Ethical & sustainable jewellery starts foremost with the providence of the gold used in its making.
Juerg is one of very few jewellers worldwide, able to buy locally mined gold directly from the miner. Most of his pieces are made from guaranteed NZ gold, with the majority of it being recycled gold and some new gold from NZ’s West Coast. However Juerg can even source local alluvial gold & gold nuggets direct from Central Otago rivers and deposits. The Arrow River, Shotover or Skippers Gold, are (to name a few) still actively mined localities. This adds an authentic uniqueness and rarity to a custom piece of jewellery.
Talk to Juerg if you wish to have a custom piece made from purely local gold, or wish to include some local gold in your bespoke jewellery.
Locally Mined New Zealand Gold
This naturally ~94% pure gold is refined in-house and alloyed to 18k or 9k yellow or white gold. In some instances it can be used in its pure form. Manufacturing is carried out in Juerg’s studio in Queenstown with environmentally friendly processes safeguarding his own and others’ health. As a specialist bespoke jeweller Orbit Jewellery do not mass-produce and constantly reduce & recycle all our waste….after all it’s gold!
We are very committed to the conservation of our beautiful natural environment and its resources. The option of using a local NZ gold that is also locally crafted offers an ethical choice with an unbroken link from the gold miner to the wearer.
Rings created from Shotover and Arrow River Gold
Natural Gold from Central Otago rivers
Melted and formed pure alluvial local Gold
Created with natural alluvial Arrow River & Shotover River Gold
Jewelers Ethics Association
