The Timeless Appeal of Gold

Author

It's Lindsay Ellen, the "jeweler's daughter" again! I hope you enjoyed last week's article. I will continue to fill in writing this column for my dad while he's gallivanting across Germany and Spain without me for the next few weeks.

Throughout generations, gold has been near and dear to many people. It has been passed down to family members, sought as buried treasure and found gleaming in department store windows. Gold always catches the eye. White gold is popular as well, but our best selling pieces always trend yellow. Yellow gold is our bread and butter! Don't get me wrong, we have a marvelous selection of white gold jewelry, but the mainstay of a retail jewelry shop is yellow gold. Proving popular again is heavy men's chain. Men like the chain to be a bit on the long side because they like to be able to get it over their head without fooling with the clasp. On Marco, you will find many interesting pendants dangling from beautiful heavy chains. Crosses, anchors, ship's wheels, the latest creation to come out of our workshop was a solid 18-karat gold Kraken sea monster frame for a Spanish salvaged treasure coin totally handcrafted by my father encrusted with diamonds and emeralds. Many men love the Mel Fischer discovered Atocha coins, found exclusively in Key West and brought into our store for gold frames complete with boat shackle bails to hang from the chain. These projects are always a unique work in progress and a joy to produce for our clientele. A popular chain we stocked this season was the anchor chain; handcrafted and stunning, it mimics an actual anchor chain found on a boat. It comes in a large selection of weights and widths. Anything in jewelry with a nautical theme or having to do with sea life goes on Marco!

Something I have always found interesting about gold is the many dynamic colors it comes in. Special alloys are added to pure 24-karat gold to achieve the luscious rich yellow look of 18-karat, different colored alloys can create rose, green, white, and even black gold. Another fact that some people are not aware of is that white gold does not exist until man has added alloys to it. White gold does not come out of the ground or rivers that color. You’ll often notice a yellowish hue on the shank of white gold rings after regular wear. This is completely normal and natural. A simple dip in rhodium plating will enhance that rich white gold shine. Once, I had a customer come in very concerned that her white gold ring was looking slightly yellowish, and she thought perhaps the jeweler she had purchased it from did not create her ring in white gold. A simple education by yours truly puts her at ease. On another occasion, a woman came in with a rash on her finger where her ring was. Upon inspection, a large accumulation of grime had occurred on the inside of her ring, caked in after many years of wear. A quick dip in the ultrasonic, a steam bath, and a bit of elbow grease solved her issue. It was, in fact, gold, but the grime (bacteria) was irritating her finger and causing contact dermatitis. Don't hesitate to stop by the store for complimentary cleaning and inspection of your fine jewelry. If you don't have time, a nice at-home solution is a dab of simple green diluted by water and an old toothbrush.

We play this really fun game (not really fun) in the store called "Is This Real?" People bring in an assortment of treasures. Oftentimes eagle-eyed islanders will find stones on the ground and bring them for identification. Usually, it's just a cubic zirconia or a rhinestone, but it has happened where people have actually come across one of their fellow islander's lost diamonds. My grandmother and grandfather always used to scan the ground when out shopping looking for lost money or even paperclips. I often laughed at this shrewd technique, but I have been the witness to many lucky finds. Don't be the unsuspecting victim of poor maintenance. Just like your car, your jewelry needs to be tended to. Another common game of "Is This Real?" is when people come in with cheap, poorly plated jewelry and ask my Dad to tell them if it is gold or not. They want him to do an acid test and it is not even necessary. One simple glance and a cursory feel for weight and he can tell. He calls it gas station gold. Yes, people buy gold chains and bracelets for $100 or more from unscrupulous characters hanging around gas stations. At least once a year, we get swarmed by people who purchase from these folks. These same scammers attempt to sell them the same worthless stuff with sob stories that they need the money for grandma's meds or gasoline. They insist the chain is worth way more than they are asking. The naive people, swayed by their stories, bring it in for us to tell them the bad news. It is, in fact, a common rip-off; the con is as old as time itself. These chains are in fact worthless. They’re often a low-grade metal such as copper or brass underneath the gold-plated finish and these chains will turn your neck green after a short time. If it's too good to be true, it often is. I always feel bad when this happens, but this is why it pays to have a well-known and trusted jeweler on your side. Sometimes people get angry at us when they are told they got scammed - it doesn't always pay to be the bearer of bad news - but we are obligated as professionals to tell it like it is and deal with the consequences. One morning a man came in pushing a CVS shopping cart. Inside was a complete brass floor lamp he insisted he bought in the 50s, and it was solid gold. My father had to break the bad news to him. It's really amazing what people think they have sometimes.

Nice quality men's chains are expensive! Don't be fooled by hollow chains or 10-karat gold offers. Especially for the inevitable wear and tear that men put on their jewelry, opt for 14-karat solid gold and avoid the imitations. Gold-plated over silver is a nice alternative if the price tag is too steep for a solid chain for him. Or for young men, a nice heavy silver "starter" chain is an option. Yes, it will tarnish, but a quick dip in silver cleaner and a buff with a polishing cloth will keep it looking good. Or bring it back to us for a tumble in our cleaner, we charge a small nominal fee for that service. Silver tarnishes. It is a fact; often some designer pieces have incorporated that blackened look into their designs. Many people like their Atocha coins to have that patina, while others want it shiny. It's just personal preference. People that prefer that constant high polish opt for white gold but it's not always an option and we understand that. Even less expensive of an option is stainless steel. The stainless lines we offer boast a large selection of men's jewelry. Dog tags, chains, bracelets, and money clips are nice options for the special man in your life.

But gold will always rule. Many men will hold off on a big purchase until they can swing the hefty price tag associated with a quality heavy chain. It is timeless, and both my goldsmith brother and father sport heavy chain necklaces and bracelets. Dad's daily wear consists of a heavy gold chain and hanging from it is his cherished red oxblood coral Italian horn he found in Florence, a religious medal blessed by the Pope, two heavy gold bracelets, a watch and wedding ring. I tease them for being ostentatious. They not only love their gold, but it's also advertising what they do for a living! Nothing pleases me more than adorning myself with gems and gold each morning from our showcases to complement my attire. Don't forget the men in your life - they like the bling too!

Lindsay Ellen is the daughter of Richard Alan, the colorful author of this column you have known for many years. She will be filling in temporarily while Richard holidays and as he slowly and gracefully slides into semi-retirement. Lindsay will also be happy to answer any questions or comments you may have at [email protected].

High End Price for Low End Jewelry

Author

Lindsay Ellen is the daughter of Richard Alan, the colorful author of this column you have known for many years. She will be filling in temporarily while Richard holidays and as he slowly and gracefully slides into semi-retirement. Lindsay will also be happy to answer any questions or comments you may have. [email protected].

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