Gifts You Will Love

Gold is one of the most sought after metals in the world. It still holds the top spot in ranking followed by silver and bronze. In the world of jewellery and sales record however, Gold has been bumped from the top by Platinum which has been know to exceed it in value. That is the main reason why gold fell out of good graces for a few years during the popularity of Platinum. Now, gold seems to be enjoying a comeback in the limelight as well as in the runways and fashions shows. It seems like gold jewellery is back again.

The Metal Gold

Gold is the first element that is found in the periodic table with the symbol Au. The symbol comes from a Latin word Aurum that can be translated into ‘Shinning Dawn’. Gold has been used as form of currency; coins were minted from it and considered to be of a higher value than that of silver. To this day gold is still used as the base of any modern day currency.

Gold as a metal has often been believed to have medicinal benefits. In fact gold salts are known for their anti-inflammatory features. However, only gold salts have been seen to have any effects, as gold itself as a metal is non-reactive to any of the chemicals it encounters in the body. Gold is used to produce a few alcoholic beverages and are even seen as an addition to cocktails.

It is sometime used in dentistry as a form of replacement or prosthesis. It is also used in embroidery and in clothing because gold can be woven into thread. It is also used in electronics because it is very conductive although silver has a higher conductivity rate, but gold is much less prone to corrosion than silver is.

The History of Gold Jewellery

Gold has been used extensively in history. Relics as well as carvings have shown that the ancient Egyptian people have mastered the art of extracting and purifying gold to very high degrees. Hence, gold can be seen worn by royalty and even some common folks. It is perhaps the color of Gold that attracts most people to it. The Aztecs and the Mayans as well as the Greeks have associated gold with the deities - the Sun God in particular! There are even temples to the sun god that were plated in gold in reverence to the deity. The Ancient Greeks have also been known to refer to gold as ‘the sweat of Zeus’. The term cemented the status of gold as a very valuable metal.  Gold is even one of the very first metal that is mentioned in the Bible.

The status of Gold as a very valuable metal has driven so many men to move to places where gold mining is heard of. This is known in the western world as the Gold Rush. At present, the largest producer of Gold is South Africa, North America, Russia, Canada and Australia.

Today, gold is primarily used in the production of jewellery and is sold all over the world. The industry experienced a slight drop in popularity over a few years but is now seen back on the market.

The Karat Factor

The percentage of gold in a piece of jewellery is measured in Karats. Pure gold is 24K, pure gold like pure silver is too soft to work with and it is often mixed with other metals. The metals that are mixed with gold create different gold shades. An example is Copper, the higher the percentage of copper is in the mix, the more “coppery” the color of the gold will be, so we have rose gold.

The higher the Karat is, higher the percentage of pure gold there is in the piece. It is important to note that pure gold or 24K gold is very soft, so it also follows that the higher the Karat is the softer the piece will be.

22K gold is made up of 91.3% pure gold and 8.4% other metal. This gold alloy is softer than the rest and is known as being capable to create intricate designs. 18K gold is 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts other metals. This mix makes the gold jewellery 75% pure gold. This is often marked as 750 to indicate the pure gold percentage in the Jewellery. 14K gold is 58.5% pure gold or is 14 parts pure gold to 10 parts of other metals. 14K gold is often marked 585 to indicate the gold percentage in the piece of jewellery.
12K gold is a combination of 12 parts gold to 12 parts other metal making the piece only 50% gold. 10K gold is the minimum Karat that is still considered to be ‘gold’ in most countries. It is 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts other metals, that means that the piece of jewellery is 41.7% pure gold. 10K gold is often marked with 417 to indicate the percentage of gold in the piece.

Gold Jewellery: Back in Vogue

In the past decade or so, the Jewellery world has seen Silver and Platinum rise in popularity. Gold as it seemed was just not stylish enough. It even got to the point when wearing gold jewellery felt dated and old and most heirloom gold jewellery sat dusting away in jewellery boxes all over the fashion conscious world. Now, the tides are turning as fashion and jewellery designers are bringing gold back to the runway. Gold has been reinvented and is now very much in Vogue.
Flipping through any fashion magazine or going to high end shops will reveal a golden trend. It started with the metallic craze a few years ago where gold, silver, bronze, chrome, copper and other metals found its way in leather, clothing and others. That trend may be dying down, but the rise of Gold Jewellery is still going strong.
Long link necklaces that can be worn in layers, dainty tennis bracelets, rings, chunky bangles and a whole lot more are basking in the color gold. The fashion world can’t seem to get enough of it. It is perhaps good news to now that something once thought to be past its prime is back on the scene once again and is showing no signs of slowing down.

21st Century Gold Jewellery Design

The design of Gold Jewellery is certainly different that what it was a decade ago.  The designs are so varied that there is no one way to describe the ideal design as one. Come to think of it, it seems like every school of jewellery design is taken by the Gold trend that is why anyone, no matter the style will find a gold piece that is fitting for them.
Lengthy and thin: Long and Lengthy gold jewellery is one of the trends that have been popping up. In this design principle, long gold links that are interspersed with beads, gems, pearls and other things are predominant. Most of the jewellery under this design is thin, wiry and delicate in nature.

Chunky: Chunky gold jewelry mainly consists of bangles and cuffs. They are mostly seen in this design principle. It is quite rare to see chunky necklaces and earrings. The presence of stacked chunky bangles or of a gold cuff is often enough to accessorize an outfit. Chunky gold jewellery is often worn on the party seen, but if properly carried, it can look elegant with office and casual wear and even formal gowns.

Back on the Finger

During the last decade a majority of the engagement rings sold in the market were either made of silver or platinum and the same goes for the wedding band. In the past year Gold Jewellery has started to rise in popularity again and so have gold engagement and wedding rings. It may take a few more years before gold can experience the magnitude of fame that silver and platinum engagement and wedding rings have enjoyed, but that time will soon come. Other than engagement and wedding rings, fashionable gold rings are also being created and sold in the most jewellery stores.

Buying Gold Jewellery

Gold Jewellery should be bought from reliable sources. Those that can be trusted to provide the right percentage of gold for the Karats that they claim. This way, the buyer can be sure that he or she is getting the percentage that she is paying for. Plus, a good jeweler or a sought after jewellery designer would often add to the value that is already held by the gold piece.

Golden Investment

Investing on Gold Jewellery may be a wise choice since it is one of those items that will continue to appreciate in value over time. Gold jewellery with a higher percentage of pure gold is always considered to be more valuable. But, since a higher gold percentage produces a softer metal, it has to be taken care of properly. Damage is often a result of storing gold jewellery improperly. A very good Jewellery armoire can be the best place to keep them. Tarnishing is never a problem since Gold can withstand this forever.

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