Gold has been the symbol of wealth, permanence and beauty for millennia. But its extraction from the earth is one of the most polluting industrial processes in existence.
The Numbers
A study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production highlighted the environmental cost of a single gold ring: 7,800 litres of water consumed and 54 kg of CO₂ released into the atmosphere. These figures are difficult to reconcile with a responsible vision of fine jewellery.
The Damage of Extraction
In mining regions, the process is invariably destructive. In the Amazon, gold miners first clear forest cover, then strip the soil using machinery and high-pressure hoses to form mining pits. These techniques devastate entire ecosystems and contaminate waterways with chemical substances — literal poisons such as cyanide and mercury — used to separate gold from rock.
The human consequences are equally alarming: hazardous working conditions, exploitation of local populations, and funding of illegal activities in certain regions.
Fairtrade and Fairmined Labels: A Partial Answer
In recent years, labels such as Fairtrade and Fairmined have emerged to improve the social conditions of extraction. Their impact is real on human and social levels. But they do not eliminate the environmental damage inherent in any mining activity.
Our Answer: Recycled Gold
At Origine Paris, we made a radical choice: to use only certified, traceable recycled 18-carat gold. No extraction, no deforestation, no chemical pollution. The gold we use already existed — we simply give it a new life, without it losing any of its properties.