Essential Considerations for Buying Gold Jewellery
The interest in buying gold jewellery has been brewing among humankind like a Caramel Macchiato on a busy Monday morning. This has only gotten increasingly popular all around the world, as technology in making gold jewellery has improved over the past few decades, placing them at a more affordable price range for the majority.
Entangled in old folklore, gold shows us the importance of being of value, wealth and prosperity. In ancient times, gold was used both as a currency and a measure in important transactions, especially among rich cultures. The value of gold was not limited nor exclusive to a single era or society and has given birth to the current high demand for precious metal jewellery within this market.
However, this increased popularity and the effort to supply for high demands has also facilitated opportunities to sell low-quality ingenuine gold jewellery to customers, masking it as the real deal. As a result, many gold lovers have had the experience of finding out their pricey purchases were, in fact, not worth it at all, leading to great disappointment.
So, we here at Starlight Jewellery want to help you pick out the best gold jewellery you can find there when you are shopping so that you do not have to face any disappointments and letdowns. Listed below are key factors you need to consider before you reach into your wallet when buying gold jewellery to keep you and your investments worthy and valuable.
Know your gold.
Just like any school project, it is never bad to start with a little bit of research before considering buying gold jewellery. Even though most people wear gold jewellery on a daily basis, a very limited number of people are actually aware of what they choose to accessorise themselves with. While some may think it would be a waste of time, a little knowledge about gold can go a long way, especially when you are looking to buy.
This includes how gold is mined and processed and how it comes to the glass showcase of your favourite jewellery shop at the end. This will help you acquire comprehensive knowledge about gold when buying gold jewellery, which can be helpful in understanding how each product differs in price and value. Besides, when you can showcase that you are not completely clueless about what you are buying, you are less likely to get scammed into gold fraud.
Types of gold and how they are made.
The belief that yellow gold is the GOAT when buying gold jewellery is not the hype anymore. Yes, there was a time when yellow gold was everything, and nothing could be even compared to it without devaluation. Because of technology and new inventions, however, the gold industry is now able to produce a creative range of beautiful metals such as rose gold and white gold.
First invented by a Russian Jeweller, rose gold rose to population in the 1920s, especially in Western societies. Unlike yellow gold, which can be found naturally, Russian gold or rose gold is made by mixing copper and silver to create yellow gold. The addition of copper gives the metal its signature pinky undertone by the coolness provided by silver alloys. This metal blend makes rose gold jewellery more durable and damage-resistant.
White gold was created as an alternative to gold when it was too expensive to afford after World War II. Made from mixing yellow gold with silver, nickel, and palladium, white gold is finished with an extra coating of rhodium, which makes it more durable than yellow gold.
Gold purities and their characteristics.
Even though it says Twenty-four karat magic in the air in Bruno Mars's song 24k Magic, when it comes to buying gold jewellery, 24k is nothing magical. 24 karat transition into pure gold is too soft and extremely prone to denting and scratching.
When other metal alloys mix with pure gold, it creates a much more malleable and durable, resulting in lower karat numbers you often see, like 22k, 20k, 18k, 14k, and 10k. The rule of thumb is that the lower the karat number, the lesser the gold purity. When buying gold jewellery, the sweet spot between gold purity and high durability lies between 22k and 18k. If you are looking to buy jewellery with a higher gold worth, these should be your gold. Lower karat numbers have a higher content of other metals, which makes them durable but with less shine than yellow gold.
How to check authenticity when buying gold jewellery.
A concern that most people have when they are buying gold jewellery is if they are spending money on the real deal or if they are getting scammed. Real gold, as a naturally expensive and rare precious metal, is sold with certified standards to demonstrate its true value to the customer.
Hallmarks.
Hallmarks such as 916 on gold jewellery indicate the genuineness of the gold purity. Jewellers typically display real gold with their hallmarks, so you can experience the transparency of your purchase when you are buying gold jewellery. A 916 hallmark shows the particular jewellery contains 91.6% or 22k pure gold. You can see a genuine 18-karat gold necklace hallmarked as 750 when buying gold jewellery. These certificates are given by the Singapore Assay Office (SAO), which makes sure that all gold meets Singapore's strict requirements and standards. Make sure to look for these little stamps on the jewellery when you are buying gold jewellery.
Other ways.
Besides, you can also consider other factors to check if it is the real thing when you are out shopping to buy gold jewellery. When holding real gold, you will feel the weight clearly in your hand vs fake gold.
One thing most people know is fake gold discolours your skin, most commonly reported as leaving green patches when worn. While real gold does not react and discolour your skin, it will leave a black streak on your blended and dried foundation. You can use this foundation test to check if the gold is real when you are buying gold jewellery.
Prices and factors influencing them.
Gold is usually priced by weight, precisely by the gram, which fluctuates daily. Needless to say, the higher the karat number, the higher the price, as higher ones contain more pure gold than lower karats.
However, factors, except for gold purity, also influence how the price changes when buying gold jewellery. Geopolitical factors such as natural disasters, economic depletion, and war can have a negative impact on a societal scale and affect the price of gold jewellery. On a smaller scale,e the jewellery designers' effort and creative energy channelled into the jewellery can alter its price as well.
Festive seasons are also when you might see a change in prices when buying gold jewellery due to the high demand. As most people are looking to buy gold jewellery as gifts for their loved ones, there could be more favourable offers presented to you as a customer.
Mind your own body.
At the end of the day, the gold jewellery you will be buying is going to be accessorizing your body, whether it is a necklace, earring or bracelet. Therefore, it is essential to make sure to select one that matches you when buying gold jewellery.
Let's say you are going to choose a pair of beautiful gold earrings. You have to consider the shape of your face and what kind of earring will complement and frame your face beautifully. You can do online research, or you can simply try different kinds of earrings to see which one flatters your facial features better.
When it comes to skin colour, there are no significant rules or regulations as to what looks good and what does not. However, your skin's undertone can slightly affect how different types of gold may reflect off of you. Yellow gold will go really well when worn if you have a warmer undertone, meaning your vein appears to be greenish. White gold goes well with those whose veins appear bluish under their skin, as both have a cool undertone to them. However, if you have pale skin with a warm undertone, try to avoid rose gold jewellery as it might look dull on you.
How to pick the gold jewellery to complement your style.
Another important thing to consider when buying gold jewellery is how you usually carry yourself and present yourself through your fashion choices.
When buying gold jewellery, make sure that the choices you make complement and reflect your existing style preferences. If you are someone who likes to keep it classic and stick to monotone metals, you can choose a timeless design when buying gold jewellery. On the other hand, if you are someone who likes to have fun pops of colour here and there, you can go for something from our colourful clover collection at Starlight Jewellery.
Whichever ones you select when you are buying gold jewellery, it is vital to ensure that you take good care of your jewellery and store it in a cool, dry place to make them last longer while looking their best. All in all, buying gold jewellery is an investment, and there is no shame in worrying about making the right choice the right way. Choose a trusted jeweller to shop from and consider all the things we talked about in this article when buying gold jewellery, and you are all ready to go!