Recycled Gold Jewellery in London: how luxury jewellery is made from electronics

Recycled gold jewellery is a sustainable alternative to newly mined gold, created by refining existing gold from sources such as electronics and legacy jewellery into high-purity gold. At Incador, we specialise in bespoke fine jewellery in London, using gold recovered from electronic waste to create fully traceable, luxury pieces.

Is recycled gold real gold?

Recycled gold carries the same purity, the same lustre, the same timeless weight as newly mined gold, yet it’s still widely misunderstood. It’s often mistaken for something secondhand or somehow compromised, when in reality it’s simply gold restored to its 99.99 percent purest form and given a new life through careful refinement and processes of alloying. Once refined, recycled gold is chemically identical to newly mined gold.

Where does recycled gold come from?

Recycled gold comes from several sources. Old jewellery is one of the most familiar ones, where inherited pieces, broken chains and outdated designs are melted down and refined into pure gold once again. Industrial sectors contribute too, from dental alloys to specialised equipment, but one of the fastest-growing sources is electronic waste. Without proper recovery systems, electronics often languish in landfills or recycled in ways that waste their most valuable materials. Recovering this gold not only prevents valuable metals from being lost but also transforms an environmental challenge into a responsible, regenerative supply for fine jewellery.

Is the price of recycled gold lower than that of mined gold? 

Recycled gold is expected to come with a gentler price tag, but the value of gold doesn’t hinge on its origin. Gold is a global commodity and its value is set by international markets rather than by whether it was newly mined or reclaimed. Returning recycled gold to its pure state also isn’t a simple or cost free process, it requires skilled labour, specialised equipment, and rigorous quality control. By the time it reaches a jeweller’s bench, it carries the same intrinsic value as mined gold, with the added benefit of a lighter environmental footprint.

Is the quality and fineness the same? 

Quality is another area where recycled gold is often misunderstood. Gold is gold, whether it begins its life in a mine or is reclaimed and refined from existing pieces. Its purity is measured in carats: 24 carat is 99.99 per cent pure gold, 18 carat is 18 parts of 24 or 75% pure gold and so on for 14 carat and 9 carat. These are alloyed with other metals, such as silver, copper or palladium for strength and colour. 

These compositions are fixed industry standards and remain the same regardless of origin. If you’d like to explore the different gold alloys we offer, you can read more here.

Once recycled gold is refined back to its elemental 24 carat state, it becomes chemically indistinguishable from newly mined gold. From there, it’s re-alloyed to desired carats using the same proportions and principles. Recycled gold has the same exact amount and composition of gold as mined gold of the same carat. The finished piece has the same durability, colour, and luxurious feel that you’d expect from fine jewellery. What determines those qualities is the carat and not the origin of the gold.

Can you tell the difference between recycled gold and mined gold?

Clients often wonder whether recycled gold looks or feels any different from mined gold and the simple truth is that it doesn’t. Once gold is refined, its origin becomes completely indistinguishable. There is no visual marker, change in colour, durability or lustre. Gold is an element, and when it’s returned to its pure state, it is identical on a molecular level regardless of where it came from. Like mined gold, recycled gold does not limit design possibilities, and it supports the same craftsmanship, techniques and creative freedom. A finished piece crafted from recycled gold is every bit as luxurious, radiant, and enduring as one made from newly mined metal, and its appearance remains unchanged over time. 

How do you extract gold from electronics? What is the process? 

Gold recovered from electronics goes through an intricate industrial process. The recovery process requires expert handling and strict environmental controls, which is why it is carried out by specialists rather than jewellers. 

Modern devices contain small trace amounts of gold in circuit boards, connectors, microchips and bonding wires as they conduct electricity exceptionally well and don’t corrode. After collection, devices are dismantled and broken down to isolate the components containing gold. Plastics, batteries, and glass are removed for separate recycling streams. The gold bearing components are then ground into smaller pieces to make the following chemical separation process more efficient. The specialised treatments separate gold from surrounding metals while keeping it intact and not damaging its purity. 

Once extracted, the reclaimed gold is refined to 24 carat purity and alloyed just as mined gold would be, using precise blends of silver, copper, or palladium to create the desired carat. This complex operation ensures that the gold entering a jeweller’s workshop is every bit as pristine as its newly mined counterpart.

How much gold can be extracted from different electronics?

Only a small amount of gold can be recovered from any individual electronic device. A single smartphone contains just a fraction of a gram, around 0.034 grams, and a computer circuit board holds little more than a thin plating of gold across its connectors and components. 

However, when you scale that across the enormous volume of discarded technology worldwide, those traces add up to a significant and increasingly valuable source of reclaimed metal.

In 2022, global e-waste was estimated to contain $91 billion worth of recoverable metals, with $15 billion coming from gold alone, a figure that will continue to rise as electronic consumption and waste continue to grow.  This scale is what makes electronic waste such a promising contributor to the gold supply chain and to the world of fine jewellery. Through our Tech for Treasure initiative, we aim to raise awareness around the electronic waste crisis and the need for more responsible recycling practices.

Final thoughts

At its core, recycled gold jewellery offers everything expected of fine jewellery, purity, permanence and beauty, while supporting a more responsible way of sourcing gold. As the demand for responsible luxury grows, choosing recycled gold is one of the most meaningful ways to support a more sustainable future for luxury jewellery. We’re incredibly proud of the origins of our gold and the transparency behind every piece we create. 

If you are looking to design a bespoke engagement ring or explore sustainable jewellery in London, you can book a consultation or discover our collections.