Engagement Ring shopping just got even more Earth friendly! You’ve probably heard of lab-grown diamonds, but did you know you can lower your environmental footprint even more by choosing to have your brand-new engagement ring made exclusively of recycled gold?
These rings, aptly called Tierra Collection, are setting the standard for eco-conscious fine jewelry, and we couldn’t be more excited about them!
Here are the FAQs on Tierra recycled-gold engagement rings, and why you should seriously consider recycled gold in your forever ring.
Where does the gold come from?
There are vendors who specialize in recycled metals, including gold. All gold used in Tierra Collection engagement rings originates from one of these specialized vendors, so absolutely no new mining is required to make these stunning rings.
Is recycled gold as high quality as new gold?
100%. Gold is a metal, and like every other metal pulled from the earth, it doesn’t come out of the ground pure. Mined gold carries “impurities” from other elements that were present when the gold was forming. Thus, mined gold goes through a refining process to separate the desired gold from the undesired impurities.
Recycled gold has already been through this process, so it is every bit as pure as the refined mined gold you’re used to.
Is recycled gold as valuable as new gold?
You bet! Purity is the only determiner of gold’s value. Neither age nor use impacts the value of gold, which means your recycled gold is every bit as valuable as freshly mined gold. It’s just a whole lot more earth friendly.
A lot of antique gold rings have a slightly different color than new gold. Will recycled gold have that look too?
No! It will look exactly like any brand-new gold jewelry.
Remember, all gold used in jewelry making is an alloy—meaning a mix of metals. 24 karat pure gold is just too soft, so other metals are introduced in small amounts to make your ring strong enough to wear every day, and to hold your precious diamond.
Antique gold pieces, depending on when they were made, often used high concentrations of copper or silver in their alloys. Since copper and silver both oxidize and change color over time, antique gold jewelry often looks darker or discolored compared to fresh, bright, modern gold.
Recycled gold is already refined (as we talked about earlier), then it’s mixed with the same metals as newly mined gold, so it is as clean, fresh, bright, and valuable as any other gold you could buy.
Does recycled gold come in white gold? How about Rose Gold?
Yes! It comes in all three colors and is completely indistinguishable from mined gold. There is no compromise to the color or quality of recycled gold.
Do recycled gold rings carry the same lifetime warranty?
Heck yeah! The gold is just as good, and so is the warranty.
What’s the environmental impact of choosing recycled gold instead of mined gold?
It is estimated that recycled gold emits just .16 percent of the carbon emissions produced by mining new gold.[1] Mined gold, even when it comes from ethical mines, disturbs local ecosystems. Mining is a dirty business, plain and simple. It displaces people and destroys natural habitats. Recycled gold doesn’t require any new mining so it doesn’t cause damage to the ocean floors, nor to our precious, above-ground ecosystems.
Is recycled gold cheaper than new gold?
No, and that goes back to purity and value.
Gold is not manmade; it’s an extremely rare, limited resource—one that does not age, and does not lose value for being melted down and reused.
What makes Tierra rings more affordable is not their use of recycled gold, but their use of lab-grown diamonds.
Choosing a lab-grown diamond can save you 30-50% over the cost of mined diamonds. Recycled gold doesn’t save you money, but it does save the earth, giving you a whole other reason to love your engagement ring.
Where can I see recycled-gold engagement rings in person? Can I try them on?
If you are lucky enough to live in Minnesota, head to Wedding Day Diamonds!
All nine of our store locations carry Tierra recycled-gold engagement rings, and every ring is available to try on.
We cannot wait to help you find Earth-friendly engagement ring of your dreams.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/fashion/jewelry-recycled-gold.html