Responsible Materials & Sourcing

Fairmined Gold is an initiative which certifies gold of responsible origin from empowered artisanal and small-scale mining organisations. It guarantees that it is traceable gold, extracted with the best mining practices aimed at preserving the environment, and supports the development of the mining communities who meet world leading standards for responsible practices.

We have used gold from artisanal and small-scale mines that meet the Fairtrade Standard for Gold. This means the gold has been responsibly mined and that the miners have received a fair price, giving communities in these developing countries the opportunity for better living and working conditions.

We use Fairmined Gold for our vermeil plating. Gold vermeil is made in a similar way to gold plating but is considered superior as it is made up of a much thicker layer of gold. Due to this thicker gold layer, gold vermeil is a durable and longer lasting option for jewellery.

Recycled silver is increasingly popular with jewellers, but it’s not always easy to find out where your silver comes from. AgAIN silver is guaranteed to have been recycled from medical X-rays in the UK.

Sourcing gemstones that have been responsibly mined is central to The Rock Hound. This may involve us going out to the mine ourselves or reaching out to one of our trusted suppliers. A transparent supply chain is key so it's imperative that we start on the right track.

We refer to this as Urban Mining. Buying old jewellery from auction or pawnbrokers means we ensure that our recycled gemstones are post-consumer. We carefully unset the gemstones in our workshop, selling the gold for scrap and bringing circularity into our design approach. These are either used in our collections or kept aside for bespoke clients