Black Hills gold has a unique and colored history. Found only in the Black Hills region of South Dakota, these beautiful designs have been popular since the late 1800s. It isn’t only the color, but the designs as well that make black hills wedding rings the perfect choice for declaring your love.
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History
Until fairly recently, Black Hills gold had to come from the Homestead Mine in Lead, South Dakota. After Homestead closed in 2001, a court decreed that in order to be considered Black Hills gold, the jewelry must be manufactured in South Dakota. The tradition began in the 1870s when French goldsmith, Henri LeBeau, began producing signature pieces of jewelry in distinctive designs and colors during what was called the Black Hills Gold Rush. This unique jewelry eventually became known as Black Hills gold.
Materials
Black Hills gold is made from 24-carat gold mixed with other metals to produce the distinctive colors found in black hills wedding rings. What makes Black Hills gold jewelry so special is the mixture of colors in the designs. Silver is mixed with the gold to produce a green gold and copper is used to get a beautiful rose gold hue.
Designs
LeBeau set the standard for Black Hills gold jewelry with his beautiful designs. He fashioned rings featuring clusters of grapes and leaves made with rose and green gold. Legend has it that the design came to LeBeau in a vision brought on by lack of food and water while he wandered in the Bad Lands. He dropped from exhaustion and saw a vision of a stream with grape vines growing on the banks. When he woke up, his vision was real and his life was saved. LeBeau settled in the Black Hills region and began making jewelry with grapes and vines on it, and this design is still unique to Black Hills gold today.
When it is time for you to say, “I do,” commemorate your special day with Black Hills gold. It is as unique as your love.