![]() ![]() Metals are generally hard, opaque, and shiny materials that exhibit good electrical and thermal conductivity. Depending on the metal, historians discovered some objects as far back as thousands of years BC. This warm look is contrasted by the highly-polished smooth-rounded inside which is added for maximum comfort.Humans have fabricated goods from metal over the millennia. ![]() Also described as a “soft, hammered finish”, we achieve this look by applying a proprietary process to each ring by hand. Our signature River-Worn™ finish, featured on the California Gold Bands collection, is inspired by the look of raw river gold nuggets that have been pounded by rocks and dulled by scraping sand for eons. Our River-Worn™ Finish and Grizzly Hallmark *Organizations include California Department of Conservation, Bureau of Land Management, California State Water Board, Nevada County Planning Department, State Air Quality Management District, Mine Safety and Hazard Administration (MSHA) and more. As one of the few fully-permitted operating gold mines in California, working closely with government and private organizations*, they strive to be an exemplary leader of responsible mining. Contrary to historic techniques and those still sometimes employed outside of California, the revitalized mine does not use mercury or other chemicals to extract the gold and has a complete land reclamation plan in place. ![]() Since 2009, Todd and close partners have also reopened a historic 1850’s gold mine, picking up where the original miners left off. And with Todd Bracken’s California Gold Bands, you get to know everything: where the gold came from, who made the ring and how it was made - from mining to making. Made of gold in the same average purity as it came from the ground and superior craftsmanship, the unique collection is known for its River-Worn™ finish, bright greenish-yellow color and durability. All designs have a name inspired by a California mine, road, town or lore. His fascination with the history of the land grew as he spent more time there and befriended local miners, all ultimately leading him to create the California Gold Bands collection.Įach 20 karat California gold band in the collection is handmade by a master jeweler in the Bracken studio in Los Angeles, California with gold from Yuba and Nevada County. Todd began prospecting and dredging for gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills in 1981. The presence of some of these other elements can make the gold too brittle to make into jewelry that will last a lifetime - which is why we refine our recovered California gold to pure 24 karat and then re-alloy it without the non-precious metals to 20 karat before crafting it into our California Gold Bands that you can enjoy for years to come.įrom Mining to Making: Todd & the California Gold Bands Collection Natural California gold forms deep in the earth with small amounts of other elements mixed in, such as silver, copper, iron and arsenic. Rarely does gold exist in nature as pure 24 karat and it is normally too soft and malleable for everyday long-term wear. 19 karat is greenish-yellow in color and harder, while 22 karat is more orangey-yellow and softer. The California gold used in our California Gold Bands collection, comes from Yuba and Nevada County and is processed to 20 karat to achieve maximum durability and the unique bright greenish-yellow color of natural California placer gold.Ĭalifornia river gold typically assays between 19 to 22 karat in purity. When we say “California Gold”, we are referring to gold that is actually from California. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |