Gold occurs as an element in nature. It is one of the first metals that man could work with simple techniques. Gold has been mined and formed since the Copper Age. For hunters and gatherers, the status and reputation of the person were already made clear by wearing gold jewelry.
History of Gold Jewelry
The oldest known piece of jewelry in America was found by archaeologists in Peru on Lake Titicaca. 4000 years ago, a Native American gold craftsman made a chain from Andean gold, which he decorated with nine turquoise minerals. He had cold hammered the gold. Gold finds from around 3000 BC were found during excavations in southern Iraq. In Iraq around 2600 B.C. the wax melting process is known.
The oldest gold jewelery in Europe is 5000 years old. In 1972, 3000 golden rings, amulets, plates, and balls were found on the northern shore of Lake Varana in Bulgaria. In 1872, a gold neck ring weighing 1184 grams was found in North Jutland – one of the heaviest pieces of gold jewelery from around 500 AD. A lot of gold jewelery from the 5th/6th c. Century AD, Denmark’s Golden Age. The flow of gold dried up after the end of the 6th century, but the Vikings still brought home plenty of golden booty from their raids. The Christian church discovered gold as a symbol of wealth and power at the end of the 10th century. High dignitaries adorned themselves with gold rings and precious stones and heavy, stately chains over their church robes.
What kind of gold jewelry is there?
Especially the women of the upper classes have always liked to adorn themselves with golden jewelry. Some types still exist today, of course, adapted to modern times, but the original antique jewelery still has great appeal and charisma today.
Chains and bands for arms, wrists, and ankles, rings for fingers and toes, earrings in the form of studs, pendants and clips, belt ornaments such as buckles and ornaments, hair ornaments such as hair clips, hairpins, tiaras, and diadems used to enchant women and are still popular today coveted. Gold jewelery is often refined by incorporating precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, amethysts, sapphires, and garnet jewelry. Pearls and gold are also a magical couple.
What gold is used in jewelry?
Until recently, Italy had the largest gold jewelry industry. India has now taken that place. 8 to 18 karat gold is used in Europe and the USA. Eight carats, that is 333 gold, which unfortunately can discolor quickly. In Germany, it is often used for wedding rings. 14 karat gold (585 gold) is typical for jewelery making. In India and Asia, gold is processed with 22 (900) and 24 karats (999 gold). In Turkey, for example, there is no gold jewelry under 14 carats. A carat is the weight of a dried carob seed. It weighs 0.2 grams.
Gold as an investment: gold jewelry or gold bars?
When currencies fall in times of crisis, gold can be a sensible investment alongside other forms of investment. But then the question arises: does this also apply to gold jewelry, i.e. gold that has already been processed? Instead of depositing gold bars or coins at the bank, why not pamper the wife and create a store of value at the same time? But is jewelry also a worthwhile investment?
First of all, you should clarify whether the piece of jewelry is actually real gold. Then the value of the gold contained in the jewelry must be calculated. Gold jewelery made in Germany is marked with a stamp. The numbers are 333, 545, 750, and 999. The higher the numbers, the more gold there is in the alloy. The stamp alone says nothing about the final value of the piece of jewelry. It only indicates that and how many shares of real gold are in the jewelry.
The ideal and artistic value is to be considered separately. Is the piece of jewelery from a special brand like Cartier or Tiffany? Was it designed and made by a famous artist? Is it a one-off, elaborately finished with many details, or from a particularly popular era? Is the style in or out? Ultimately, when it comes to jewelry of this type, supply and demand are far more important to price than gold grade itself. This usually requires consulting a professional to determine the true value.
