You may have heard before of Black Hills gold and have had a few questions spring to mind: what exactly is it? What makes it different from other kinds of gold? Where can I find Black Hills gold? Here, you can find some simple answers to these questions that will help you learn more about Black Hills gold.
What is Black Hills Gold?
Despite the name, Black Hills gold doesn’t specifically refer to a type of gold alloy itself like “white gold” or “yellow gold”, but rather a particular style of jewelry that comes from the Black Hills of South Dakota. Legend has it that Henri LeBeau, a French goldsmith, was inspired to create Black Hills gold in the 1870s following a dream he had, while wandering through the Hills, of a creek with grape vines spread across its banks. Because of this, Black Hills gold traditionally features depictions of the vines, leaves and fruit of the plant. In addition, these pieces display green and reddish-pink hues that come from alloying yellow gold with silver and copper, respectively.
Black Hills gold is the official state jewelry of South Dakota since 1988. According to a court ruling, the jewelry must be produced within the Black Hills if it’s to be called Black Hills gold. Traditionally, the gold, silver and copper was also mined within the state, but in recent years this has been relaxed somewhat so that the metals can be sourced from elsewhere.
Buying Black Hills Gold
Many people acquire pieces of Black Hills gold on trips to the region, since it’s produced there and strongly associated with the Hills. However, though Black Hills gold must originally come from the Hills, it can be purchased from retailers elsewhere. When looking for where to buy Black Hills gold, your best bet is to find online retailers dedicated specifically to this style of jewelry. However, other retailers of gold jewelry may also carry Black Hills gold. Ideally, you should be able to fully examine the designs online to ensure you pick the one that resonates the most with you.