886 is the newly launched lifestyle brand from The Royal Mint; it has unveiled its debut line of in-house fine jewellery crafted in-house in the UK using gold recovered from electronic waste.
Designed by Creative Director Dominic Jones, the understated unisex pieces are inspired by The Royal Mint’s heritage and the concept of wearable assets; each piece carries a visual marker of its precious metal gram weight.
The new brand will help to preserve the rare skills of The Royal Mint’s craftspeople, while promoting sustainable design and manufacturing.
Around 70% of the collection is currently produced in-house at The Royal Mint manufacturing facility in Llantrisant, South Wales, utilising legacy techniques whilst developing new skills within the workforce to create objects of lasting value.
The 886 collection represents a “new era” for the home of precious metals, it says.
The collection comes after The Royal Mint recently announced it intended to build a plant to turn the UK’s electronic waste into gold.
Sustainable precious metals
886 is the first luxury jewellery brand to use 100% recovered gold sourced from discarded electronic waste.
The Royal Mint has partnered with Canadian clean technology firm Excir to extract pure gold from discarded laptops and mobile phones, using Excir’s pioneering technology.
The patented chemical formula recovers over 99% of the gold contained within used electronics, supporting a UK-based circular economy and providing a fresh source of high-quality precious metal.
Each piece of jewellery is crafted from solid gold or silver, using ancient techniques more commonly used in coin and medal-making.
I wanted to celebrate the inherent beauty of precious metal, without the distraction of stones or design flourishes. It’s very brave in its simplicity.
Precious metals are struck, forged and pulled rather than cast, increasing the density of the metal and making it 30% stronger.
“The 886 collection began with the idea of an institutional gold bullion that has been distorted, inverted and warped into a gentle, soft shape that feels like it floats off the skin,” said Creative Director Dominic Jones.
“I wanted to celebrate the inherent beauty of precious metal, without the distraction of stones or design flourishes. It’s very brave in its simplicity.
“I was also inspired by a friend who on his 21st birthday was given a solid gold cuff that contained a notch for every gram of gold. He knew that if he ever needed to, he could melt down a section of the bracelet as it had an inherent value,”
“The Royal Mint was created as a trusted place to store value through materials, and the 886 collection explores the idea of jewellery as a wearable asset, in beautiful, classic pieces that will retain their value for multiple generations.”
