Everyone has a different way of expressing how they feel about themselves, their connection with their community, and how they view their material status. Some are really showy when they have money, and others are more subtle. However, there are some things that most have, even if they style they choose would be different. Jewelry often makes a great statement, and something as simple as a gold chain can say a lot of things about who you are and how you view the world.
Gold is something that most consider valuable, but there are many different types of gold out there. Gold is gold, of course, but the amount of that metal you may find in your gold chain will directly impact what you have to pay for it, and even how nice it is and how long it will stay beautiful. If you understand what goes into making a gold chain, you can then appreciate what you might have to pay to get something that is solid gold or if you would rather get gold plating or anything in between.
When I was young, my biological father got me a gold chain that has a gold nugget hanging as a pendent. I knew the gold nugget was not gold, but I never realized how cheap it really was. I’m not even sure there was any real gold on it, and if there was, it was gold plated. The pure gold color wore off rather quickly, and I put the necklace away for good. I know he meant well, but telling me the gold chain was expensive - when it was clearly not - was not the way to make up for being missing from my life for eight years. I would have rather he was honest and had told me it was plated. It would have meant more to me that way.
When you buy a gold chain, you want to pay attention to the karat. 24 karat gold is pure gold and will be rather easy to break. 18 karat gold is nice, but you should know that gold has been mixed with another metal to make it stronger, and it won’t cost as much as 24k. Gold plated items contain very little gold. However, they are great if you want the look of gold, but know you won’t wear the gold chain very often. If you take good care of it, it should last you a bit longer than it would if you wore it every single day. Know the karat before you buy any gold items so you know you are paying for what you think you are getting.
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