Gold, the Sun & the Stars
We’ve all been feeling the effects of the sun this summer, from the intense August heat to the incredible solar eclipse, so we thought we’d take a chance to draw some connections between the gold of the sun and the incredible materials I’m lucky enough to work with every day.
I don’t know if you heard, but my brother, Professor Rory Cox, recently discussed eclipses on bbc radio in preparation for his upcoming book, Solar: A History of Humanity and the Sun (being released 06/05/2027). He discusses some of the earliest records of eclipses, dating back over 5,500 years. He also talks about the mythology surrounding the sun, including the belief that the sun and moon were lovers, and that eclipses were a moment for the estranged pair to reconcile and reconnect. This creates such a meaningful link to the work that we do here, allowing us to connect with something rooted in ancient mythology.
On a similar note, I recently heard a slightly different Professor Cox – Brian Cox – speaking about the phenomenal new discoveries linking gold and the universe… It turns out there’s more of a connection between gold and the sun than just its colour and shine! Gravitational-wave observations have helped scientists understand the incredible cosmic events that create some of the heaviest elements in the universe. When neutron stars collide, the extreme conditions can forge elements including gold and platinum, which are then scattered through space as part of the debris from these enormous cosmic events.
It’s pretty mind boggling to think that the materials I craft into wedding rings and one of a kind pieces has its origins in some of the most extraordinary events in space!
And it turns out that humans have been fascinated by gold, the sun and the mysteries of the skies for thousands of years. So, in keeping with the theme, here are a few of our favourite golden and celestial facts:
The Incas called gold the ‘sweat of the sun’, while in ancient Egypt, gold was thought to be the flesh of the gods and was strongly associated with the sun god Ra.
El Dorado, the mythical city of gold, literally translates as ‘the gilded one’ or ‘the golden one’. The legend became a driving force behind Spanish exploration and conquest in South America during the 16th century. After so many failed attempts to find it, the story grew and changed – eventually, El Dorado was rumoured to be a city that moved or even floated, becoming an irresistible trap for those consumed by greed.
Before the science of eclipses was understood, people feared they were caused by celestial monsters devouring the sun. What we now see as an incredible astronomical event was once a source of genuine terror.
Perhaps that’s why gold has held such a fascination for us for so long. It connects something incredibly tangible – the jewellery we wear and treasure – with something much bigger: the sun, the stars, ancient stories and the extraordinary universe around us.
So next time you look at a piece of gold jewellery, perhaps it’s worth remembering that there’s a little bit of cosmic history hiding in there too.✨