Align Your Gold Jewelry Purchase With Your Values
What are the gold options available for your jewelry?
We offer two gold options for our jewelry: recycled gold and Fairmined gold. Most of our jewels are available in 18k gold, with some, like chains, in 14k gold. Custom work also includes silver, 22k gold and platinum upon request HERE.
What is recycled gold?
Recycled gold is gold that has been previously used and then reprocessed to create new jewelry. It is an environmentally friendly option as it reduces the need for new gold mining, as long as the chemicals needed to refine and alloy the gold are properly managed and contained.
What is Fairmined gold?
Fairmined gold is gold that has been responsibly sourced from small-scale mining operations that meet strict social, environmental, and labor standards. It ensures that miners receive fair compensation and work in safe conditions. Often, that means miners use gravity and shaking tables instead of highly toxic mercury to mine the gold.
Why should I choose recycled gold?
Choosing recycled gold helps reduce the demand for new gold mining, which has a significant environmental impact. By opting for recycled gold, you are supporting sustainable practices and minimizing the ecological footprint of your jewelry, provided that the refining process is done properly, from a known primary source. And this can be an issue.
Currently gold is considered to be “recycled” if it has been transformed at least once after its primary refining from freshly mined gold (also called virgin material). The specifics of which type of gold is included or not differs amongst current standard setters. This means that freshly mined gold can be converted into crude jewels at the mine and sold as "recycled" without ever seeing a consumer. Gold can transit through a bank's vault and be sold as recycled without the origin needing to be disclosed. Both scenarios pose a significant risk of greenwashing, and could allow dirty gold to enter the supply chain too easily. Third party certifications exist for recycled gold, but they have their limitations.
Why should I choose Fairmined gold?
By choosing Fairmined gold, you are supporting ethical and responsible mining practices. As mining is often poverty-driven, by purchasing a jewel crafted from this responsibly-mined gold, you are allowing Artisanal Small Scale Miners access to work in regions where gold mining may be the only economic activity available to them to provide for themselves and their family.
Fairmined gold ensures that miners are paid fair wages, work in safe conditions, and that the environment is protected during the mining process. This includes reforestation programs of closed parts of the concessions, to mitigate the devastating impact mining activities can have on the environment. Participating Mines are audited every year to ensure compliance to Fairmined Gold standards.
Read on about our sourcing process HERE on the Blog:
Sustainability in Jewelry: Our Ongoing Journey Toward Transparency and Responsibility
Can I customize my jewelry with a specific gold option?
Yes, we offer the option to customize most of our jewelry with either recycled gold or fairmined gold. When placing your order, please specify your preferred gold option, and we will create your piece accordingly.
This excludes already crafted One-of-a-kind (OOAK) jewels, and some of our chains. Contact us with any questions.
Are there any additional costs for choosing Fairmined gold?
Yes, Fairmined gold is generally priced higher than recycled gold due to the additional costs associated with responsible mining practices. The exact price difference will depend on the specific piece of jewelry and the current market prices for gold.
Can I return or exchange jewelry made with Fairmined gold?
Our return and exchange policy applies to all jewelry, regardless of the gold option chosen. Please refer to our refund policy for more information on returns and exchanges.
Where can I find more information about your gold sourcing practices?
You can find more information about our gold sourcing practices on our website HERE or by contacting our customer care team at info@delphineleymarie.com.