History of Welsh Gold
A potted history of rare Welsh gold and Welsh gold jewellery.
Welsh Gold (which translates into Welsh as ‘Aur Cymru’) is one of the rarest precious metals to be found on the planet. Long favoured by the British Royal Family for their own wedding rings and other ceremonial jewellery, this scarce gold from the heart of a land overflowing with myth, poetry and romance, is incredibly desirable and much sought-after.
The main source of gold used at Aur Cymru Limited is panned by hand in Wales, whilst observing Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Hand-panning is entirely eco-friendly and sustainable as it requires neither chemicals nor machinery. Though the yield is small compared with the effort and time it takes, the landscape is left as perfect as when we arrived which is what matters most to us (and we suspect to you too, since you’re here).
Historically, however, gold was extracted from the Welsh land by mining. The first mine in Wales is thought to have been established by the Romans in the first century AD and only closed in 1938. It is thought that during their 300 year occupation, the Romans extracted one million ounces of gold from the area, most of which was sent over to Lyon and Rome for turning into coins, jewellery and other decorative objects.
1862 saw a ‘rush’ centred around the Dolgellau mining area during which more intensive mining saw higher yields but this was over by 1911, and the final Welsh Gold mine, Gwynfyndd, closed its doors in 1999, and it is from this mine that our reserve stocks of Welsh Gold comes.
Now rarer than ever before, a piece of pure Welsh Gold jewellery is not only something to be enjoyed for its beauty and heritage, but also a future family heirloom that will be treasured by generations to come.
When one decides to buy a small piece of Welsh history it is for a reason. My reason was that after 30 years of marriage I wanted my Wife to put a wedding band on my hand for the first time. Of Welsh ancestry it could only ever be made of true Welsh Gold. I wanted the gold in my band to be sourced by hand the old fashioned way and crafted by Master Craftsmen & Women in traditional ways. However, other people will have their own reasons and that is why buying Welsh Gold is so special. What I can categorically confirm from my own experience of buying from Welsh Gold is that you will be treated as a client with the care and consideration that is as rare these days as the precious metal itself.Mark
I’m so pleased by the whole process from start to finish.