14/11/2025
English ~
There is a common misconception amongst the public that jewellery businesses can/may melt down old gold jewellery and make new jewellery from it. However, it is illegal to do so in terms of the Precious Metals Act, 2005.
Only refineries licensed by the SAPDMR (South African Diamonds and Precious Metals Regulator) are allowed to legally do so.
The strict regulations are in place to combat the trade in stolen goods and illegal mining. Unprocessed gold, like melted jewellery, is difficult to trace back to its origin. The law specifically prohibits the possession of unprocessed gold unless you fall into a category of authorised individuals (e.g. licensed producers, refiners or permit holders).
Not only is it illegal, but when unrefined (dirty) gold is used for casting, it causes “porous castings” (castings with small gaps and/or holes). These gaps make detailed castings such as those required for family crest rings impossible and the items bend and/or break easily.
So instead of melting gold jewelry ourselves, the legal method for manufacturing jewelers and/or our clients is to sell old gold to registered and accredited dealers or refiners. These institutions are authorized to process the metal and operate within the legal framework, ensuring that all transactions are recorded and compliant with the law.
We then use the refined gold that is bought back from the refiner to manufacture new jewelry.
Any jeweler in South Africa who is not the holder of a refining license, or a precious metal beneficiation license, and undertakes to melt a client's old gold and convert it into a new item is misleading the client and/or violating the law.
Afrikaans ~
Daar bestaan ‘n algemene wanopvatting in die publiek dat juweliersbesighede ou goue juweliersware kan/mag smelt en nuwe juweliersware daarvan maak. Dit is egter onwettig om dit te doen in terme van die wet op edelmetale (Precious Metals Act, 2005)
Slegs raffinaderye wat deur die SAPDMR (South African Diamonds and Precious Metals Regulator) gelisensieerd is mag dit doen.
Die streng regulasies is in plek om die handel in gesteelde goedere en onwettige mynbou te bestry. Onbewerkte goud, soos gesmelte juweliersware, is moeilik om na sy oorsprong op te spoor. Die wet verbied spesifiek die besit van onbewerkte goud, tensy jy in 'n kategorie van gemagtigde individue val (bv. gelisensieerde produsente, raffinaderye of permithouers).
Nie net is dit onwettig nie, maar wanneer ongesuiwerde (vuil) goud vir gietwerk gebruik word veroorsaak dit “porous castings” (porieuse gietsels met klein gaaitjies). Hierdie gaaitjies veroorsaak dat detail castings soos wat benodig word vir familie wapen ringe onmoontlik is en dat die items maklik buig en/of breek.
So in plaas daarvan om self ou gouejuweliersware te smelt, is die wettige metode vir vervaardigingsjuweliers en/of ons kliente om ou goud aan geregistreerde en geakkrediteerde handelaars of raffinadery te verkoop. Hierdie instellings is gemagtig om die metaal te verwerk en binne die wetlike raamwerk te opereer, en verseker dat alle transaksies aangeteken word en aan die wet voldoen.
Ons gebruik dan die gesuiwerde goud wat by die raffinadery terug gekoop word om nuwe juwele te vervaardig.
Enige juwelier in Suid-Afrika wat nie die houer van ‘n raffineringslisensie, of ‘n edelmetaalbenefiseringslisensie is nie en onderneem om ‘n klient se ou goud te smelt en dit in ‘n nuwe item te omskep mislei die klient en/of oortree die wet.
