Why Do Fair Trade Gold Rings Cost More?



Just as organic food is more expensive than food produced from industrial agriculture, gold that is mined responsibly is more expensive than the recycled gold or the dirty gold that is mixed in the mainstream jewelry supply chain. Recycled gold costs only a little more than non-recycled gold. Gold has always been recycled and reused in the jewelry sector.

Our fair trade gold wedding rings cost 18% more than our recycled gold wedding rings because there are added expenses in the sourcing and production.

• We pay a development premium paid to the miners: 10%.

• We pay a higher spot price to the miners of approximately 2.5%

• We pay a traceability cost which includes refining, logistics, inventory tracking, of 2.5%.

• We pay an additional cost in the manufacturing of the ring. Rings made of recycled metal can be manufactured in our studio using sheet and wire, or batch cast with other rings. Fair trade gold rings require separate casting, and in some cases, individually new masters and molds. Gold must be separate from other recycled gold. For this process, we add another 3% above our normal cost.

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