Custom creation from old gold

"Do you have any old gold?" This is the first question Nicolas asks whenever someone approaches him for a custom jewelry piece. Whether it's a simple wedding band, an engagement ring set with a beautiful gem, a birthstone piece, or any other type of jewelry – regardless of the project's size, the question remains the same.

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The design and manufacturing process would be simpler for us if we could just purchase a bar or refined gold shot from one of our suppliers. With a quick phone call, we can acquire high-quality refined gold in the necessary quantity and begin fabrication immediately. This eliminates the steps of asking you to gather your old broken gold pieces and chains, confirming that they are genuine gold rather than vermeil (gold-plated silver) or another gold-colored alloy, and then evaluating the gold's quality.

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However, these are steps we take when creating custom pieces from old gold, which constitute three-quarters of the custom projects at Lellal's jewelry workshops. There's a thoughtful blend of symbolic and practical considerations behind this – aspects we discuss with those who trust our team to craft their precious items.

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Many of us have old gold tucked away: broken chains, clip-on earrings, brooches inherited from family that lack charm, gold coins, or small pieces of jewelry received for baptisms and communions. It can be difficult to see the potential in these pieces, yet if they are made of gold, they could have a new lease on life as part of a new piece of jewelry.

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The gold you bring reduces the amount we need to purchase for creating your new piece, which naturally reduced the cost. However, it's important to note that there is always some loss in the process of melting down and refining old gold. The extent of this loss depends on the original quality of the gold. Older gold is more likely to contain air bubbles or proportions of metals that no longer match the refined gold used in modern jewelry making. Typically, we need to supplement the alloy with a minimum amount of new gold. However, considering that the price of gold is calculated per gram and has risen by over 130% in the last 10 years*, every gram provided represents a gram saved. Depending on the piece, this can translate to a cost saving of several hundred euros.

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In addition to the economic aspect, there's a broader environmental consideration: why extract new resources when we can give a second life to materials already in our possession (often sitting forgotten in old jewelry boxes)? 

If you don't have old gold, you can still embrace this approach by using gold from the recycling stream, which has been increasingly available in recent years. Moreover, it's important to note that, similar to diamonds and other precious gems, the sourcing of noble metals, particularly gold, is subject to regulation today.

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Fairmined is one of the most respected certifications for ensuring the ethical origin of gold. This label guarantees that gold comes from artisanal and small-scale mines that adhere to strict social, environmental, and labor standards. Certified Fairmined mines must provide safe working conditions, fair wages, and minimize their environmental impact during mining activities.

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Finally, and for many, this is the primary consideration: the symbolism of giving new life to an object with sentimental value, reshaping a material that has been part of the daily lives of previous generations. Depending on the original item to be melted down and the desired final piece, there's also the transformation and reuse of other components of the jewelry, such as stones if the original piece was set.

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Ready to embark on a custom project, with or without old gold?

Learn more about the process here

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