Gold Jewelry

The price of gold is very high at the moment. Although second hand jewelry is often only worth the scrap value, that value may surprise you.

Two years ago I inherited some gold jewelry including a sovereign which had been mounted to wear as a pendant. I would never wear anything like that although I sometimes do wear yellow gold. The resale value back then was around £500, today I would get closer to £700. I still have it along with a fair amount of other 22ct gold. I was going to get it all melted down and made into a cuff but I find 22ct to be too bright.

The watch I received for my 50th (6 years ago) has almost doubled in value purely down to the increase in the value of gold.

All of those so called ‘chavs’ walking around with their sovereigns, clown pendants and signet rings are quids in. Well done to them I say.

I think it's different these days. I wear a gold wedding & engagement ring. Other than that I have 15 ear piercings, most of which have white gold jewellery in (the rest are waiting until I can afford to upgrade!). So overall still quite a lot of gold but not as noticable.

Platinum went through a really trendy phase back when my friends and I were getting engaged (20 years ago). I am mid 40s now. Everyone has platinum (or white gold).

I don’t like it. It doesn’t suit me and I think it’s of a certain era now. My jewellery is all yellow gold and I like it much more. It has a much more classic look.

Eh? Gold is really in fashion now. My young adult DDs only wear gold- even if it is gold vermeil or rolled gold. My older DD in particular is a very classy dresser. Gold went out of fashion about 30 years ago, but it’s back now big time and has been for a few years.

Yellow gold is not tacky or chavvy.

It's nouveau riche to think so, I'm afraid.

Antique gold jewellery is typically yellow gold. I have a beautiful Edwardian engagement ring and a vintage wedding band.

All the vair posh, old money women I know have gold wedding rings (although some of their other jewellery might be silver). Usually heirlooms.

Personally I think platinum and white gold is a bit naff. May as well wear silver.

I should hide this thread… I’ve been googling gold jewellery in between reading and commenting, and I’m now itching to buy another piece - but my current financial commitments are screaming at me not to! 😂 But Christmas is just around the corner (and I’m not expecting any gold coloured presents unless you maybe include some Ferrero Rocher!)

In your opinion.

Id say classic yellow gold is timeless and beautiful 🤷‍♀️

gold necklaces seem quite popular amongst my friends, Im in my 40s.

I’ve asked for one for Christmas actually.

Gold is more in fashion over the last couple of years than it has been for a long time.but more finer pieces small watches etc not the chunky gold

Actually, because I’m now thinking so much about gold (adhd hyper focussing 😂), I’ve realised that my anniversary ring actually has some rose gold in it, which means that my original statement that anything other than solid yellow gold causes me a terrible skin reaction wasn’t strictly true! Although that part of the ring doesn’t sit completely flush with my skin so that may be why.

Essentially it’s horses for courses, but I do think that yellow gold has a more timeless and classic look than white coloured metals, and if worn well looks more expensive. Especially when it has diamonds or good quality precious stones. I don’t think it’ll ever go out of “fashion” for people who enjoy really good quality jewellery. But it really does come down to personal preference and style, as well as obviously, affordability.

When I was in my teens I’d wear any old shite that I thought looked ‘cool’ in my ears or on my fingers, and to hell with the green lobes, fingers and raging eczema! 😂

My sister has your colouring (except she has brown/hazel eyes), and yellow gold jewellery looks really beautiful on her, much nicer than silver coloured metals.

I have auburn hair (fading now due to my ancient years 🤣) green eyes and pale skin. Think Rula Lenska 🤷‍♀️

Sure. But less is more! I think it can definitely be overdone!

I love gold, my eternity, wedding and engagement ring are all solid gold. I also have many pieces of jewellery passed down from elderly relatives in gold. It’s classic.

Hmm I'd say the opposite. Gold says old money, silver metals say nouveau to me.

Yes, you’re probably right. I’m hoping to never be in a position to have to sell my jewellery to get by (never say never, mind), and intend on having to have my rings cracked off of my cold, dead, arthritic fingers. Thankfully it’s all insured, and the insurance value is always higher than the purchase price, so at least if I was ever a victim of theft or robbery, I would be heartbroken owing to the sentimentality but would be financially compensated.

I think some people who suggest that yellow gold is “chavvy” might be more familiar with the “gold” sovereign rings, the type which Jim Royle paid ‘20 notes’ for from Twiggy for Anthony’s 18th, than the classic gold worn for generations by the Royal family, and such!

The Royal Family would be surprised to hear this. The women all have yellow gold wedding bands.

Hmm... I have observed that gold jewellery is very popular amongst millenials and gen z.

I think it’s probably partly trends, and partly finances. I worked out recently (for insurance purposes), that the purchase value of the jewellery I wear daily is in the region of $15-16k (I’m in Aus, so about £7-8k gbp), and was shocked! But I was married for 21yrs (I’m mid 40s) so other than the bangle which I bought myself after my husband passed ($6k), the rest were all gifts over that time. I have no idea what the resale value would be .

Sadly jewellery is like cars. Once you've bought it, it loses value immediately. Most pieces like rings and bangles go for little over scrap value. There are exceptions of course for the famous names but they are a rarity. You may get a little more if the jeweller thinks the piece has commercial appeal and they plan to resell it but generally it's based on the scales.

That’s interesting, as anything other than solid gold (I mostly wear 18c but can get away with 9c) causes me to break out horribly, my skin feels like it’s on fire and the itching and even cracking of the skin is unbearable. Which suits me, as my preference is gold.

I wear a solid yellow gold golf bangle, my 18c engagement solitaire (the diamond is set in platinum), wedding, eternity and anniversary rings as a stack (on my right hand as I am widowed), my late husband’s wedding ring (gold) on my left thumb, a thin gold chain with tiny pendant, and several tiny gold earrings in each ear. It sounds like a lot, but it’s not really.

I think it’s probably partly trends, and partly finances. I worked out recently (for insurance purposes), that the purchase value of the jewellery I wear daily is in the region of $15-16k (I’m in Aus, so about £7-8k gbp), and was shocked! But I was married for 21yrs (I’m mid 40s) so other than the bangle which I bought myself after my husband passed ($6k), the rest were all gifts over that time. I have no idea what the resale value would be .

And as far as the tacky argument goes - cheap bendy or costume gold can look naff, but classic gold I think will always look classy and elegant if worn well.

I like the look of gold but I find it quite irritating, not always but gold jewellery is much more likely to cause an eczema flare up. I’m safe with silver, platinum, stainless steel etc.

White gold does tarnish. White gold is made up of an alloy of gold with nickel , palladium and other metals. It is often plated with rhodium or platinum which gives it a shiny look, over time the shininess dulls and your piece of jewellery will need replated to give it back the shine. It’s amazing the difference it makes.

I work in jewellers pre children and we often replated white gold rings with rhodium .

In your opinion.

I find a white gold or platinum solitaire diamond engagement ring quite common (and more than a little unimaginative), but that’s only my opinion. Doesn’t mean I’m right. Plenty of people wouldn’t like my wedding ring (white gold, half eternity), or my engagement ring (my grandmother’s gold engagement ring with diamonds), or the fact I mix metals.

It’s funny, nearly everyone I know wears and prefers gold! I wear a lot of gold vermeil from places like Monica Vinader and Astley Clarke - I’d have real gold if I could afford it!