About California Gold –A Golden State Treasure
California gold is more than a precious metal — it’s a story of place, deeply connected to California’s landscapes, history, and spirit. At Bracken, we craft this rare, high-karat material sourced from the Sierra Nevada foothills into meaningful jewelry that connects you to its story and legacy for your wedding, anniversaries, milestones, or simply because.
What Is California Gold?
When we say “California Gold”, we mean gold that is naturally occurring and mined in the state of California. Unlike most gold, which lacks traceability due to international sourcing and exchanges, our California Gold can be traced to where it came from, how it was mined and by whose hands. This not only provides a symbolic connection to place, but a guarantee that strict protections for environment and workers were adhered to in the mining process.
Unique Characteristics of Raw California Gold
Its warm, greenish-gold color and naturally high karat composition make California Gold highly distinct and inherently valuable material. These unique characteristics are a direct result of the natural geological processes of California’s rivers and mountains.
Why Choose California Gold?
Connection to California heritage
Traceable origin, ethical mining practices
Distinctive color and character
Lasting value
“I place a lot of value on symbols and meaning with materials and such, and, being that my partner and I are both born Californians, it really had to be California gold.”
How We Source California Gold
Our gold comes from our fully-permitted placer gold mine in the Sierra Nevada foothills, a mineral claim we have staked on the Yuba river and long-time local partners.
California’s mining laws are among the strictest in the world, ensuring waterways, ecosystems and people are protected throughout the process. These regulations provide a framework that guides every step of our sourcing.
Our mining operations are small-scale and closely managed. Our processes rely on water, gravity and natural properties of the elements at play instead of cyanide and mercury.
“I love that it’s California gold! I grew up in California so I love the idea of having a ring from my home state.”
Handcrafted in Santa Monica
After a proprietary process of refining the raw nuggets and gold dust, our California Gold is ready to be made into jewelry at our Santa Monica studio.
Most pieces start with a wax and casting, followed by a number of steps from stone-setting to hammering and finishing, that give each piece the long-lasting structural and aesthetic qualities we desire.
Signature Soft-Hammered Finish
Raw gold nuggets that get their irregular texture and finish from eons of contact with flowing water and tumbling rocks inspire our signature soft-hammered matte finish. The process takes an average of 1,000 hammer strikes for a single ring.
Our Grizzly Bear Hallmark
Nearly every piece in our California Gold jewelry collection is stamped with our grizzly bear hallmark to authenticate its California Gold composition. It is a nod to the animal that has has graced our state’s flag since the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846 as a symbol of strength.
A Note on History & Responsibility
California gold has a complex history. The 1848 Gold Rush brought immense wealth and migration, but also displacement, social upheaval, and significant environmental impacts. Hydraulic mining and unregulated extraction during that era altered rivers and landscapes, leaving a legacy that is still visible today.
Today in California, strict laws govern water use, sediment control, and safe worker conditions to ensure that modern mining operates responsibly. Unfortunately un-permitted and global mining does not guarantee the same precautions.
At Bracken Jewelers, we view our role as a steward: sourcing gold in a way that honors both the land and its history, while crafting it into pieces that celebrate California’s heritage and natural beauty.
Symbolism and Connection
California Gold carries significance beyond its physical properties. It embodies place, heritage, and continuity, linking the wearer to the state’s history, its landscapes, and the communities that have shaped it. Our California Gold jewelry collection is a way to connect with that story, grounding personal milestones in a material that is deeply tied to the Golden State–whatever your connection to it may be.
