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Modern
Electrum™

The exclusive alloy inspired by ancient tradition and crafted with precious metals, for jewelry with a timeless aesthetic. Completely Nickel-free and Copper-free

A perfect synthesis of tradition, elegance, and modernity, Modern Electrum is an exclusive alloy composed of three precious metals – Gold, Silver, and Palladium – all RJC and CoC certified, and 100% sourced from certified recycled materials. The non-precious metals used in the formulation are also 100% recycled, ensuring a completely sustainable and traceable composition in every component, while delivering high performance both in production processes and in the alloy’s mechanical properties.

As its name suggests, Modern Electrum is designed as a modern reinterpretation of Electrum, the ancient Gold and Silver alloy highly valued by Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans for its timeless beauty.

The result of extensive R&D by Legor, Modern Electrum embodies the finest qualities of each element: Gold lends its ductility and signature rarity; Silver adds malleability and brilliance; and Palladium provides elasticity and oxidation resistance.

To fully enhance its aesthetic properties—and especially to ensure greater durability over time by increasing resistance to wear and oxidation—Legor has developed specific electroplating cycles for Modern Electrum that allow for the creation of jewelry in both White and Yellow finishes. These cycles are unique, use only precious metals, are REACH compliant, and completely free of nickel, cobalt, and cyanides.

From Ancient to Modern

The Birth of Modern Electrum™: The R&D Work of Legor Laboratories

Modern Electrum is the result of the fusion between Legor’s expertise in precious metal science and the exclusivity of the Diamonds De Canada brand, with the goal of creating a highly valuable alloy composed of precious metals, all strictly sourced from certified recycled materials.

Ancient Electrum was a naturally occurring alloy, a spontaneous combination of Gold and Silver found in mineral deposits and used without any advanced metallurgical knowledge. Goldsmiths of the time appreciated its beauty and ductility, but had no control over its composition or mechanical properties. Modern Electrum, by contrast, marks a radical shift: no longer a geological coincidence, but the outcome of a rigorous and highly controlled scientific process.

Thanks to the expertise of our in-house R&D lab, close interaction with the client, and careful attention to their needs, a significant research and development effort was launched. This involved hypothesizing and subsequently testing multiple possible formulations.

The challenge? To create a precious alloy that combined the historical elegance of Electrum with the demands of modern jewelry-making — developing a formulation similar to the original, capable of incorporating three precious metals and delivering high performance at a controlled cost, while also making replicable what would otherwise be impossible in nature. This required constant dedication to measurements and analysis, as well as a strong focus on the functionality of the alloy, predicting its behavior once introduced to the market for the production of exclusive jewelry and accessories.

This work, known as “characterization,” involved combining our expertise in metal transformation with in-depth knowledge of scientific literature. Modern Electrum is thus the result of expertise, innovation, and customer care — perfectly aligned with Legor’s core values.

TARNISH
RESISTANCE

Both accelerated tests and live trials have shown that the Modern Electrum™ formulation has significantly outperformed all 375 gold alloys (9kt) it was compared with, in terms of overall tarnish resistance.

PRODUCTION
PROCESSES

Modern Electrum™ has proven suitable for jewelry manufacturing using investment casting in closed systems, as well as for the production of semi-finished products such as sheet, wire, tube, and machine-made chain, using both static and continuous casting techniques.

HARDNESS

Although the as-cast hardness of Modern Electrum™ is 55 HV, this alloy was selected for its strong potential in terms of age hardening. Hardening can be achieved through a single heat treatment at 450 °C for 45 minutes, allowing the hardness to reach up to 115 HV— a value that meets the majority of jewelry application requirements.

PATENT

Modern Electrum™ is the evolution of an R&D project that led to highly successful, patented alloys.

Main features
Tradition, elegance, and modernity in a single, exclusive alloy that elevates the uniqueness of precious metals
  • Made with precious and non precious metals 100% from recycled sources
  • High resistance to oxidation
  • Harmonious balance between luxury and environmental responsibility
  • High technology in the alloy production process
  • Durability and legacy, a fusion of tradition and innovation

Ask for more information about Modern Electrum™