In case you didn’t know, gold prices have climbed to historic highs over the last few months and as I’ve restocked items in my collection I’m getting to see that spike firsthand. I’ve had to rework all my prices (and some of the silver ones too as silver has also gone up, to a much lesser degree).
It got me thinking about my own approach, I want to give you my best tips on adding gold to your collection when you’re on a budget….
*Skip the chain–Maybe not every pendant needs its own chain, keep a few styles or sizes of chains and rotate the charms and pendants. I need to and will, set up a separate chain order form on my site. But I want to let you know you can always buy the pendant only if you have a chain at home. Just ask!
*Use a lower karat chain….Generally my advice would be to purchase the highest quality chain you can afford for lasting durability, and if you can squeeze 14k or higher–go for it. But chains can be $$ which is why my standard offering on chains has been gold-filled (this is like a thick gold bond, thicker than any plated jewelry). You can also get away with using a 10k chain, if you have one, for a 14k pendant because the color is similar though the price isn’t drastically different. (just to be clear all my pieces are solid gold, just the chains may be gold-filled, these are always labeled).
*Raid your jewelry box for gold pieces you know you aren’t going to wear anymore and cash them in for shopping money. The price of gold has definitely gone up since these were made! Think twice before melting down heirlooms but you can be the judge of this.
*Mix metals! I regularly wear both gold and silver. That way if I have both necklaces on I can wear either color for earrings and rings and not worry if it all matches, or if it’s all gold. My engagement ring is platinum, so everything goes for me!
*Go small! No one around here is trying to emulate Mr T, you can start small with a charm. You can build a collection slowly too and be intentional with the pieces you choose.
*Be wary–With gold soaring, you might look to certain bigger brands who offer solid gold at a hard to believe low price point. It can be tricky to tell in photos but often these pieces are extremely thin and will not hold up to regular wear. Not a worthwhile investment if you ask me!
*Pay in installments. Most sellers, myself included, offer this at checkout. I don’t know how useful this option really is, but if it helps you to break the cost into more manageable amounts, it’s there for you.
Of course, none of this matters to you if you’re a silver person! I’m still offering lots of silver pieces, and they’re still the majority of what I have available. In fact, I’m seeing lots of designers who were only selling gold begin to offer silver. Trends always sway back and forth, it’s interesting to watch.
I do this work because I absolutely love it and the thought of pricing myself out of being able to work in gold worries me. But all jewelers being in the same boat, we have to move forward knowing that gold has always been purchased, desired, and worn throughout history and this will likely continue. And if my prices seem high to you, know that the materials were high for me and I put SO much love and time into this work–time that doesn’t even figure into the price.
I hope you’ve found some of these tips helpful, happy gold hunting!
Xo Meryl