Native gold - The Unaltered Beauty of Nature

Honegger celebrates gold in its rarest and most elemental form: the native gold nugget, sourced from French Guiana. Unlike refined or alloyed gold, native gold is found naturally as nuggets or flakes, its shape untouched by human intervention.

Formed over millennia through intense geological processes, each nugget reveals intricate crystalline structures and a singular, organic shape — a natural work of art shaped by the Earth itself.

By crafting timeless pieces from unmodified native gold, Honegger embraces authenticity and honors the raw beauty of the material. Each creation connects the wearer to the ancient origins of gold, embodying nature’s quiet power and enduring value.

Traceability by Design — From Hand To Hand

Each Honegger piece is thoughtfully designed and meticulously handcrafted in our atelier in Paris. Every gold nugget used in our creations is sourced directly from artisanal gold prospectors and comes with an identity sheet, available upon request with the following details:

• Date and location of discovery
• Name of the gold prospector
• Natural weight, shape, and composition
• Extraction method and environmental footprint

This transparent and verifiable provenance ensures that every Honegger jewel carries not only the quiet rarity of native gold, but also the integrity of a human story.

Regenerative Extraction - A Responsible and Human Process

The gold used in Honegger’s creations is extracted by local artisans using traditional, chemical-free techniques — with no cyanide and no mercury — and sourced exclusively from alluvial deposits. This method involves only limited and temporary deforestation, and as extraction progresses, reforestation begins using native species cultivated from seed.

Every project starts with a mandatory consultation with French authorities, who evaluate each site’s ecological and cultural sensitivity before any activity is authorised. Each location is carefully selected, and every step of the process is carried out with a commitment to environmental stewardship — including full water recycling, land restoration, and the protection of sensitive ecosystems.

Additional regenerative measures include:
• the use of solar energy in camps and workshops,
• a zero-waste approach through metal recycling, composting, and managed waste removal,
• voluntary carbon offsetting through locally anchored initiatives.

At Honegger, we support gold prospector cooperatives by ensuring fair remuneration, transparent sourcing, and recognition of their artisanal expertise.

All mining collaborators come from nearby communities and their work provides livelihoods aligned with European wage standards, along with full access to social protections under French labour law.