Some Thoughts on Gold

[AGBF]

These earrings, which contain beads of two different sizes, were sold to me as 22K by an Indian jewelry store.

Deborah

 

[AGBF]

This is another picture of the same earrings.

 

[AGBF]

This is yet another shot of one of the earrings, taken to show how the beads are made. As I said, supposedly this earring is 22K. It may have been *made* in India, however. The store which could not find 22K beads (NOT the store that sold me these earrings), although also owned by Indians and frequented by Indians, makes its jewelry on the premises.

(BTW, I have seen the most *beautiful* saris in both jewelry stores and on the patrons! If it weren''t so impractical for me, I might be shopping for saris next!!! Pale, shimmery pink, I think. Or maybe pale blue.)

Deb

 

[AGBF]

I just saw these while looking for 24 karat gold earrings on the ''net. I saw they were sold at Neiman Marcus but guess what? It''s our friend Gurhan who designed them again! He has his own website where it lists all the (many) celebrities who wear his jewelry. I suspect I have expensive taste! These are hand-hammered 24k gold with South Sea pearls and diamond briolettes.

Deborah

 

[Schatzley]

Deborah, High karat gold is certainly available. However to keep it affordable you have to have it made in the orient or India and then you have no say in its design.

We make our jewelry in any gold content from 14k to 24k on special order. Virtually any design can be made in high karat gold but at American labor costs. The increased karat gold will not drastically incresae the cost as much as the labor costs will.

 

[Schatzley]

You should not be overly concerned about the so called sofness of 24k gold. Yes it is softer to the scratch but it is more maleable which means it will not loose molecules of gold in normal wear as fast as other lesser gold content rings.

I wore a 24k gold wedding band for many years and then a young man wanted to buy my ring for sentimental reasons. That is a long story and need not be gone into here. But yes I polished my wedding ring and sold it to him. He has worn it now for about 10 years and it looks great. Not shiney but like real gold.,which it is.

So frequently high karat gold gets a bad rap because the workmanship was not up to par and the thickness was not there which caused it to bend. Then the high karat gets the bad rap not the other factors.

 

[AGBF]

Participating in these threads on gold has made me aware of more resources for custom gold work in high karat gold than I had thought existed previously. I am glad to know that you do such work, Jack. Richard Wise and Andrew (lonewoodminer) are also very much on my radar screen. Keep telling me more!

Deb

 

[movie zombie]

i, too, want to here more re using 24K gold for a ring setting....i''ve got that 8.18 spess to get set yet and was originally going to go with platinum. this thread has me rethingking that....

peace, movie zombie

 

[lonewoodminer]

Hi all

I Love that hamered effect on those earings Deb, I think I will try something similar.
Jack''s point is very valid about our labour costs in countries like the USA and Australia, but it''s great that we still have some wonderful tradesmen and women to cary out those extra special jobs. Although it shouldn''t be forgotten that there are some very skilled craftsmen in places like India who do custom jobs to a very high standard, some lump all work places in India or China the same but some of these workers are actually quite well paid and do very good work.
Keep the ideas flowing, they are great !

Cheers Andrew Lane
www.aussiesapphire.com.au

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/3/2005 3:02:56 AM
Author: lonewoodminer

Keep the ideas flowing, they are great !

Anything you can do with those black crystals and pure gold is going to be blessed !

Here''s some randon 22k gold things ...

 

[valeria101]

 

[valeria101]

 

[valeria101]

And some more texture...

 

[AGBF]

Date: 6/3/2005 3:02:56 AM
Author: lonewoodminer
I Love that hamered effect on those earings Deb, I think I will try something similar.

Well, when you do, I hope I get a chance to see them! If I do not want to buy the first pair you design, I *will* want to ask you to make me a *similar* pair with just this or that little variation!

Deb

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 5/31/2005 9:32:14 PM
Author: movie zombie
i, too, want to here more re using 24K gold for a ring setting....i''ve got that 8.18 spess to get set yet and was originally going to go with platinum. this thread has me rethingking that....

peace, movie zombie

HI:

I had my 4 CT. raspberry tourmaline set into almost 15 gms. of 24K and I could not be happier with the outcome (posted on CS forum a while ago). Good luck in what you choose.

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 5/31/2005 2:21:11 PM
Author: Schatzley
You should not be overly concerned about the so called sofness of 24k gold. Yes it is softer to the scratch but it is more maleable which means it will not loose molecules of gold in normal wear as fast as other lesser gold content rings.

I wore a 24k gold wedding band for many years

HI:

My husband wore his substantial 24K wedding band for 15 years before losing it while diving in Belize (I replaced it 5 years ago with the same type of band)--and other than minor scratches it wore/wears very well. But then again, I am partial to that "look".

cheers--Sharon

 

[movie zombie]

sharon, sent you a private e-mail.

i''m really liking the looks of high gold! it looks more organic.

peace, movie zombie

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 5/25/2005 10:24:12 PM
Author: AGBF
I just saw these while looking for 24 karat gold earrings on the ''net. I saw they were sold at Neiman Marcus but guess what? It''s our friend Gurhan who designed them again! He has his own website where it lists all the (many) celebrities who wear his jewelry. I suspect I have expensive taste! These are hand-hammered 24k gold with South Sea pearls and diamond briolettes.

Deborah

HI:

I love several pieces by this designer, but when I checked out what was available at NM while in California, I found them a bit cost prohibative for my Canadian pocketbook. Too bad for me

.

cheers--Sharon

 

[cflutist]

Here are my high karatage gold pieces:

Chain on the left is 22K

Chain in the middle for comparison is 14K

My late grandmother''s haircomb I believe is 24K

 

[Kaleigh]

cflutist,
I just love your grandmother''s hairclip. The detail is just amazing. Do you wear it??? The first chain is lovely. I had a bracelet that my mother gave me that was 22 carat and lost it while I was in college. I would love to replace it.

 

[cflutist]

Kaleigh, when she was alive, my grandmother used to put her hair up in a bun and would wear that comb in the bun.
When she died, all of the grandkids got something, and being the oldest granddaughter, I got her favorite piece
of jewelry.

My hair is too short for me to wear it. Plus, it is in dis-repair right now and a little out of style.

 

[Kaleigh]

Well it''s am amazing piece and I am glad you got to have it.

 

[Jennifer5973]

That comb is fabulous! I love "hair jewelry" and think women should get back into it...thanks for sharing.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Lovely pieces CFlutist--beside the high carat gold, jade is another passion of mine.

cheers--Sharon

 

[AGBF]

cflutist,

That comb is absolutely *exquisite*!!! I love the color and the detail. (And is there a tiny piece of jade set in it? Or is there a speck on the picture?) I could never wear something like that in my hair since it is (colored) pale blonde. I cannot imagine any other piece of jewelry being big enough to incorporate everything featured in the comb, either. I wish you could wear it and that we could see it in your hair! That would be gorgeous!

Deb

 

[cflutist]

That green speck is actually corosion from how it is attached to the comb. That part is not gold.

 

[Blue824]

I''m not usually over here, but wow...that comb is gorgeous, Cflutist.

 

[movie zombie]

http://www.tarakhighkaratgold.com/

ok, i''m in heavy lust with the necklace in the upper right quadrant.....

peace,movie zombie

 

[AGBF]

Date: 6/14/2005 2:27:33 PM
Author: movie zombie
http://www.tarakhighkaratgold.com/

Just what I needed! Another high karat gold site!

Deb

 

[movie zombie]

and look what i found this afternoon while researching PureGold ''cause binnion uses it in some of his mokume bands:

http://www.golden-knots.com/interaction.html

peace, movie zombie