Gold jewellery has been around since Egyptian times when some Egyptian masks were discovered in tombs to be made of 24kt gold. In the far East the standard for gold content in gold jewelry is 18k to 22k and the standard in the US is 14k to 18k. The recent upward spikes in the price of gold to highs in the $800 to $900 per ounce has been a benefit for gold jewellery in the sense that the price points that gold jewellery used to occupy in the $40 to $80 range for a decent pair of gold earrings no longer exists. Nowadays whether you shop at Walmart, QVC or a high end jeweler, the opening price points for that type of gold product is now $200. The status of gold jewellery has gone up and now those $40 opening price points are now occupied by sterling silver jewelry.
This is an interesting turn of events for jewelers because they have a choice as to whether they want to take up precious showcase space with budget gold items whose pricing will be simply balked at by customers wanting a cheap gold piece. Jewelers have more choices than ever with silver to occupy these price points for the budget conciiouss but when it comes to yellow gold or white gold jewellery they are much better off going up market. This is also a benefit to the consumer who will no longer bang their heads against a wall looking for that gold jewellery gift for under $70 because it simply won’t be there in the case because the smart jeweler would have realised that investing in design intensive, high brow pieces upwards of $800 will give the best return because the customer’s issue will no longer be a price issue at this level of merchandise but a design and style issue. Gone are the days of i would call gold costume jewellery pieces made on the cheap to sell for under $50.
Gold jewellery designs have taken a step forward both from generic manufacturers of basic items like gold jewellery necklaces for pendants to fine gold jewellery one of a kind pieces from designers. Designer gold jewellery has always been about the look and what yellow gold jewellery is known for is the ability to showcase texture. From the hammered texture in some of John Hardy’s designs to the fine detailed handwork in gold jewellery designers like Alex Sepkus and Henry Dunay, there is really no metal quite like gold. Gold jewellery is also available in a range of colours from varying shades of pink to red gold all the way to blue,peach and black gold. Charriol makes good use of peach gold some of their newer collections like Celtique that uses their proprietory misture of yellow and pink gold with the brown steel cable.
Mens gold jewellery has for the most part gone all white, at least in the Western world, however in the far east for gold jewellery India is the place where men still consider 22k yellow gold to be the standard for mens wedding jewellery. This is also the case for diamond gold jewellery for women although that trend is changing fast with many women now wanting their mangal sutras to be in 22k white gold instead of the traditional yellow gold. Men in the Western World who buy gold jewellery are nevertheless heavily into white gold jewellery because white metals to them are more masculine and edgy. Women in the Western World have also leaned over to white gold for bridal jewellery like engagement rings and wedding bands but are starting to give yellow gold a second look when in a gold jewellery store and will not hesitate to start a gold jewellery collection in yellow gold. Perhaps women’s bridal jewelry will always be partial to white gold but for gold fashion jewellery and pearl gold jewellery women are increasingly liking the assortment of textures and designs that are showing up in yellow gold collections.
