In French Guiana, gold is primarily extracted using traditional methods such as alluvial and artisanal mining. Miners employ manual or semi-mechanised techniques to recover gold from river sediments or soil. The ore is then treated to separate gold from impurities and subsequently purified. Nuggets, however, are rarely found during this process.

In 1987, Olivier Honegger left the French metropole for French Guiana to undertake his military service. Having previously studied forestry, he chose to remain after his service to pursue gold prospecting. Despite limited knowledge of the region, he quickly mastered the ways of the forest and began his first search for gold in the surrounding rivers.

As his work developed, he met Tamara, a young woman born in Brazil who, like him, had left everything behind to live in the heart of French Guiana. In this territory, where nature reigns and the quest for gold is a way of life, their daughter Esther was born and raised fully immersed in the culture of gold panning.

In 2020, Esther inherited a necklace that had belonged to her grandmother. Designed by her mother and crafted from gold nuggets found by her father, the piece carried the family’s history within it. This heirloom inspired Esther to explore her heritage, and in 2023, she created the Honegger brand.

Founded in 2023, Honegger is the culmination of a unique family legacy passed down through generations. The brand honours gold in its rarest and purest form: the native gold nugget sourced from French Guiana.