The Timeless Allure of Gold: Symbolism, Fashion, and Decor

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Who doesn’t love gold? While no one seems to be able to pinpoint exactly when this lustrous, shiny metal became such a “hot item,” mention of it dates back thousands of years. Cherished by the ancient Egyptians for both its beautiful color and its rarity, from earliest days, gold and the color of gold have been associated with royalty, wealth, exclusivity, success and extravagance, and its allure has only increased with time.

Even today, treasure hunters continue to seek golden bounty in mines, archaeological digs and undersea wrecks. Most recently, the Eric Schmitt family, subcontractors for 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels LLC, discovered a million dollars’ worth of 300-year-old gold chain and coins just off Florida’s coast. To date, divers such as the Schmitts have recovered $157 million of the estimated $400 million in lost treasure.

Aside from its investment value, around the world, the color gold carries a variety of meanings. For example, as a masculine color, gold is mostly associated with wealth in North America, but in Great Britain, it points to royalty. In China, gold symbolizes an earth element; in Japan it stands for wealth and strength. The European flag contains blue and gold to symbolize the unity among its nations.

To Christians, gold represents all the brilliance and magnificence that belongs to God. For Hindus, this color represents wisdom and knowledge. Golden halos surround the heads of many favorite deities. Muslims believe that green and gold are the colors of Paradise.

It is the scarcity of a product that can greatly impact its value, and gold is rare indeed. Fortunately, consumers can now purchase white gold, yellow gold and rose gold in a variety of price ranges to fit most budgets. After falling from favor for several years, both vintage and Art Deco gold jewelry patterns are currently trending. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, gold threading in clothing, gold buckles and buttons, and gold trim on pocketbooks and hats are creative ways to hint at sophistication and wealth.

For the affluent, technology-conscious crowd, Apple’s newest 18-carat, gold smart watch, the Edition, makes the ultimate fashion statement but carries a hefty price tag. While Apple underestimated the popularity of its gold-colored smart phones, it wasn’t caught off guard when it debuted the real deal, the gold iPhone 5S.

Recently, gold has also been welcomed back into decorating circles. Bright gold tends to be more uplifting and positive, but can appear brassy and pretentious if overdone or placed in wrong lighting. Darker shades of gold are warm and rich and somewhat easier to incorporate into a decorating scheme. Gold color can be added in small amounts such as picture frames and accessories for an understated effect or in wall treatments and large furnishings for a glamorous, opulent statement.

It seems apparent that our love affair with gold shows no sign of abating. Whether we collect the real item to wear or invest or we make use of this rich color to beautify our living space, today, anyone can enjoy the loveliness of the color gold.