Black Hills Gold

Black Hills Gold

Black Hills gold really gets the blood pumping in Renee Gardner, Charlene Wade and Eva Harrison of Las Vegas. This one of a kind gold is usually crafted into traditional designs that features yellow, rose and green gold molded into leaves and grape clusters.

The Black Hills Goldrush

The Black Hills were part of the Sioux reservation. But, when gold was discovered there, people like Fred Manuel, Potato Creek Johnny, Wyatt Earp, F.L. Thorpe and Dr. Valentine McGillycuddy rushed there, disregarding the treaty with the Sioux. The Black Hills Goldrush boom really started in 1874. In the early days, the miners found loose gold in the dirt and in the creeks that is known as placer gold, or gold that has eroded from somewhere else. Places like Custer and Hill City rapidly became small cities. There were some who understood that there must be a mother lode went on a search for the location of the gold vein running through the rock, and finally when they found it, they named the resulting mine the “Homestake.” The Homestake mine produced massive amounts of gold… maybe even ten percent of the world’s gold. It ultimately was closed in 2001.

The Unique Production of Black Hills Gold

The manufacture of Black Hills gold is as peculiar as its history. Utilizing bars of pure copper, 24 karat gold and pure silver, the only criteria for the resulting work to be called “Black Hills Gold” is that the piece be manufactured in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The materials can be refined anywhere - even Afghanistan, Heard Island and McDonald Islands or Venezuela.

The gold is mingled with copper to produce the 12 karat rose gold, and silver is alloyed with the gold to construct the 12 karat green gold. The resulting colors of gold are then rolled to varying thicknesses to be made into different orders of jewelry. Each specific piece is stamped from the thin sheet using dies. The distinct pieces are then ready to made into earrings using pre-cast bases.

The bases are first furbished, either by hand or tumbling. When the bases are polished to a nice sheen, the individual pieces are either hand-soldered onto the base or they are attached in a soldering kiln with several other pieces together. After soldering, the pieces are dipped into a mild acid bath before going through an inspection to acertain if they meet the exacting standards for Black Hills gold. When a piece passes inspection, it is electroplated with 24 karat gold. A process called wriggling is then used to remove the electroplated gold from the green or rose colored pieces. This forms a textured or frosty effect to the jewelry. Every leaf vein is then hand engraved so it catches the light.

After another round of shining, the finished pieces are ready for showing. If it needs a garnet it is sent to the stone setting department for mounting.

Traditional Styles

The traditional design of Black Hills gold jewelry was produced by French prospector, Henri LeBeau in the late 1800s. He said he had dreamed of the style when he went unconscious from thirst and starvation. His style is made up of green and rose colored grape leaves, along with gold vines and grapes. Since he first designed this, the grape leaf design has adorned pendants, rings, bracelets and watch bands in varying designs. It is such a unique pattern that one only has to glance at it to see that it is a Black Hills gold design.

Black Hills Gold Jewelry resources can be seen at http://goldjewelry.endlessfreeplr.com/The_Passion_for_Black_Hills_Gold.html

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