What is the story about Black Hills Gold?
Black Hills Gold is actually a combination of various colors of gold which creates a special look usually in the shape of grape leaves. Reputedly, this combination of colors and shape of this jewelry was “created” by a french goldsmith named Henri LeBeau prior to immigating to the U.S. That influence provided the basis for the popular look of Black Hills gold jewelry of today. The tri-colors of gold represented are in rose, green and yellow gold. The naming of this type of jewelry has nothing to do with the claim of Black Hills gold’s origin. LeBeau settled in the black hills region after immigrating – he designed and distributed his product from there. See sample above. LeBeau was also never a grape grower. He got the idea of a grape leaf design from having been born and raised in a grape growing region in France. With proverbial tongue-in-cheek it is said that “for a piece of jewelry to be called Black Hills Gold, it MUST have been made in the Black Hills”. I suspect that the “legend
