SPIRIT EARRING | ORIGIN - Two round-cut type 2a fluorescing natural diamonds. 0.04 carat total weight. Hoop design. Set in Modern Electrum™.

What was electrum?

Electrum was first discovered in the drinking vessels and other artifacts of the Ancient Egyptians, ca. 3,000 B.C. It's a blend of Gold, Silver, and Platinum and was used as a plating alloy. It was incredibly lightweight, produced a beautiful luster, and was much more durable than sterling silver.

Why have I never heard of it?

The Roman Empire outlawed electrum because it upset their valuation scales. The Greeks used electrum to mint currency, but the Romans required all coins to be made out of pure metal, so they could assign value based on weight. Since electrum was a blend of precious metals, no one knew what percentages of each metal were in electrum coins, so they stopped producing it.

However, electrum coins from this time period (roughly 700-300 B.C.) still hold their shine and details of where they were struck and what part of Greece and Rome they belonged to. Further evidence of this metal's incredible durability.

Is Modern Electrum still the same?

Yes. The LANDS Collection sought out Italy's best metallurgist, The Legor Corporation, and together we created Modern Electrum. It's still a blend of Gold, Silver, and Platinum. However, this time, to meet the LANDS sustainability standards, it's made out of 100% recycled metals and over 95% precious metals. It's also 100% hypo-allergenic.

How does it compare to Gold or Sterling?

Modern Electrum costs roughly $650-700 per ounce. As of 2025, 24k gold is almost $3,000 per ounce. Additionally, as we've said, Modern Electrum is 95%+ precious metals, where as 14k gold is only 58.5% precious metals. Modern Electrum is also 50% more durable than sterling silver.

This is LAND'S commitment to keeping our luxury natural Canadian diamonds in a price point that is affordable to our consumers without sacrificing design, luster, or quality.