Lucano is a Byron Bay-region fine jeweller, handcrafting engagement rings, wedding bands, eternity rings, and Italian gold chains in Australia. Our supply chain operates within the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certified ecosystem, our atelier is solar-powered with battery storage, and we use HHO hydrogen-flame soldering in place of conventional fossil-fuel torches. This page documents what that actually means in practice, supplier by supplier, process by process.

Transparency note: Lucano itself is not directly RJC-certified — our gold and diamond suppliers are. We do not hold the audit-and-membership status of an RJC-certified manufacturer, and we want to be clear about that distinction rather than imply otherwise.

Gold sourcing

All Lucano gold is sourced exclusively from ABC Refinery, Australia's only independent gold refiner with simultaneous accreditation from the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE), and CME Group COMEX. ABC Refinery is also Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certified under the RJC Chain-of-Custody standard, which means the gold we work with is independently audited ethical from mine to refinery to our atelier.

Practically, this means:

• Every piece of Lucano gold can be traced back to an RJC-certified refinery.
• We do not source from informal-market or unaccredited refiners.
• The same gold standard applies across all our collections: engagement rings, wedding bands, Italian chains, and bespoke commissions.
• We recycle and repurpose our gold

Why ABC Refinery specifically?

ABC Refinery is the only Australian refiner with triple international accreditation (LBMA + SGE + CME). Their RJC Chain-of-Custody certification means the gold they process meets independently-audited standards for ethical sourcing, conflict-free origin, and responsible refining. Choosing an Australian-refined, RJC-certified source means the gold we use is verifiable rather than "ethical" by marketing claim.

Diamond sourcing

Lucano sources diamonds from RJC-certified suppliers. The supply chain operates within the RJC's framework for conflict-free, responsibly and ethically sourced gemstones.

Lab-grown diamonds

All lab-grown diamonds in Lucano pieces are IGI-certified (International Gemological Institute). IGI is the largest lab-grown diamond certifier globally and provides reports identical in detail to those issued for natural diamonds. Each lab-grown stone is graded on the 4Cs (cut, colour, clarity, carat) and carries a unique laser-inscribed serial number on the diamond itself.

Natural diamonds

Natural diamonds of 0.30ct or above are GIA-certified (Gemological Institute of America). GIA is the most authoritative natural diamond grading body in the world. Smaller natural accent diamonds below 0.30ct are graded in-house by our atelier to the same colour and clarity standards.

All our diamonds meet:

• F colour (colourless category)
• VS clarity (very slightly included — the second-highest clarity grade)
• Conflict-free sourcing within the RJC-certified supply chain

Coloured gemstones

Where we use natural coloured gemstones — such as the natural sapphire in the Blue Sapphire Diamond Ring — the stones are sourced from suppliers operating within the RJC-certified framework.

Carbon neutral studio

Solar + battery storage

Our Byron Bay Hinterland atelier runs on solar power with battery storage. The energy that powers our goldsmithing benches, polishing machinery, and atelier lighting is generated on-site rather than drawn from fossil-fuel grid electricity. Battery storage means we continue producing through evening hours and overcast days without falling back to grid power as the primary source.

This is not a marketing claim — it is a structural choice about how Lucano operates. For comparison, most Australian fine jewellery ateliers run on standard grid electricity, which in Australia in 2026 still has a significant fossil-fuel component.

HHO hydrogen-flame soldering

Soldering is the most energy-intensive step in goldsmithing — joining gold pieces requires precise high-temperature flame work. Most goldsmiths use LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or oxy-acetylene torches, both fossil-fuel sourced. Lucano uses HHO (hydrogen + oxygen) flame torches instead.

HHO torches generate flame by electrolysing water on demand — splitting H₂O into hydrogen and oxygen, then combusting the hydrogen back to water vapour. The fuel is water; the exhaust is water vapour. There is no LPG storage, no oxy-acetylene cylinders, no combustion of fossil hydrocarbons. The energy to run the electrolysis comes from our solar + battery system, which means our soldering work is effectively powered by sunlight.

HHO soldering is uncommon in Australian goldsmithing. It is slightly more technically demanding than LPG and the equipment is more specialised. We chose it because it closes the loop on our renewable-energy commitment — there is no point running solar electricity if you then burn LPG to make jewellery.

Italian goldsmithing heritage

Lucano's founder is a member of the Università degli Orefici (Goldsmiths' University of Rome), established in 1508. Membership means our work follows five centuries of accumulated Italian goldsmithing standards — link engineering, hand-soldering technique, finishing protocols, and quality verification methods refined since the Renaissance.

For Italian chains specifically, this connection runs deeper. The Lucano Italian chains collection — Serpente (snake), Grumetta (curb), Venetian (box), Capezzina (mariner), and Catenina (cable) — is fabricated by Italian goldsmiths in Italy and finished and verified in Australia. See the Italian Gold Chains buyer's guide for the detail on how this works.

Warranty + Repairs

Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty

Every Lucano ring, chain, and pendant is protected by our lifetime craftsmanship warranty, covering manufacturing faults for the life of the piece.

If your jewellery requires attention, simply send it back to us for assessment. If the issue is confirmed to be a manufacturing fault, we will repair it free of charge.

This warranty reflects our sustainability ethos: jewellery should be repairable for life, not disposable. Every Lucano piece is designed with the expectation that it should outlast its original wearer.

Paid Repairs & Maintenance

Not all repairs fall under manufacturing faults. Natural wear, accidental damage, and routine upkeep are part of a jewellery piece’s life. These services are not covered by the lifetime warranty and are quoted as paid repairs.

We recommend maintenance every 2–3 years, depending on how often and how intensely the piece is worn.

Paid services include:

• Periodic inspection of prong‑set diamonds

• Resetting of pavé diamonds where settings have worn

• Clasp repair on chains

• Polishing and refinishing of plain gold pieces

• Rhodium replating on white gold (typically every 2–5 years depending on wear)

• Ring resizing

• Replacement materials, such as a lost diamond or worn components

All paid services are quoted individually before any work begins.

Questions to ask any jeweller — including us

If you're comparing jewellers on ethics, these questions separate verifiable sourcing from marketing. Ask them of everyone, us included:

• Which refinery does your gold come from, and what accreditations does it hold? Ours: ABC Refinery — LBMA, SGE and CME COMEX accredited, RJC Chain-of-Custody certified.
• Can you provide written sourcing verification for my specific piece? Ours: yes — the gold refinery, the diamond certificate numbers (IGI or GIA) and the chain-of-custody documentation, in writing.
• Is the diamond independently graded? Ours: IGI for lab-grown, GIA for natural stones of 0.30ct and above, with a laser-inscribed serial number on lab-grown stones.
• Is the certification held by you or by your suppliers? Ours: by our suppliers — and we say so plainly rather than implying otherwise.

What we don't claim

We want to be explicit about what we are and are not:

• We are not RJC-certified yet. Our suppliers are. The RJC certification is held by ABC Refinery (our gold supplier) and our diamond suppliers, not by Lucano as a manufacturer. We operate within the RJC-certified supply chain but do not hold the audited membership status that an RJC-certified manufacturer would.
• We are not B Corp certified. We have not pursued B Corp certification.
• We are not Fairtrade Gold certified. Fairtrade Gold is a separate certification scheme primarily aimed at artisanal small-scale mining. Our gold comes through industrial-scale RJC-certified refining, not Fairtrade.
• We are a small artisan operation. We do not publish an annual sustainability report in the format used by larger international jewellery corporations. The information on this page is the substance behind our practices, presented as we would explain them to a customer in our atelier.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lucano RJC-certified?

Not yet. Our suppliers are. ABC Refinery (our gold supplier) holds the RJC Chain-of-Custody certification, and our diamond suppliers are RJC-certified. This means the materials we use come through the RJC-certified supply chain. Lucano itself, as a manufacturer, has not pursued direct RJC certification — we want to be clear about that distinction.

Are Lucano diamonds conflict-free?

Yes. All diamonds come through RJC-certified suppliers and are sourced under the Kimberley Process certification scheme for natural diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are IGI-certified and grown in controlled environments.

What does "RJC supply chain" actually mean?

The Responsible Jewellery Council is the global certification body for ethical, conflict-free, and sustainable practices across the jewellery supply chain. RJC-certified suppliers are audited for: ethical labour practices, conflict-free sourcing, anti-money-laundering compliance, environmental responsibility, and traceable chain of custody. When we say Lucano's supply chain operates within the RJC-certified ecosystem, we mean every material we use has been through that audit framework before reaching us.

Why solar + HHO rather than just standard ethical claims?

Because solar and HHO are structural choices that change how the work is actually done. "Ethical" without specifics is marketing language. Solar + battery + HHO is a verifiable infrastructure choice that reduces the embodied carbon of every piece we make. We invested in these systems because we believed they should be standard practice in Australian goldsmithing, not premium.

Where can I verify ABC Refinery's RJC certification?

The Responsible Jewellery Council publishes its certified members at responsiblejewellery.com/members. ABC Refinery's accreditations with LBMA, SGE, and CME COMEX are likewise verifiable on each body's public membership list.

Are coloured gemstones (sapphire, emerald, etc.) RJC-sourced?

The natural sapphire in the Blue Sapphire Diamond Ring is sourced from suppliers operating within the RJC framework. We use coloured gemstones rarely; when we do, the same supplier standards apply.

What happens if a Lucano piece needs repair?

Send it back to us and our team will assess it. If the issue is confirmed to be a manufacturing fault, we will repair it free of charge under our lifetime craftsmanship warranty.

If the repair is not related to a manufacturing fault, all services — including inspection, stone‑resetting, polishing, clasp repair, rhodium replating, and any replacement materials (such as a lost diamond) — will be quoted separately before any work begins.

Can I get a written verification of the sourcing for my specific piece?

Yes. Contact us and we will provide written confirmation of the gold refinery, the diamond certification numbers (IGI or GIA), and the chain-of-custody documentation alongside your purchase.

Questions? We are a small atelier and we read every email. Get in touch if you want to know more about how a specific piece was made.

Last updated: May 2026.