London-based sisters Alice and Karen Chave, founders of Incador, are finding a way to tackle the problem of mounting old and forgotten electronics by creating unique fine gold jewellery from electronic devices, such as old and irreparable iPhones, computers, and more.
Research shows that about 62 million tonnes of e-waste were generated in 2022, and only 22.3% of e-waste is formally documented as recycled.
Below, Alice, aged 26, and Karen, aged 24, reveal how exploitative mining can be, the colossal e-waste problem at hand, and their journey to creating Incador.
“I wrote my dissertation on artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) during my time at the University College London (UCL). It focused on the impact of ASM on local communities and how it could be developed to reduce poverty and support the development of communities. I then went into the engineering industry, where I was exposed to the darker side of the precious metals supply chain. In large-scale mines, worker exploitation is not uncommon, and materials can be extracted in dangerous ways,” said Alice.
“Karen and I knew we wanted to create beautiful jewellery but didn’t want to contribute to the problems in the industry, so we explored alternative ways to source gold in ways that are traceable and ethical.”
ASM is one way the sisters source their materials. Alice explained, “We are partners with a local mining community in Peru, which charges us at a premium. This allows them to reinvest in the artisanal mining communities through an NGO in the form of education, health, and social service projects.”
The brand name, Incador, translates to ‘civilisation of gold’ and nods to its origin. ‘Inca’ references the ancient Inca civilisation of Peru, while ‘d’or’ means ‘of gold’ in French.
“ASM is one way to source gold, but we realised there was another source that we use every day – electronics,” said Alice. “Many electronics, like iPhones and laptops, have small amounts of gold and precious metals in them. With electronic waste on the rise, we saw an opportunity to be part of the solution by working with partners to recover 24k gold from old and forgotten technology.”
Alice and Karen work with engineers who extract gold from the electronics by different methods, like bioleaching. The gold is then made into Incador’s beautiful pieces, where laser mental fusion (LMF) is used to deliver high precision and crafting of complex designs.
The sisters launched Incador with just two designs in August 2024. Since then, the brand has grown rapidly, with over 20 pieces available to order alongside bespoke services. The made-to-order model allows clients the option to choose between recycled gold (from reclaimed electronics) or traceable artisanal gold (from Peru), and each design can be further personalised with diamond accents or other gemstones.
Alongside the classic yellow, white and rose gold metals, the company also work with an exclusive alloy, champagne gold, which is often used in the watch-making industry but is yet to be introduced into the jewellery sector.
Incador’s sculptural designs include a range of rings, pendants, necklaces and earrings, which are crafted locally in London and finished by hand. A portion of the ASM gold proceeds goes back to the mining community in Peru.
“As children, we were very close and have always loved fashion and jewellery. We’d always go into each other’s wardrobes and borrow different things. Alice has always been someone I can be open and honest with, and you need that in a business partner. She is great at the sales and customer side, and I’ve always been quite creative, so I’m more focused on the design and the product,” said Karen.
“Jewellery today seems to all look the same, so we wanted to create something special and sculptural, like an art piece. Our debut collection draws from the organic shapes of nature, particularly the underwater corals of Malaysia, where we spent most of our childhood. We spent a lot of time outdoors as kids; we still do, and you can see that in the designs we’ve created.”
Despite always being close, the relationship between the sisters has blossomed since starting Incador. Karen said, “Building Incador has brought us closer together. The way we work is very complementary to our different skills, and it makes building a brand a little easier.”
Alice and Karen’s ingenuity has also led them to create the ‘Tech for Treasure’ initiative, which aims to encourage the recycling of electronics. The sisters will provide sleek collection banks at two campuses at University College London (UCL) to collect electronics and drive awareness of sustainable solutions.
In the future, Alice and Karen aim to grow Incador’s team, deepen its tech partnerships, redefine what it means to create luxury and cement its place as a disruptor in the fine jewellery industry.
To find out more, visit the Incador website.
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