Why Recycled Gold Became the Responsible Standard
For many years, recycled gold sat at the heart of how I thought about responsible jewellery making. Like many in the industry, I saw recycled gold as a practical way to reduce environmental impact and move away from newly mined material. It generally carries much lower carbon emissions than newly mined gold, and for a long time it felt like the most responsible option available to us.
The Limits of Recycled Gold Traceability
Over time, however, I began to look more closely at what recycled gold actually means in practice. Through several years of involvement with the Precious Metals Impact Forum, and wider conversations across the industry, it became clear that while recycled gold plays an important role, it is often made up of blended historic material. Even with robust Chain of Custody systems in place, it is not always possible to be completely certain of its original provenance once it enters large scale recycling streams.
Research with Imperial College London
Working on two separate research projects with Imperial College London helped me to clarify this further. The research confirmed that recycled gold typically has lower carbon emissions than newly mined gold, which reinforced our commitment to continuing to use it. At the same time, it highlighted how limited visibility around origin and context can be, once gold has been repeatedly recycled and combined. At the time, because reducing our carbon footprint remained a priority, newly mined gold did not feel like a viable option.
Discovering Single Mine Origin Gold
That all changed when Charlie Betts introduced me to the Bellevue Mine in Australia. Bellevue operates using renewable energy and has achieved net zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for its onsite mining and power use. Being able to trace gold back to a single, known source with clearly defined operational standards fundamentally changed how we thought about the role responsibly mined gold could play.
Why We’re Moving to Bellevue Mine Gold
As a result, we are moving most of the gold we use in our workshop to Single Mine Origin gold from Bellevue. This allows us to be clear about where our gold comes from and the conditions under which it is produced. At the same time, we continue to use recycled gold for our wedding rings and for selected other pieces where it remains the right choice.
There Is No Perfect Gold
I am deeply passionate about the environment, but one of the hardest lessons I have learned is that these decisions are rarely simple. Too often the conversation is framed as people or planet, as though we must choose one over the other. In reality, responsible sourcing means holding both at the same time and being honest about where compromises still exist.
There is no perfect solution here. This shift is not about rejecting recycled gold, but about responding to what we have learned and being clearer, more precise, and more transparent about the materials we use and the claims we make. This change reflects a growing understanding rather than a fixed position, and a desire to make choices that feel both considered and transparent.
We also continue to work with artisanal miners through Fairmined and their credit scheme, but that is a story for another day…
