The Royal Mint has unveiled a new jewellery division – ‘886 by The Royal Mint’ – which will use gold recovered from electronic waste.

Designed by creative director Dominic Jones, the range combines ancient coin and medal-making techniques with The Royal Mint’s precision engineering.

The jewellery and homeware division takes its name from the period The Royal Mint was founded, about 886.

The expansion into luxury jewellery and homeware will help preserve the skills of The Royal Mint’s craftspeople, while promoting sustainable design and manufacturing. About 70 per cent of the collection is currently produced in-house at The Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint has announced plans to build a plant in South Wales to recover precious metals from mobile phones and laptops. It is using patented new chemistry – created by Canadian clean tech start-up Excir – to recover more than 99 per cent of the precious metals contained within circuit boards.

Construction of the plant is underway, and will be located within The Royal Mint’s secure site to provide a stream of precious metals directly into the business. When fully operational in 2023, The Royal Mint expects to process up to 90 tonnes of UK-sourced circuit boards per week – generating hundreds of kilograms of gold per year.

Anne Jessopp, chief executive of The Royal Mint, said: “This is an exciting time for The Royal Mint as we reinvent the business for the future. We are pioneering new ways to source sustainable precious metals, and champion British craftsmanship.

“Our new jewellery division ‘886 by The Royal Mint’ combines our unique heritage and skills, with a focus on cutting edge design and sustainability.”

Sean Millard, chief growth officer for The Royal Mint, added: “886 by The Royal Mint combines the best of our craftsmanship and heritage with innovation – ushering in an exciting new chapter for both The Royal Mint and wider industry. We are here to challenge perceptions around precious metals and help to secure the future of British craftsmanship.”