Ethics page, replaced by hallmarked details and recycled?
100% Recycled Gold and Sterling Silver
Whether I am sourcing new metal, I ensure my practice is as sustainable as possible by:
Using the supplier Cooksongold who guarantee their metal is 100% recycled with a card of authenticity.
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Buying British Hallmarked antique wedding rings, to melt up and re-imagine into new collection pieces.
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Sourcing Hallmarked metals, in general, ensures the recycled metal is equal in quality to unrecycled precious metals.
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Using non-ferrous metals like gold, silver, or platinum can continually be recycled without losing their chemical properties.
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Limiting the demand for new precious metal ultimately helps preserve natural resources and the mining of new metals.
Hallmarking
925 Sterling Silver and Hallmarked Gold
925 Sterling Silver
This is a metal alloy, made from a combination of metals. This is because pure silver is naturally soft and therefore not hard enough to use in jewellery. The jewellery is made from 92.5% silver, and 7.5% from alloy, typically zinc or copper. Mixing the metals gives it strength and increases the lifespan of jewellery. In the UK it is a legal standard that any silver jewellery over 7 grams must be Hallmarked with the 925 stamp.
9ct Hallmarked Gold
9ct Hallmarked Gold contains 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% alloys, hence ‘375’ stamped (Hallmarked) on the gold. It is tough and highly durable, with a softer gold colour which some people prefer. Interestingly, 9ct gold was popularised during the war, as a more affordable option for wedding rings.
18ct Hallmarked Gold
18ct Hallmarked Gold contains 75% pure gold and 25% alloys, hence ‘750’ stamped (Hallmarked) on the gold. Due to the higher gold content, 18ct Gold has a much richer gold colour compared to 9ct Gold.