Gold
FROM ANCIENT WORSHIP TO SUSTAINABLE JEWELLERY CRAFTSMANSHIP
Details on the history and fascination of gold, especially in the jewellery trade.
THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF GOLD
The use of gold in jewellery-making has a long history dating back to ancient times.
More than 6,000 years ago, gold was revered as a symbol of wealth and power in various cultures, such as those of the Egyptians, the Mesopotamians and the Indus Valley civilisations. It was used for jewellery, ritual objects and as a medium of exchange.
For thousands of years, people have treasured gold for its colour, lustre, beauty, rarity, durability and striking weight.
Alongside silver and the platinum metals, it is one of the most precious metals and is therefore used by many cultures for jewellery production, for decoration as gold leaf or for gilding, in medicine and dental technology, electronics and as an investment, to name just a few areas.
THE TIMELESS ELEGANCE OF GOLD IN JEWELLERY CRAFTSMANSHIP
There is evidence of gold mining dating back to the early Copper Age.
Its ease of alloying with many metals, its moderate melting point and the favourable properties of the alloys
make gold a very attractive material.
In the modern era to date, the jewellery industry has evolved, with new technologies and manufacturing methods being introduced. However, gold remains a favoured material due to its timeless elegance, durability and lasting value, as is the case in our Ringschmiede.
THE DARK SIDE OF GLAMOUR: THE EFFECTS OF GOLD MINING
However, all that glitters is not gold.
The greed for this precious metal has often been the cause of raids and wars, and gold mining is associated with considerable damage to the environment and human health. In particular, the wealth of gold possessed by the indigenous peoples of Central and South America attracted European conquerors (conquistadors) following the discovery of the Americas in 1492, who transported the gold back to Europe in galleons. Spain thus became the richest nation in Europe for a time; the indigenous cultures were destroyed either by the conquerors or by diseases introduced from abroad.
Time and again, discoveries of gold attracted large crowds of adventurers.
In the 19th century, mass movements of gold prospectors towards areas with large gold deposits – known as ‘gold rushes’ – took place on various continents.
The fluctuating gold price often leads to significant social changes: A falling gold price in South Africa, for example, led to a sharp impoverishment of the section of the population living from gold mining. In the Brazilian Amazon region, informal gold mining by garimpeiros (= illegal gold prospectors) is often associated with serious social and ecological consequences. Highly toxic chemicals such as arsenic, mercury and cyanide are often used to mine gold.
TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY: THE ROLE OF PRECIOUS METAL RECYCLING
Due to these and other drawbacks associated with gold mining, we at Ringschmiede have adopted a recycling process, which you can read more about at PRECIOUS METAL RECYCLING.