagement rings and wedding bands, we use 100% recycled 18k gold.

A note on our white gold: Our white gold is palladium-based to ensure that our pieces are white all the way through the piece (fully white on a cross-section view). This is different to many producers who rhodium-plate their white gold items, which will wear off in time to reveal a warmer gold beneath the plating. 

We are proud to say that all of our gold is 100% recycled from certified sources.