Boodles announces use of Single Mine Origin gold in all of its jewellery

Do you know where your gold comes from? As consumers, we are increasingly concerned about the provenance of the products we buy. However, the vast majority of the gold used in the jewellery industry cannot be traced to a known source and consequently any potentially negative impact of that metal cannot be known. In response to this, British jewellers Boodles has announced that the company now uses Single Mine Origin (SMO) gold in all of its jewellery. This means that all gold used in their jewellery from now on will be produced by a legitimate mining operation, where miners are paid a just wage, under secure employment. SMO gold provides a traceable and auditable chain of custody for every gram of gold produced directly to the mine where the gold was sourced.

“This is a very important step forward, both for Boodles and for our clients,” explains Jody Wainwright, Boodles Director, adding that the company is “delighted to be one of the pioneers in the jewellery industry, using SMO gold for all of our jewellery designs.”

Sourced from the Yanfolila Gold Mine in Mali, SMO-certified gold provides an auditable chain of custody across the entire supply chain. Therefore, from mine to finished product, every gram of gold is documented and audited. SMO gold must adhere to a number of strict Corporate Social Responsibility (or CSR) policies and be mined in accordance with the World Gold Council’s ‘Responsible Gold Mining Principles.’

The entire process is controlled, starting from production at the mine, through to the smelting and refining processes, to the delivery of the gold to the Boodles workshops. Boodles’ customers will be able to access QR codes to give them a direct link to the source of the metal used in their purchase, as well as giving an insight into the impact that each purchase has helped to create through community and environmental projects.

Boodles has additionally partnered with Betts Metals, another British family business, to supply the SMO gold, thereby working towards traceability throughout the whole supply chain. The partnership means that Boodles customers can wear their jewellery with confidence, knowing that it comes from a responsible mine which actively contributes to the local region, both socially and environmentally.

For more information about Boodles, go to www.boodles.com.