The History of Gold Jewelry

Just about everyone enjoys receiving a gift of gold jewelry.  With the incredible selection of jewelry styles available, there's something unique for every personality.  Gold jewelry has been around since antiquity.  From civilizations like ancient Egypt to the Roman Empire, people have worn gold jewelry as adornments and status symbols.  While most people appreciate the beauty of gold jewelry, relatively few are aware of its long and storied history.

The use of gold goes back to prehistoric times.  Prehistoric man likely found it in riverbeds and streams as he collected drinking water.  Because it's naturally beautiful, it was immediately recognized as something of value.  Before long, it was used for ornamentation and was connected with the god of the sun, leading to the widespread use of gold in a variety of early religious ceremonies.  As an example, the Incas overtook the Chimu Empire and ordered the nation's goldsmiths to cover all of the walls of the Temple of the Sun in precious gold.

Gold continued to be a sought-after commodity among the peoples of the world, so much so that they migrated to new territories in search of it.  Perhaps no example of the hunt for gold is as famous as Columbus' arrival in the new world in 1492.  When Cortes later conquered Mexico and seized the gold he discovered there in 1519, his aim was to restore the Spanish economy.  Gold has also played a key role in United States history.  During the Gold Rush of 1849, about 40,000 gold hungry prospectors headed west in search of gold.  Not long after that, gold was discovered in South Africa and Australia, where its rich mines contributed further to the gold trade.

In order to make gold jewelry, gold is typically mixed with other metals to make it strong enough to withstand daily use.  The more base metal used, like copper for example, the lower the carat of the gold.  Lower carat gold jewelry is typically less expensive than its higher carat counterparts, making it accessible to a greater variety of people, and the metal is also stronger and less prone to breaking or bending.

The properties of gold jewelry can vary based on the metals used as a base.  Some characteristics that may vary from one lot of gold to the next include hardness, melting point, and color.  Copper is the most widely used base metal, giving the gold a reddish hue.  In some types of jewelry, most notably antiques and Russian gold jewelry, the copper creates a beautiful rose-colored gold.  Pendant white gold is created by adding nickel or palladium, or a combination of both, to yellow gold.  Another innovative style of gold jewelry is created in the Japanese art of Mokume-game, in which goldsmiths use contrasting colors between laminated gold alloys to mimic the look of wood grain in gold jewelry.

While the demand for gold and the most sought after gold jewelry designs have certainly fluctuated through the years, jewelers have continued to create stunning and often very elaborate, ornamental jewelry designs.  Gold jewelry be as simple as a gold band or bangle, or as intricate as gold collars with gemstones, other precious metals, and detailed engraved designs, resembling fine art more than jewelry.  Modern gold jewelry is made to coordinate with current trends in clothing fashion, making it possible to choose jewelry that will provide the perfect accent for any outfit.

Gold has had a long and storied existence in human history.  From the beginnings of its use by prehistoric man to the intricate, artistically complex pieces of modernity, gold jewelry has taken many forms.  There is one thing that has not changed: gold jewelry makes a wonderful gift for someone special!