What is heirloom gold?
Do you have some jewellery you never seem to wear? For example an heirloom piece that is just not your style. Or a broken necklace, or a single earring because you lost the other one. Very often it adds up to more than you would think. Such a pity to have it just lying around.
What can be made with my own gold?
The jewellery created for our Oogst collection and custom Oogst Originals designs can be made with your own heirloom gold too. Also lovely diamonds or other gemstones can be re-used in a new design.
How does it work? We will melt the gold and re-use the gemstones from your old pieces to make an extraordinary and personal piece of jewellery. The design is usually inspired by a piece from our collection. This can also be a variation with a specific design wish you want to add. We also love to use elements from nature so if you wish we can start from there as well. What a transformation, from heirloom gold to something completely new in Oogst style!
For some pieces we will melt your gold to a gold sheet or a rod and process it further. For the more organic jewelry in our collection we will make a wax model. The piece of jewellery will then be cast with the lost wax method.
Your gemstones can be polished again or recut if they have more damage. Diamonds are very hard and will always keep their sparkle. We love seeing these old antique shapes and cuts and love re-using them in a new piece of jewellery. Of course we also have a lovely collection of gemstones, diamonds and pearls of our own in stock for you to look at, to find your favourite one, to add to your bespoke design.
Is the use of heirloom gold an environmental friendly choice?
Melting heirloom gold is a nice and sustainable way of using gold. Mining and the transport of new gold is environmentally harmful. That’s why we always use locally recycled gold for our Oogst collection, this method is called ‘urban mining’. A contribution to a more sustainable future. Even better to re-use gold from loved ones and to contribute yourself.
Precious transformation
The re-use of an heirloom can add some appealing symbolic value. Quite frequently we melt family gold from loved ones into a new precious jewel. For example jewellery from two separate families will be melted together to make wedding bands. Or well-worn pieces from a deceased parent are re-designed into something modern that can be worn close to your heart.
As well as the symbolic value and the sustainability factor, it is also financially attractive to have jewellery made from heirloom gold. We don’t buy your gold but we can use it to make your new piece. You will only pay for the working hours and for the casting. The gold can also be divided to create several pieces of jewellery if there is enough in weight.
The more heavy the piece the more budget-friendly it gets proportionally if we create it from your own gold. The cost of a bespoke jewel created from your own gold will always be calculated in advance, like all our bespoke pieces.
Can all gold pieces be re-used again?
It is practical to bring your heirloom gold along to your appointment. It gives us the opportunity to weigh it and to check the carat of the gold. And if it is gold at all, and not gold-plated. This way we can determine if you have enough in weight to create the jewel of your dreams. If not we could add a little material as well to make up for the weight.
Our collection consists of jewels in 14 ct recycled gold. For your own piece we could use the carat gold you bring. If it is higher than 18 ct we would advise you to have it lowered to 14 ct or 18 ct so it’s sturdier.
A lower carat like 9 ct is not considered gold in The Netherlands. But we can still use it to create a jewel, preferably with the lost wax technique.
Perhaps you already know that besides the different carats there are different colours gold. Yellow, rosé or rose gold can all be mixed without a hiccup, they will become a rosé colour together.
White gold cannot be mixed with other colours gold. In our Oogst collection we only use palladium white gold, a mixture of 24 ct gold and palladium (one of the platinum metals).
Until the 1990ties white gold was usually a nickel alloy. Because a lot of people are allergic to it, this is now banned. If you are not allergic however and it is part of your treasure you want us to transform, we could re-use it in your own jewel, preferably with the lost wax technique. Want to read more about gold? Why not read this blog post.
Oogst Original, how does it work?
We will melt down the gold and re-use the gemstones from your own heirloom pieces to create a personal design. This way your gold is transformed into a stylish jewel in the recognizable Oogst style.
The design is inspired by a piece from our collection or the wealth of nature. We can add a personal wish to the design as well. A transformation from an heirloom to an eye catcher!
Curious to find out what we can create from your heirloom? Book an appointment to discuss all the options with the Oogst goldsmiths. Bring your treasures along to the studio and we’ll try on pieces from to collection to find the perfect fit for you. Once we know your favourite style (playful or minimal, basic or bold, natural or modern classic), the right proportions on your hand or neck and what ingredients you add to the mix we can get started!
