Some of you might be thinking - how could something as "unnecessary" as jewellery be considered an investment during a time of inflation?
Well, did you know that during the last financial crisis of 2008, the only industries that did not suffer and whose sales did not drop at all, were high end goods such as designer shoes and handbags, and fine jewellery.
Why you might ask?
Because these three categories are considered staples that can actually be used as currency at any given moment because there will always be a market desire for them until the end of time, and thereby preserve your money as an investment.
This is why I am always going on and on about jewellery (although not all brands) being an investment because solid jewellery (i.e. the kind I make) will always be an investment in itself because you can take it to a jeweller who buys old jewellery and trade your jewellery in for money. This is only applicable in cases where you have bought solid gold or silver pieces.
Plated or filled pieces do not carry the same re-sale value because they have a core which oftentimes consists of brass or other non-precious metals of lesser value between solid and plated. Keep this in mind next time you've fallen for a piece of jewellery. Always ask how it's been made before you buy to see if it's actually worth your hard earned money.
Fun fact - did you know that as I am writing this, current price for gold is 54 € for a single gram of 24 Karat gold? The biggest reason for this is that gold is a limited resource and some believe we have dug up all there is to dig up, and therefore the gold on the market today becomes extra valuable because we might be running out very soon. And prices are only going one way and that is up.
My pieces usually range between 3-10 grams of gold (9K) or silver (925) because they are solid, whereas a plated piece can contain as little as 1 micron of gold only giving it a light coating on the outside to appear golden. Let that differnce sink in and think about the monetary difference in value.
Solid fine jewellery
Because of their purity and solidity, solid precious metals such as solid gold or silver can be traded in for money at any given time because they can be melted down and re-sold as precious metal bars or be remade into new pieces in a few easy steps. You can melt and re-melt silver and gold endlessly without them ever losing value. This is why I call it an investment.
Most jewellers will even accept that you bring in your old solid jewellery pieces to use for material for a new design you want to commission them to make for you, thereby saving you the cost of material because you're providing it yourself by recycling an old one. Brilliant, isn't it?
So with that said, I hope you now feel better equipped to decide what you should spend you hard earned money on next time you feel like spoiling yourself - even in the midst of a global record high inflation.
Unitl next time.
Xx,
Marie