The British Royals have been using Clagau gold for their wedding rings since 1923. In northeastern Wales there are gold mines, many of which have now been shut down due to exhaustion of ore. To honor the future King of the United Kingdom and the current Prince of Wales at the time, the 1923 Clagau mine owners and jewelry company donated a large gold nugget to the prince. This nugget was used to make the wedding rings for the future King and Queen of England. The future King George and Queen Elizabeth made sure that the gold was used for future weddings. In 1986 on the occasion of her 60th birthday, another nugget of Clagau gold was presented to Queen Elizabeth II. The Royal jewelers should have plenty of Clagau gold left to make the wedding rings for Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Opened in the 1860's, the Clagau mine started out as a copper mine. During mining operations, veins of gold were also discovered. Clagau gold has a reddish color due to the presence of copper found with the gold. Clagau gold is rare and priced about 3000 pounds per ounce. The Clagau mine was originally closed in the early 1900s. The mine has been reopened on occasion due to new mining techniques and an increase in the price of gold making it feasible to search for more veins. The mine was closed in 1998, but the current cost of gold is making it feasible to reopen the mine yet again.
Besides its original use in 1923, the Clagau gold was used for the wedding rings of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and the son of Princess Anne all have wedding rings made out of Clagau gold. It is expected that the rings of Prince William and Kate will follow the Royal tradition of being made out of Clagau gold. Along with other traditions that the engaged couple are following including the choice of location, use of a family heirloom for an engagement ring and use of the Royal coaches, making the rings out of Welsh gold would be following one more tradition.
William is due to spend a large part of his life as Prince of Wales and what could be better to unite William with his future province then to make his wedding ring out of Welsh gold? Of course, using United Kingdom gold also unites the Prince with the country he will one day rule as King. It shows the people of the United Kingdom their future ruler has his focus on beginning to form lasting bonds with the people of the United Kingdom. It is widely known the Clagau jewelers have presented themselves at the palace to offer their services to the Royal family. Made out of 22 karat gold, past Royal wedding bands have been simple yet artistic. The whole of the United Kingdom is looking forward to viewing the wedding rings once they are presented at the ceremony in April.
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